HR: 0800h
AN: GC41A-0099    [Abstracts]
TI: Hydrology and Biogeochemistry of Three Alpine Proglacial Environments Resulting From Recent Glacier Retreat
AU: * Bruckner, M Z
EM: Monica.Bruckner@myportal.montana.edu
AF: Montana State University, Bozeman, 200 Traphagen Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
AU: Skidmore, M L
EM: Skidmore@montana.edu
AF: Montana State University, Bozeman, 200 Traphagen Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
AU: Bond, J D
EM: jeff.bond@gov.yk.ca
AF: Yukon Geological Survey, Box 2703 (K-10), Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6, Canada
AB: Proglacial environments, formed by glacier retreat, exhibit distinct characteristics in discharge, water temperature, water residence time, and ion, carbon, and suspended sediment fluxes. The unnamed alpine glacier at the headwaters of the Wheaton River, Yukon, Canada, provides a unique setting to compare deglaciation processes that result in three different proglacial environments. The glacier has evolved from occupying one large catchment (4 km²) to two smaller catchments (each 2 km²) via glacier thinning and net mass loss, forming two lobes separated by a medial moraine. Climate and bedrock geology are similar for the subcatchments, providing a natural laboratory to compare deglaciation processes. This study compares the biogeochemistry and hydrology of three outlet streams from this glacier; one stream drains a proglacial lake which is fed by the lower west lobe, a second stream drains the upper west lobe, and a third stream is the major drainage outlet for the east lobe. Hydrological monitoring over the 2006 melt season (June-August) and analyses of water samples for ion content and carbon chemistry indicate certain discrete characteristics for each stream and thus aid in the understanding of climate-induced glacier retreat on hydrochemistry, hydrology, and carbon dynamics in remote high elevation environments.
DE: 0720 Glaciers
DE: 0793 Biogeochemistry (0412, 0414, 1615, 4805, 4912)
DE: 1615 Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling (0412, 0414, 0793, 4805, 4912)
DE: 1806 Chemistry of fresh water
DE: 1899 General or miscellaneous
SC: Global Environmental Change [GC]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting