Jökull - 01.06.2000, Page 20

Fiona S. Tweed
1969 is approximately 500 m, at the main terminus of
Sólheimajökull (Sigurðsson, personal communicati-
on, 1997). At present, several outlets from Mýrdals-
jökull are advancing in response to general climate
change.
The main glacial river (Jökulsá) draining the Sól-
heimajökull catchment has three main sources (Figure
2). The first river drains from Jökulsárgilsjökull, an
outlet glacier approximately 3 km to the north of
Sólheimajökull, through the Jökulsárgil valley, passes
through the side of the glacier for c. 1 km and ex-
its via a broad low portal on the southern side where
it joins with water from Sólheimajökull. Observati-
ons made during 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1996 indicate
that water from Sólheimajökull exits the snout from
changing locations, sometimes from under the snout
further east and sometimes very close to the exit
portal described above. In the latter case, it is usually
possible to identify the two distinct sources, as water
from Jökulsárgil carries dominantly light brown sedi-
ment, and the water draining from the glacier proper
is characterised by a milky grey colouration. Furt-
her from the snout, Fjallgilsá waters join the Jökulsá,
and the river receives input from several more small
streams before passing under the road bridge, c. 4 km
south of the glacier snout.
18 JÖKULLNo. 48