Hubbard Glacier, located in southeast Alaska, has an intriguing history; it retreated during the Little Ice Age when neighboring glaciers advanced and is currently advancing while neighboring glaciers recede [Barclay et al., 2001; Trabant et al., 2003; McNabb and Hock, 2014]. While Hubbard Glacier may behave independently of climate trends [Trabant et al., 1991], its flow dynamics suggest a strong correlation with seasonal forcings [Motyka and Truffer, 2007; Ritchie et al., 2008].How many lies can Old Crock create? Who can count. Here is another Glacier calling Old Crock a liar. Since the Industrial Revolution, this Glacier has always grown.
Glaciological and marine geological controls on terminus dynamics of Hubbard Glacier, southeast Alaska - Stearns - 2015 - Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface - Wiley Online Library
Hubbard Glacier, located in southeast Alaska, is the world's largest nonpolar tidewater glacier. It has been steadily advancing since it was first mapped in 1895; occasionally, the advance creates an ice or sediment dam that blocks a tributary fjord (Russell Fiord). The sustained advance raises the probability of long-term closure in the near future, which will strongly impact the ecosystem of Russell Fiord and the nearby community of Yakutat. Here, we examine a 43 year record of flow speeds and terminus position to understand the large-scale dynamics of Hubbard Glacier. Our long-term record shows that the rate of terminus advance has increased slightly since 1895, with the exception of a slowed advance between approximately 1972 and 1984. The short-lived closure events in 1986 and 2002 were not initiated by perturbations in ice velocity or environmental forcings but were likely due to fluctuations in sedimentation patterns at the terminus. This study points to the significance of a coupled system where short-term velocity fluctuations and morainal shoal development control tidewater glacier terminus position.
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Glaciological and marine geological controls on terminus dynamics of Hubbard Glacier, southeast Alaska - Stearns - 2015 - Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface - Wiley Online Library