Proximity to active volcanoes enhances glacier velocity

Joseph  Mallalieu; Iestyn D. Barr; Matteo Spagnolo; Donal J.  Mullan; Elias  Symeonakisa; Benjamin R.  Edwards; Michael D Martin

doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01826-5

Proximity to active volcanoes enhances glacier velocity

Joseph Mallalieu^* (Corresponding Author)
, Iestyn D. Barr
, Matteo Spagnolo
, Donal J. Mullan
, Elias Symeonakisa
, Benjamin R. Edwards
, Michael D Martin

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Volcanic heating is predicted by theory to affect the velocity of nearby glaciers. However, conclusive studies on a large scale are lacking. Here, we conduct a global comparison of the velocities of glaciers near active volcanoes (i.e. within 5 km) and those located elsewhere (> 5 km from an active volcano). Our findings show that, when considered over an annual scale (e.g. 2017-2018) and controlling for other factors, glaciers near volcanoes flow 46% faster than those located elsewhere (based on median values). This finding strongly suggests that volcanic heating impacts glacier velocity at a global scale, and supports the idea that glacier velocity monitoring could be a valuable indirect tool to help volcano monitoring and eruption prediction, particularly where volcanic heating (and therefore subglacial melt) intensifies months or years prior to eruptions.

Original language	English
Article number	679
Number of pages	7
Journal	Communications Earth & Environment
Volume	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01826-5
Publication status	Published - 13 Nov 2024

Data Availability Statement

Data availability
The database of glacier, glacierised volcano and climate properties used in
this study is archived at the NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre: https://doi.
org/10.5285/ae909122-b59f-4245-8ce9-f063f837fdf3.
Code availability
The R code for the statistical analyses and figures presented in this study is
available from GitHub: https://github.com/joemallalieu/glacier_velocities.

Funding

This research was funded by a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant: RPG-2019-093.

Funders	Funder number
The Leverhulme Trust	RPG-2019-093

Keywords

Cryospheric science
natural hazards
volcanology

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Cite this

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title = "Proximity to active volcanoes enhances glacier velocity",

abstract = "Volcanic heating is predicted by theory to affect the velocity of nearby glaciers. However, conclusive studies on a large scale are lacking. Here, we conduct a global comparison of the velocities of glaciers near active volcanoes (i.e. within 5 km) and those located elsewhere (> 5 km from an active volcano). Our findings show that, when considered over an annual scale (e.g. 2017-2018) and controlling for other factors, glaciers near volcanoes flow 46\% faster than those located elsewhere (based on median values). This finding strongly suggests that volcanic heating impacts glacier velocity at a global scale, and supports the idea that glacier velocity monitoring could be a valuable indirect tool to help volcano monitoring and eruption prediction, particularly where volcanic heating (and therefore subglacial melt) intensifies months or years prior to eruptions. ",

keywords = "Cryospheric science, natural hazards, volcanology",

author = "Joseph Mallalieu and Barr, \{Iestyn D.\} and Matteo Spagnolo and Mullan, \{Donal J.\} and Elias Symeonakisa and Edwards, \{Benjamin R.\} and Martin, \{Michael D\}",

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doi = "10.1038/s43247-024-01826-5",

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T1 - Proximity to active volcanoes enhances glacier velocity

AU - Mallalieu, Joseph

AU - Barr, Iestyn D.

AU - Spagnolo, Matteo

AU - Mullan, Donal J.

AU - Symeonakisa, Elias

AU - Edwards, Benjamin R.

AU - Martin, Michael D

PY - 2024/11/13

Y1 - 2024/11/13

N2 - Volcanic heating is predicted by theory to affect the velocity of nearby glaciers. However, conclusive studies on a large scale are lacking. Here, we conduct a global comparison of the velocities of glaciers near active volcanoes (i.e. within 5 km) and those located elsewhere (> 5 km from an active volcano). Our findings show that, when considered over an annual scale (e.g. 2017-2018) and controlling for other factors, glaciers near volcanoes flow 46% faster than those located elsewhere (based on median values). This finding strongly suggests that volcanic heating impacts glacier velocity at a global scale, and supports the idea that glacier velocity monitoring could be a valuable indirect tool to help volcano monitoring and eruption prediction, particularly where volcanic heating (and therefore subglacial melt) intensifies months or years prior to eruptions.

AB - Volcanic heating is predicted by theory to affect the velocity of nearby glaciers. However, conclusive studies on a large scale are lacking. Here, we conduct a global comparison of the velocities of glaciers near active volcanoes (i.e. within 5 km) and those located elsewhere (> 5 km from an active volcano). Our findings show that, when considered over an annual scale (e.g. 2017-2018) and controlling for other factors, glaciers near volcanoes flow 46% faster than those located elsewhere (based on median values). This finding strongly suggests that volcanic heating impacts glacier velocity at a global scale, and supports the idea that glacier velocity monitoring could be a valuable indirect tool to help volcano monitoring and eruption prediction, particularly where volcanic heating (and therefore subglacial melt) intensifies months or years prior to eruptions.

KW - Cryospheric science

KW - natural hazards

KW - volcanology

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DO - 10.1038/s43247-024-01826-5

M3 - Article

SN - 2662-4435

VL - 5

JO - Communications Earth & Environment

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ER -

Proximity to active volcanoes enhances glacier velocity

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

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