Modeling the impact of climate change on the Crysophere in two contrasted mountains Trollaskagi (Iceland) and Central Range (Spain): PREVENT THE FUTURE

Project facts

Project promoter:
Complutense University of Madrid
Project Number:
ES07-0067
Target groups
Researchers or scientists
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€7,260
Final project cost:
€6,561
From EEA Grants:
€ 6,561
The project is carried out in:
Spain

Description

This project is in coordination to the project 002-ABEL-IM-2014A approved in the same call. The specific objective is to model the present climatic situation and its relationship with Cryosphere distribution in both study areas: Trollaskagi, Northern Iceland, and The Pyrenees, in Northern Spain. This information will be analyzed in contrast with the paleoclimatic information provided by 002-ABEL-IM-2014A project to reach a final common objective: to prevent the environmental effects of climatic change on the cryosphere in each area and modelling possible scenarios. Complutense University of Madrid, experiences on glacial evolution is very suitable for implementation of this project. The collaboration with the donor partner, Icelandic Institute of Natural History, will provide valuable information about the processes of evolution of the cryosphere. The international scientific community would acquire an integrated research model for Cryosphere evolution and land use planning.

Summary of project results

For the last thousands of years the Earth's climate has suffered drastic changes, passing through several thermal and rainfall pulses which had been recorded as glacier fluctuations in high mountain areas at different latitudes. In view of the need of future scenarios about climate warming, it is highly relevant to determine the relationship between these variations in the cryosphere and the evolution of the atmospheric dynamics that produced them. On the other hand, the current degradation. The effects of these changes have been deeply studied in West and Central Europe, but not in some Northern European Regions and the Mediterranean countries. Something similar occurs on Northern Icelandic mountains, where primary results are currently being obtained and seem to be difficult to compare with the other areas. This project has been focused, for the first time, on studying two European mountain areas to understand the global Cryosphere evolution and prevent the effects of climate change, located in extreme regions, in order to fill this important scientific gap. The methodology applied for the project has integrated several techniques that analyse aspects of hydrology, climate, meteorology, topography, ground physics, liquid state physics, glaciers, snow, permafrost, sediments, geomorphology, the dynamics of landscape and land use planning. This methodology had facilitated the research by integrating results in a common data base linked to a GIS. The cornerstone of the project has been the collaboration among researchers from Spain and Iceland, working in several key areas in Tröllaskagi Mountains. Papers and conferences are being presented at national and international forums and articles are being written to be published in international scientific journals. Until this moment, 7 communications have been exposed in International Congress. All of them will be the origin of International Journals papers, Which are in process and will be send to the journals along the next year. The main beneficiaries of the project have been the Scientific Community and the Territorial planning institutions. The main benefit is the advance in the knowledge about the origin of cryosphere evolution.

Summary of bilateral results

A strong relationship has been established between Research teams of the Complutense University and the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. Several of their members are collaborating in common projects. The wider effects of the partnership has been to reach very important scientific objectives, thanks to the collaboration, which are going to be published in important Scientific Journals and transmit to the community. This project has been a new step in the long history of collaboration between the two research teams. The present project has offered training activities for students from institutions of both countries associated with the research. There are now several students who are completing their senior undergraduate projects, and studying for Masters Degrees related to the methodologies and techniques used in the project, who are committed to continue this research in their thesis project. Besides, Complutense University and the Icelandic Institute of Natural History are preparing the application of several proposal to the Horizon2020 opportunities in the European Union context.