Hello, Iceland-Bound Travelers!
I’m looking forward to meeting you all very soon and together experiencing the awe-inspiring spectacle of Iceland. In addition to its rich history of Celtic and Nordic settlement dating back to the 8th century, Iceland has very unusual geology in that it is one of the few places on Earth where a divergent oceanic plate boundary is exposed at the surface. At a divergent boundary, magma rises from deep within the earth and fills the gap that is formed as the two tectonic plates move away from each other. This is why Iceland is well known for its volcanic landforms such as rugged mountains, erupting volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and lava fields to name just a few.
One would think that Iceland’s location, where the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans converge east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle between 63.4°N and 66.5°N latitude, would result in incredibly frigid weather conditions. However, the northward flowing Gulf Stream swirls warm ocean water around the southern and western shores of the island and moderates average temperatures to a balmy 45-60°F in summer and 25-37°F in winter. Cold Arctic air flowing in from the north and warm Atlantic air flowing in from the south make Iceland notorious for frequent weather changes and strong storms. As one hikes around Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes, it is common to experience sun, rain, sleet, and snow within the span of one hour or less, particularly so in the more mountainous regions. Additionally, the combination of frequent snow combined with cold winter temperatures has allowed for the formation of majestic glaciers, 269 in total!
Glaciers, snow, rain… all that surface and near-surface volcanic heat combined with copious water results in a location extremely conducive to renewable energy generation. Imagine all the boiling water you could ever need, produced naturally and for free! Sadly, much like the rest of the world, Iceland is expected to be hard hit by climate change. Rising sea levels will severely impact the coastline of this island nation and atmospheric warming will likely melt all but its largest glaciers by the end of the century. All the above highlights the fact that Iceland is an awesome place to study climate change, renewable energy, and sustainability. Understanding our changing climate is more important than ever in our rapidly changing world.
And speaking of climate change… I am a geologist and climate scientist by training. I grew up and went to high school in London, UK and then went on to the University of Southampton for my combined undergraduate degree in Geology and Oceanography. I didn’t travel abroad much during my childhood, and my first real taste of international exploration was conducting oceanic research on the Iberian continental margin during the final year of my undergraduate studies. It was on this trip that I caught the research and exploration bug.
Immediately following my graduation, I came to the United States to study for a graduate degree in Quaternary and Climate studies at the University of Maine. During the course of my Master’s degree research, I spent three field seasons in Antarctica and drove thousands of miles across the ice sheet in a tractor/sled train. I worked with the ice core research group of the United States International Trans Antarctic Scientific Expedition. We are one of a select few groups who have driven to the South Pole from two different directions! Following my Master’s degree, I stayed on at the university for a PhD and then a postdoctoral fellowship, ultimately becoming a Research Assistant Professor at the UMaine Climate Change Institute. So far, I have been on 18 research expeditions that have taken me to every continent except Africa. On all but one of these research trips, I recovered ice cores from remote, high elevation regions for the purpose of reconstructing paleoclimate.
I also wear a second hat at UMaine: I am Director of Sustainability for the campus. In this role, I provide strategic direction and leadership to promote a culture of sustainability; and I focus much of my time working with students, faculty, and staff to reduce the environmental footprint of the campus. In my spare moments, I enjoy spending time in the great Maine outdoors with my family hiking, swimming, exploring, cooking and eating delicious locally sourced foods, and trail riding with my 11-year-old son.
On a recent trip to Iceland, during which I tested a high-elevation ice core drill for a Mount Everest expedition, a pilot at the Reykjavik airport informed me that they often tie the aircraft down on the apron to prevent the intense Icelandic winds from lifting them up and moving them!
Clearly, adventure and excitement await us… Looking forward to meeting all of you in June.
Cheers,
Dan