Loading...
Iceberg jam floods in Icelandic proglacial rivers: testing the self-organized criticality hypothesis
Roussel, Erwan Toumazet, Jean-Pierre Marren, Philip M. Cossart, Etienne
Roussel, Erwan
Toumazet, Jean-Pierre
Marren, Philip M.
Cossart, Etienne
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
EPub Date
Publication Date
2016-03-31
Submitted Date
Collections
Files
Other Titles
Abstract
In this paper, we describe a fluvial marginal process associated with the formation of iceberg jams in Icelandic proglacial lakes. The floods triggered by the release of these iceberg jams have implications for the geomorphic evolution of the proglacial fluvial system. The process of iceberg jam floods share some conceptual characteristics with Self-Organized Criticality (SOC) approach of complex systems. Using a simple numerical model and field observations, we test the hypothesis that iceberg jam floods exhibit SOC. Field observations and aerial photo-interpretations in southeastern Iceland demonstrate the occurrence of icebergs jam in ice-contact lakes. The mapping of the south Vatnajökull margins between 2003 and 2012 reveals an increase of the calving potentiality and a rise in the likelihood of iceberg jam flood occurrence. Based on the results of the numerical model and field observations, we suggest that iceberg jam floods should be recognized as a SOC phenomenon. Analysis of the simulated time-series show that the iceberg jam floods become less frequent and more similar in magnitude over time. This global trend is related to the gradual enlargement of the lake outlet channel.
Citation
Roussel, E., Toumazet, J.-P., Marren, P. M., Cossart, E. (2016). Iceberg jam floods in Icelandic proglacial rivers: testing the self-organized criticality hypothesis. Géomorphologie: relief, processus, environnement, 22(1), 37-49. DOI: 10.4000/geomorphologie.11229
Publisher
GFG
Journal
Géomorphologie : relief, processus, environnement
Research Unit
DOI
10.4000/geomorphologie.11229
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
Language
en
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
EISSN
1957-777X