Hornlagið

Hornlagið is a term that refers to the layered structure of ice cores, particularly those drilled from glaciers and ice sheets. These layers are formed annually, analogous to tree rings, and provide a valuable archive of past climate and atmospheric conditions. Each year, a new layer of snow accumulates on top of the previous year's ice. During the winter months, snowfall is typically lighter and more compacted, resulting in denser, finer-grained ice. In contrast, summer snowfall is often heavier, less compacted, and may contain more air bubbles and impurities.

Scientists analyze these distinct layers to reconstruct past temperatures, atmospheric composition (such as greenhouse gas concentrations), and environmental events like volcanic eruptions. The thickness of the layers can indicate the amount of snowfall in a given year, while the chemical composition of the ice and trapped air bubbles reveals information about temperature, precipitation, and pollution levels. By examining numerous ice cores from different locations, researchers can create detailed climate records that span thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years. This information is crucial for understanding natural climate variability and for predicting future climate change. The term hornlagið is central to glaciology and paleoclimatology research.