Jökull - 01.12.1985, Page 51

CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested in this paper that evidence of the
processes and of any timescale of events in the late
Pleistocene and the Holocene in this area lie in the
water-deposited sediments and the channels of the
lower lands, and in the moraines on those parts of the
interfluves not affected by sub-glacial water flow result-
ing from volcanic activity. There are no conclusive signs
of the limits of valley glaciers, as such, during stages of
deglaciation. The volcano-glacial history of Iceland sug-
gests that sub-glacial volcanic activity could have been
the most important element of the processes in late-
Glacial landscape development in those areas of N
Iceland adjacent to active volcanic centres, and that
time-scales other than those associated with the Kópa-
sker stage, (Einarsson, 1978 p.214), which are suffici-
ently distant from major eruptive centres, should be
viewed in this light. In particular, the possibility of very
extensive sub-glacial process in the area from Mývatn to
Akureyri should be examined carefully. Further, in the
light of this theory, the Vestfirðir peninsula of NW
Iceland assumes a crucial importance in late-Glacial
events since, at the onset of major glacial activity,
volcanic activity had ceased, and the area is remote
enough from the main volcanic centres to have escaped
many of the associated processes.
The widespread eskers described are an important
proportion of the cultivable land, and are being used
extensively for concrete and road material. Some of the
best examples should be protected and all could be
regarded as possible sites for forest re-development.
ACKN O WLED GEMENTS
First and foremost, my grateful thanks to Professor
G.P.L. Walker, who has never failed, over an acquaint-
ance of many years, to supply useful and helpful
information; all who examine the landscape of Eastern
lceland are deeply in his debt. The late Professor Sigurð-
ur Thorarinsson sowed the initial seeds for the ideas in
this paper which have, perhaps, borne fruit in unex-
pected ways, but I do not think that he would have
minded. Thanks also to Dr. Eggert Lárusson for useful
discussions, and to Thorvarður Arnason for informing
me about the features above Fossvellir in Jökulsárhlíð.
I am most grateful to the University ofSalford, Depart-
ment of Geography, for financial assistance with travel in
1979 and 1980, and to the Department’s cartographers
for the patience with which they have built up the maps
and diagrams and modified them after each of my visits
to Iceland. The British Geomorphological Research
Group kindly gave a grant for the processing of photo-
graphs in 1980.
Finally, a word ofthanks to all thefarmers who kindly
allowed access to their land, especially to those of
Ormarsstaðir and Fjallsel, who occupy farms of such
outstanding geomorphological interest. I hope that this
study may increase knowledge ofthe considerable poten-
tial of the land of the whole district.
REFERENCES
Ashwell, I.Y. 1975: Glacial and late glacial processes in
Western Iceland. Geografiska Annaler 57A: 225—
245.
Björnsson, H. 1983: A natural calorimeter at Gríms-
vötn. Jökull 33:13-18.
Einarsson, Th. 1978: Jarðfræði, third edition, Reykja-
vík.
Hjartarson, Á.,F. Sigurðsson and Th. Hafstað 1981:
Vatnsbúskapur Austurlands III; Lokaskýrsla.
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Jónsson, J. 1982: Notes on the Katla volcanoglacial
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Accepted lst February 1985.
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