There is need for a quantitative assessment of the importance of glaciohydraulic supercooling for basal ice formation and glacial sediment transfer. We assess the contribution of supercooling to stratified facies basal ice formation at Svı´nafellsj¨okull and Skaftafellsj¨okull, southeast Iceland, both of which experience supercooling. Five stratified basal ice subfacies have previously been identified at Svı´nafellsj¨okull, but their precise origins have not been determined. Analysis of stratified basal ice stable isotope compositions (d 18 O and dD), spatial distribution and physical characteristics demonstrates that two subfacies present at both glaciers are consistent with supercooling. These 'supercool' subfacies account for 42% of stratified facies exposed at Svı´nafellsj¨okull, although estimates at Skaftafellsj¨okull are precluded by limited basal ice exposure. Owing to their high debris contents, supercooling-related facies contribute a debris flux of 4.8 to 9.6 m 3 m À1 a À1 at Svı´nafellsj¨okull (83% of the stratified facies debris flux). Other stratified subfacies, formed by non-supercooling processes, account for 58% of the stratified basal ice at Svı´nafellsj¨okull, but only contribute a debris flux of 1.0 to 2.0 m 3 m À1 a À1 (17% of the stratified facies debris flux). We conclude that supercooling has a significant role in glacial sediment transfer, although in stratified basal ice formation its role is less significant at these locations than has been reported elsewhere.
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