Almut Iken

{{Infobox person | name = Almut Iken | image_upright = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1933|10|1}} | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2018|12|10|1933|10|1}} | occupation = Glaciologist | alma_mater = Heidelberg University, McGill University, ETH Zurich }}

'''Almut Iken''' (1 October 1933 – 10 December 2018) was a German glaciologist most noted for her work on the role of basal meltwater in subglacial motion.<ref name="IGS">{{Cite web |url=https://www.igsoc.org/news/almutiken/ |title=International Glaciological Society (IGS) |website=International Glaciological Society (IGS) |language=en |access-date=2019-03-24}}</ref> In 2011, she was awarded the Seligman Crystal award from the International Glaciological Society and remains the only female recipient.

== Early life and education == Iken was born in Bremen, Germany on 1 October 1933.<ref name="IGS" /><ref name="LoC4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/baug/vaw/vaw-dam/documents/forschung/glaziologie/almut-cv.pdf|title=ETHZ Curriculum Vitae for Almut Iken|website=www.ethz.ch|access-date=2018-12-14}}</ref> Through secondary school, she had a particular interest in physics, motivating her to take science and math courses. She went on to study physics at the University Heidelberg and obtained a Bachelor's degree in 1959. She worked as a senior high school lecturer after her Bachelor's studies, before pursuing a PhD at McGill University in Montreal in 1970 under the supervision of Fritz Müller.<ref name="LoC2">{{Cite journal|last1=Ommanney|first1=S|last2=Wang|first2=W|last3=Hulbe|first3=C. L|date=2010|title=Women in glaciology, a historical perspective|journal=Journal of Glaciology|volume=56|issue=200|pages=944–964|doi=10.3189/002214311796406202|bibcode=2010JGlac..56..944H|issn=1727-5652|doi-access=free}}</ref> When Müller decided to move to ETH Zurich, Switzerland, Iken followed and she completed her PhD there in 1974. She subsequently took up a research position of her own at ETH Zurich and worked there for the rest of her scientific career.<ref name="LoC">{{Cite web|url=https://www.igsoc.org/awards/seligman/ikenseligman.html|title=Seligman awardee 2011|website=www.igsoc.org|access-date=2018-12-14}}</ref>

== Research == Iken's PhD research into the connection between basal water pressure and glacier motion demonstrated for the first time that velocity variations at White Glacier (Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian Arctic) corresponded with variations in basal water pressure. This research was conducted using measurements of water pressure from moulins.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Iken|first=Almut|date=1972|title=Measurements of Water Pressure in Moulins as Part of a Movement Study of the White Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island, Northwest Territories, Canada|journal=Journal of Glaciology|volume=11|issue=61|pages=53–58|doi=10.3189/S0022143000022486|issn=1727-5652|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Iken|first=Almut|title=Velocity fluctuations of an arctic valley glacier: a study of the White Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago|date=1974|degree=Doctoral Thesis|publisher=ETH Zurich|url=https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/132775|doi=10.3929/ethz-a-000090485|hdl=20.500.11850/132775 }}</ref> She continued this work with further field experiments conducted at Unteraargletscher and Findel Glacier in the Swiss Alps. Eleven boreholes were drilled to the bed on Findel Glacier, which showed that surface velocity variations correlated with subglacial water pressure.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bindschadler|first1=Robert A.|last2=Iken|first2=Almut|date=1986|title=Combined measurements of Subglacial Water Pressure and Surface Velocity of Findelengletscher, Switzerland: Conclusions about Drainage System and Sliding Mechanism|journal=Journal of Glaciology|volume=32|issue=110|pages=101–119|doi=10.3189/S0022143000006936|issn=1727-5652|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Following her research on alpine glaciers, Iken shifted her focus to Greenland to examine the dynamics of Jakobshavn Glacier, a fast-flowing glacier on the west coast. Several boreholes were drilled using a hot water drilling system to a depth of 1,600 m.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Iken|first1=A.|last2=Echelmeyer|first2=K.|last3=Harrison|first3=W.|last4=Funk|first4=M.|date=1993|title=Mechanisms of fast flow in Jakobshavns Isbræ, West Greenland: Part I. Measurements of temperature and water level in deep boreholes|journal=Journal of Glaciology|volume=39|issue=131|pages=15–25|doi=10.3189/S0022143000015689|issn=1727-5652|doi-access=free}}</ref>

After this, Iken revisited her research on Findel Glacier to investigate the meltwater drainage system structure of the glacier and glacier sliding. She concluded that the glacier's subglacial hydrology network evolved over the course of the melt season, which influences glacier sliding and corresponding surface velocity.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Truffer|first1=Martin|last2=Iken|first2=Almut|date=1997|title=The relationship between subglacial water pressure and velocity of Findelengletscher, Switzerland, during its advance and retreat|journal=Journal of Glaciology|volume=43|issue=144|pages=328–338|doi=10.3189/S0022143000003282|issn=1727-5652|doi-access=free}}</ref>

In 2011 Iken was awarded the Seligman Crystal award from the International Glaciological Society for her contribution to the field of glaciology, noting that her findings have driven significant advances in glaciological research.

Iken died in Bremen on 10 December 2018.<ref name="IGS" />

== References == {{reflist}} {{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iken, Almut}} Category:1933 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Heidelberg University alumni Category:German glaciologists Category:ETH Zurich alumni Category:Academic staff of ETH Zurich Category:McGill University alumni Category:20th-century German women scientists Category:Women glaciologists Category:21st-century German women scientists