Topographic and hydrological controls on partial and full surges of Little Kluane Glacier, Yukon

A ~20 km valley glacier in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, exhibits both partial and full surges, driven by topographic constraints and supraglacial lake dynamics. Analysis of air photos, satellite images, and field observations since the 1940s revealed a full surge of Little Kluane Glacier from 2013 to 2018, transitioning from an initial partial surge in its upper north arm (1963–1972). The recent surge peaked with velocities of ~3600 m/year and frontal advance of ~1.7 km (May–September 2018), likely triggered by a mass movement in 2016 that facilitated rapid drainage of supraglacial lakes to the glacier bed, downstream of a topographic constriction. This study highlights the interplay between glacier geometry, surface hydrology, and topography in driving full surges.

Main, B., Copland, L., Flowers, G. E., Dow, C. F., Van Wychen, W., Samsonov, S., & Kochtitzky, W. (2024). Topographic and hydrological controls on partial and full surges of Little Kluane Glacier, Yukon. Journal of Glaciology, 70. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2024.35