Greinar (Vísindafélag Íslendinga) - 01.01.1977, Page 15

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Fig. 1. The ice rand of an assumed general glaciation of Iceland during the
Older [5] and Younger [4] Dryas Stages, according to (4).
In face of the fact that the glacial divide of the Younger
Dryas ran from Vatnajökull to Mýrdalsjökull, Fig. 1, it is clear
that the precipitation came largely from the southeast and
south, just as today. Hence, the lower land in the north, in
particular the area now occupied by the lavas of Ódáðahraun,
was in a precipitation shadow, much more markedly than the
area north of Vatnajökull is today.
One must, therefore, expect the northern boundary of this
main Younger Dryas glacier far to the south in the Ódáða-
hraun area, or close to the base of the socle of the present
Vatnajökull. But not testing this alternative, Þorleifur Einars-
son (3) claims to be able, Fig. 1, to trace the Younger Dryas
rand of a „general main glacier" in northern Iceland on the basis
of end moraines of valley glaciers — which naturally are in-
dependent units — until he finds a connection with rand mo-
raines on the north side of Lake Mývatn, which S. Þórarinsson