Update

PolarConnect Event now archived
Jamie and team hosted a LIVE event from the field on Wednesday, 7 August 2013. This event is now archived and can be viewed here.

What Are They Doing?

Field camp on the glacier foreland
Field camp on the glacier foreland
This project sought to understand the formation of drumlins, some of the most mysterious and poorly understood of glacial landforms. Drumlins are elongated, aligned hills that form hidden from view beneath glaciers. The first modern drumlin field has recently been exposed by the retreat of Múlajökul. Previously this kind of landform could be studied only by focusing on drumlin fields that formed long ago in the Pleistocene, so this study provided a unique opportunity to understand drumlin formation better.

The research team collected intact till (rocks and finely ground material picked up by a glacier, and deposited as sediment along its path) samples from the drumlins and the surrounding area. The samples were taken back to Iowa State University and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and subjected to geotechnical tests and magnetic fabric analyses. This testing determined the former distribution of stresses on the till and patterns of subglacial till deformation that were likely central to the formation of the drumlins. In addition to helping determine the internal structure of drumlins and how drumlins form, this research will shed light on the distribution of basal drag beneath glaciers—an important and poorly understood factor in their dynamics.

Where Are They?

Drumlin field on the Múlajökul glacier foreland
Drumlin field on the Múlajökul glacier foreland
The research team worked in central Iceland at approximately 65 degrees North. The area is just south of the Arctic Circle but is considered arctic in terms of its geographic attributes such as large ice caps and treeless tundra. The team first flew to Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, and from there traveled by four-wheel drive vehicle to within 20 km of the field site. Rapid, deep glacial rivers prohibit traveling the final 20 km stretch either on foot or by ground vehicle. A helicopter was required to ferry people and gear the rest of the way.

The team camped just inside the outermost surge moraine of the outlet glacier, Múlajökul, about 2 km from the glacier margin. High winds and rain are common in the area. The group lived in tents and shared a large cook tent for meal preparation. The work required considerable hiking, fording of shallow streams, and digging in wet and cold conditions.

Latest Journals

Welcome to Tom's Lab! Tom's lab! After a long six hour drive from Ames to Milwaukee yesterday afternoon, we awoke bright and early in our hotel room and headed to the UWM campus. Neal, Reba, and myself met James, Libby, and Tom up in the Geomorphology Lab to accomplish our tasks for the day:…
Bootstrap Statistics: Computer Science Meets Geoscience I headed back to class this morning. Only this time, I was fortunate enough to sit in on Dr. Zoet's Computational Techniques for Geoscience 590 course as a student. This graduate level course is designed to help developing geoscientists…
Reunited! I am excited to announce that for the next few days I am going to have the wonderful opportunity to work with Dr. Iverson, Dr. Hooyer, Dr. Zoet, Reba, Geoff, Libby, and James at their home universities! The three day trip to Iowa State University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee…
A New Kind of Daily Routine Well, I'm back home. After a couple of days of adjusting to the time difference, a few good hours of swimming in the lake with my daughter, some enjoyable sunset strolls through the vegetable garden with my wife, and a late summer feast of elk steaks and potatoes on…
Dates
-
Location
Central Iceland
Project Funded Title
Collaborative Research: Testing Hypotheses for Drumlin Formation at Múlajökul, Iceland
Jamie Esler - Teacher
Teacher
Lake City High School

Jamie Esler is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for teaching science. If he's not instructing, grading assignments or writing lessons at Lake City High School, he is in his kayak, knee-deep in a telemark turn or hiking with his wife and daughter. Jamie graduated from Illinois State University in 2007 with a BS in geology and earth science education. For the last nine years, he has done all that he can to become an innovative and inspirational science educator. Most recently, Jamie has focused his career on enhancing climate literacy in the classroom. He is currently a Teacher Fellow with the University of Idaho Intermountain Climate Education Network (ICE-Net), and an Extension Lecturer for the University of Washington Program on Climate Change and "UW in the High School" program.

From teaching wildlife ecology to a homeschooled student in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska, to teaching general science classes for students with reading and learning disabilities, to his most recent assignment of IB environmental systems and societies, Jamie has developed a diverse spectrum of teaching experiences. During the summer months and on weekends Jamie also volunteers as a field instructor for Selkirk Outdoor Leadership and Education, a non-profit outdoor education organization based in North Idaho. A PolarTREC expedition is just what Jamie has been seeking to help him continue to connect students and learners of all ages with the natural world around them.

Neal Iverson - Researcher
Researcher
Iowa State University

Neal Iverson is the Smith Family Foundation Chair of the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences at Iowa State University. His research is devoted primarily to understanding glaciers and the spectacular imprint they leave on the landscape. Glacier dynamics and landscape modification are particularly sensitive to processes at glacier beds, which is the focus of much of his effort.

This research involves field experiments at modern glaciers, field measurements in formerly glaciated landscapes, laboratory experiments, and the formulation of models aimed at characterizing glacial processes. He and some of his former students are the 2012 recipients of the Kirk Bryan Award, given by the Geological Society of America for research that advances the field of geomorphology. More information about Dr. Iverson can be found here

Thomas Hooyer - Researcher
Researcher
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

After receiving his PhD in geology and geophysics from Iowa State University in 1999, Tom Hooyer joined the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey in Madison, Wisconsin where he primarily mapped glacial deposits and landforms from the last great ice sheet to cover North America. Tom recently moved to Milwaukee where he is an associate professor of geology at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

His research interests include glacier erosion, basal till deformation beneath ice sheets, and the Quaternary history of Wisconsin. Current research projects include field studies of fabric development of drumlins in Wisconsin and Iceland, bedrock erosion in Canada and Switzerland, and the mapping of Quaternary deposits in Wisconsin. Complimentary laboratory studies include using a ring-shear device to examine the particle and magnetic fabrics of sheared basal till. More information about Dr. Hooyer can be found here.

Drumlin Formation in Iceland Resources

This Washington Post article features PolarTREC teacher Jamie Esler from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho discussing the subject of climate change with his students in his Outdoor Studies Program.

Article
Arctic
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Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): Seeing Below the Surface While Keeping Scientists Safe

Overview

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a valuable technology that utilizes waves of low frequency electromagnetic radiation to help polar scientists understand what is beneath their feet! Using real field data from the Icelandic glacier Múlajökull, along with a small selection of short videos and web-based resources

Lesson
Arctic
About 1 period
Middle School and Up
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Overview

This lesson allows learners to analyze and evaluate how the science of climate change and global warming are portrayed in various online media outlets.

Objectives

* Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the written structure that an author uses when writing about the science of climate change and global warming. * Students will be able

Lesson
Arctic
About 1 period
High school and Up
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This one hour PolarConnect event is with Jamie Esler and the research team in central Iceland. The focus of this event is on drumlin formations and their importance.

Event
Arctic
n/a

Here is a great interview with Dr. Iverson on Iowa Public Radio. He gives an excellent overview of the research, why he has chosen Mulajokull as a location, and the significance of understanding glacial mechanics and movement in light of global climate change.

Audio
Arctic
About 1 period
All Aged
n/a

Read this online interview with PolarTREC teacher Jamie Esler for a snapshot of his cool summer plans. Mr. Esler will be joining polar researchers Dr. Neal Iverson and Dr. Thomas Hooyer, and Scandinavian colleagues, in a remote location of Iceland for three weeks for his PolarTREC Expedition. The team will be conducting research on drumlins, a unique type of glacial

Article
Arctic
All Aged
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PolarTREC teacher Jamie Esler was named the 2013 Coeur d’Alene School District Teacher of the Year! Read the news release here.

Article
Arctic
All Aged
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