Jökull - 01.10.1998, Page 10

ries C762. The information about most of the other
glaciers is based on the DMA Series C761. Informa-
tion on Nauthagajökull, Múlajökull, Sátujökull,
Tungnaárjökull and Eyjabakkajökull are derived from
glacier maps in Bjömsson (1988).
DRANGAJÖKULL
Drangajökull is an ice cap on the NW peninsula
with three major outlet glaciers descending below
200 m a.s.l., Leirufjarðarjökull, Kaldalónsjökull and
Reykjarfjarðarjökull (Fig. 2a). They are all surge-
type. The area of the ice cap was 160 km2 in 1960
(Bjömsson, 1978) and it reaches a maximum eleva-
tion of 925 m a.s.l.
Leirufjarðarjökull in the north-westem part of the
ice cap was monitored by two farmers from 1931 to
1960 and by an inhabitant of a neighbouring town
since 1966. The glacier surged in the 1830s (Eyþórs-
son, 1935) and 1930s and a third surge started in 1995.
Kaldalónsjökull on the south-western side has
been monitored since 1931 by two farmers, a father
and a son. As for Leirufjarðarjökull, surges were
recorded in the 1830s (Eyþórsson, 1935) and 1930s
and more recently in 1995.
Surveys of Reykjarfjarðarjökull on the north-east-
em side have been carried out by local farmers and by
the same one from 1948 to 1995. The glacier surged
in the 1830s (Eyþórsson, 1935) and 1930s.
Local farmers rnade measurements at Þaraláturs-
jökull, which is a small outlet glacier to the north of
Reykjarfjarðarjökull, in the 1930s. The last 5 mea-
surements published in Eyþórsson (1963) are not tab-
ulated here since the observer stated that the terminus
was covered with fim. No surges are recorded.
SNÆFELLSJÖKULL
The Snæfellsjökull ice cap covers a central vol-
cano at the westem end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula
(Fig. 2b). It is the westemmost glacier in Iceland and
had an area of 11 km2 in 1960 (Björnsson, 1978).
Summit elevation is 1446 m a.s.l. No historical emp-
tions are known in Snæfellsjökull. Five different loca-
tions were chosen for monitoring in the early 1930s.
Hyrningsjökull and Jökulháls on the eastern mar-
gin of the ice cap have been monitored to the present
day. The terminus at Jökulháls has been inactive dur-
ing this period and covered by snow for decades and
therefore not accessible for measurements since the
1950s. Hyrningsjökull, a non-surging glacier has, on
the other hand, been highly active and has given a
Fig. 3. Location map of Eyjafjalla-
jökull and Mýrdalsjökull.
-Yfirlitskort af Eyjafjallajökli og
Mýrdalsjökli.
8
JÖKULL, No. 45, 1998