The Glaciers of the Torngat Mountains of Northern Labrador By © Robert Way A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Geography Memorial University of Newfoundland September 2013 St. John 's Newfoundland and Labrador Abstract The glaciers of the Tomgat Mountains of northem Labrador are the southemmost m the eastern Canadian Arctic and the most eastem glaciers in continental North America. This thesis presents the first complete inventory of the glaciers of the Tomgat Mountains and also the first comprehensive change assessment for Tomgat glaciers over any time period. In total, 195 ice masses are mapped with 105 of these showing clear signs of active glacier flow. Analysis of glaciers and ice masses reveal strong influences of local topographic setting on their preservation at low elevations; often well below the regional glaciation level. Coastal proximity and latitude are found to exert the strongest control on the distribution of glaciers in the Tomgat Mountains. Historical glacier changes are investigated using paleomargins demarking fanner ice positions during the Little Ice Age. Glacier area for 165 Torngat glaciers at the Little Ice Age is mapped using prominent moraines identified in the forelands of most glaciers. Overall glacier change of 53% since the Little Ice Age is dete1mined by comparing fanner ice margins to 2005 ice margins across the entire Torngat Mountains. Field verification and dating of Little Ice Age ice positions uses lichenometry with Rhizocarpon section lichens as the target subgenus. The relative timing of Little Ice Age maximum extent is calculated using lichens measured on moraine surfaces in combination with a locally established lichen growth curve from direct measurements of lichen growth over a - 30 year period. The timing of moraine abandonment from Little Ice Age maximum position is dated to have occmTed between 1581 AD and 1673 AD. II Acknow Iedgemen ts This thesis would not have been possible without help and guidance from my family, friends and colleagues. I would like to begin by thanking my mother Brenda and my father George for all the love and support they provided me with throughout my graduate studies. I would also like to thank the rest of my family but particularly my Aunt Patty and Aunt Gail for their additional support in times where I needed both their comfort and enlightening discussions. I extend my thanks to my supervisor Trevor Bell for his patience and guidance with this project. I would also like to thank Trevor specifically for the opportunity to have visited the Torngat Mountains and for being able to participate in such a unique project. I would also like to thank Nicholas Banand for his guidance throughout this project and for his contributions to our understanding ofTorngat glaciers. I would like to extend my utmost appreciation to my friends and colleagues in the Department of Geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland who always provided an enjoyable and stimulating workplace environment. A special thanks to Caitlyn Baikie, Hany Borlase, Scott Midgley, Emma Leclerc, Tara Cater, Rudy Rieldsperger, and many others, for always being supportive of me throughout this process. Finally I would like to thank all the people who worked with me in the field with pat1icular thanks to our bear monitor Andreas Tuglavina for providing a safe working envirorunent. I would like to thank Christine Koch, Alexandre Melanson and Svieda Ma for their contributions in the field and for their company on those long workdays. This thesis would not be possible without the financial and logistical support from ArcticNet's Nunatsiavut Nuluak project, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Northern Scientific Training Program, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies and Parks Canada. A special thanks to the Nunatsiavut Government and all the staff at the k:ANGIDLUASUk basecamp in Saglek Fiord. Ill Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ................................................................................................................. viii List of Abbreviations and Symbols ................................................................................. 1 List of Appendices ............................................................................................................. 2 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 3 Research Context ........................................................................................................... 3 Research Goals and Objectives ..................................................................................... 6 Study Area ...................................................................................................................... 6 Physical Location ... .......... .... ...... ........ ........... ....... ............. ................. .......................... 6 Previous Ton~gat Glacier Research .................... ...... ........ .. .... .... ... .. .......................... 8 Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 10 A !pine Glaciers and Remote Sensing ...... ... ................................ .. ......... ... .................. I 0 Lichenon1etry ......... ....... .. .. .... ... .. ....... ... ............................................. ... ... .. .... .. ......... .. 17 Organization of Thesis ................................................................................................. 25 Co-authorship Statement ............................................................................................ 26 References ..................................................................................................................... 27 Chapter 2: An inventory and GLIMS classification of glaciers in the Torngat Mountains, northern Labrador, Canada ...................................................................... 35 Abstract ......................................................................................................................... 35 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 36 Study Area .................................................................................................................... 38 Clilnate .... ............ .. .... .. ...... .. ... ................. ................. .. .. .. ..... .. ................... ........... ...... 41 Torngat Glaciers .... .......... .... ... .... ......... .. .... ... ..... ... .... ........ ................. ................... .. ... 44 Methods ......................................................................................................................... 46 Data Collection ....................... ................ .. ........ .... ....... ............... ... ... ........... .. ......... .. 46 Mapping Error Assessment ........... .................... ... ....... .. ... ....................... ... .............. .. 47 IV GLIMS Classification .... .......... ............................................... .. ............. .. .. ...... .. .. ....... 47 Active glacier ice .... .... .. ...... .. .. .... .. .. ..... .......... .... ... ..... .................. .. .. .. ..... .. .. .... ... ..... .... 48 Geographic, Morphologic and Topographic Factors .. ..... .. .................. .............. ...... 50 Results ,...................................................................... .................................................... 52 Size Distribution ofIc e Masses .. .. .. .. .. .................... ............ .......................... .. .... ... .. .. 52 GLIMS Classification ofIc e Masses ........ ... ...................................... .. .. .. .. .......... .. ..... 53 Geographic Distribution ...... .. .. .. .. .. ...................... .............. ... .. ............ .. ............... ...... 56 Ice Mass Characteristics ............... ................... ...... .. .......... .. ...... ............... ...... .. ..... .. .. 56 Topographic Setting .... ... ................. ....... .. .. .. .. ....................... ............ ........ ........ .. .. ..... 58 Active Glaciers .. ..................... .. .. ..... .......... ............. .... ... .... ..... ......... .. ...... .. .. .. ... .. .. ...... 60 Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 62 Torngat Glaciers in Local Context .. .......... ........ ........... .. .. ................. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62 Torngat Glaciers in Regional Perspective ..... .. ....................................... .... .. .. ... .... .... 66 Regional Glaciation Level ... .... .. ...... .... .. .........