Post-glacial rebound and asthenosphere viscosity in Iceland

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL01342· OSTI ID:5558811

Sigmundsson, F ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)

During the Weichselian glaciation Iceland was covered with an ice cap which caused downward flexure of the Earth's surface. The post-glacial rebound in Iceland was very rapid, being completed in about 1,000 years. The length of this time interval constrains the maximum value of asthenosphere viscosity in Iceland to be 1 {times} 10{sup 19} Pa s or less. Further clarification of the ice retreat and uplift history may reveal lower viscosity. Current changes in the mass balance of Icelandic glaciers must lead to measurable elevation changes considering this low viscosity. Expected current elevation changes around the Vatnajoekull ice cap are of the order of 1 cm per year, due to mass balance change in this century.

• OSTI ID: 5558811
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 18:6; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
ICELAND
GROUND UPLIFT
AGE ESTIMATION
CARBON 14
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGY
GLACIERS
ICE CAPS
MASS BALANCE
REMOVAL
TIME DEPENDENCE
VISCOSITY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON ISOTOPES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EUROPE
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
ICE
ISLANDS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
580000* - Geosciences