Jökull - 01.10.1998, Page 12

first by local farmers, and for the last 3 decades by
professional surveyors. Measurements from 1943-46
were not listed in Eyþórsson (1963). They are tabulat-
ed here based on the original sources. The variations
from 1946 to 1954 are based on the observation that
the glacier was slowly retreating 1946 to 1947, on
aerial photographs from 1945, 1960 and 1980 and on
the total change over the period 1943 to 1954 given in
Eyþórsson (1963).
Seljavallajökull is an outlet glacier that runs to the
south and was monitored at two locations for some
time in the 1930s and 1940s by local farmers.
MÝRDALS J ÖKULL
Mýrdalsjökull is an ice cap in central southem Ice-
land with many outlet glaciers (Fig. 3). It had an area
of about 580 km2 in 1991 according to Bjömsson and
Pálsson (1994). The glacier covers a central volcano
with a 110 km2 caldera. Summit elevation reaches
close to 1500 m a.s.l. Volcanic eruptions have oc-
curred on average twice a century through historical
time. Some of those have melted 8 km’ of ice or more
causing huge jökulhlaups (Tómasson, 1996). The last
large jökulhlaup occurred in 1918.
Sólheimajökull is a valley glacier that runs out of
the caldera towards south. The snout bifurcates and
has been measured at three locations since 1930 by
members of the Iceland Glaciological Society.
Kötlujökull is an expanded foot glacier on the
eastern side of Mýrdalsjökull. It is just recently taken
up for monitoring by a local farmer. For six centuries
all major jökulhlaups from Mýrdalsjökull have issued
from this main outlet glacier of the ice cap.
Öldufellsjökull is a surge-type glacier that runs to-
wards east. Surges occur approximately every ten
years on average. The glacier has been monitored by
local farmers since 1961.
VATNAJÖKULL
Vatnajökull is the largest ice cap in Iceland covering
many volcanoes (Fig. 4). It had an area of 8100 km2 in
1991 according to Landsat images. The ice cap is a
Fig. 5. Location map of Hofsjökull and Langjökull. The map also show the location of glaciers in Hrútfell and the location of
Loðmundarjökull in Kerlingarfjöll.
- Yfirlitskort afHofsjökli and Langjökli. Kortið sýnir einnig jökla á Hrútfelli og Loðmundarjökul í Kerlingarfjöllum.
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JOKULL, No. 45, 1998