International Ice Charting Working

Group (IICWG)

Fourth MeetingFourth Meeting

AARI, St. Petersburg, AARI, St. Petersburg, April 7-11, 2003April 7-11, 2003

IICWG-IV

Sea Ice off the Icelandic coasts

Thor Jakobsson, Ingibjorg Jonsdottir,Eirikur Sigurdsson, Sigthruður

Armannsdottir

The Icelandic Meteorological Office and the University of Iceland

IICWG-IV» Part I

Historical and present day sea ice data

The Icelandic Sagas: 850 – 1300Medieval literature: 1300 - 1600 Annals: 1300 - 1850

IICWG-IV

Diaries, - by farmers, clergy, public attornies

Descriptions,- in letters, books on Iceland, etc.

- Konungs skuggsjá, “The King´s Mirror”, written in the 13th century

- Bishop Oddur Einarsson(1559-1630)- Bishop Gisli Oddsson(1593-1638)- Bjarni Palsson(1719-1779)- Eggert Olafsson(1726-1768)- Bishop Hannes Finnsson(1739-1796)- Sveinn Palsson(1762-1840)

IICWG-IV

Various official reports: 1850 – 1900

• Twentieth century:• Irregular observations and reports

during the first two decades.• Descriptions in journals and books

IICWG-IVAnalysis of information and data:

Lauge Koch – Danish scholar and scientist

Thorvaldur Thoroddsen(1855-1921)- Icelandic pioneer geologist:

Description of climate and sea ice from time of settlement: - appr. 850 to 1915

IICWG-IV

• Observations collected by the Icelandic Meteorological Office

Reported in monthly climate reports:

1924 - present

IICWG-IV

• Annual reports in the glaciology journal Jökull, written by meteorologist

• JON EYTHORSSON: 1953 – 1966• (pioneer meteorologist; glaciology and • sea ice scientist) (in English)

• Hlynur Sigtryggsson: 1967• Flosi Hrafn Sigurðsson: 1968

IICWG-IV

• The Icelandic Meteorological Office:• - annual reports:

• Eirikur Sigurdsson 1969 – 1971• (in Icelandic and English)

IICWG-IV• Eirikur Sigurdsson and• Thor Jakobsson:

• Annual reports (English summary): 1972 – 1996

• • Forthcoming in the next couple of years:

» (1996 – 1999) and (1999 – 2001)

Maximum sea ice extent in year 1968,

an extreme sea ice year,and in year 1987, a normal sea ice

year

IICWG-IV• Computer data bank:

• - Sigthrudur Armannsdottir• - sea ice data period: 1988 –

present (appr. 15 years)

IICWG-IV• Historical Sea Ice Studies:

– Sigurdur Thorarinsson– Magnus Mar Larusson– Thorhallur Vilmundarson– Astrid Ogilvie– Pall Bergthorsson– Ingibjorg Jonsdottir

IICWG-IV

Part II Miscellaneous projects

a) Sea ice hazard off Icelandb) The Northern Sea Route

and Icelandc) Remote Sensing Studiesd) IWICOS

IICWG-IV

– Iceland – and surroundings!