Michael Loso - Geologist

Mike Loso measuring snowpack depth and density as part of long-term glacier monitoring.

Michael Loso, PhD
Geologist
Resource Stewardship and Science
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Principal Investigator, Glaciers
Central Alaska Network and Southeast Alaska Network
Inventory & Monitoring Program

PO Box 439
Copper Center, AK 99573
[phone]
[e-mail]

Education
Ph.D. 2004 University of California, Santa Cruz Geomorphology
MS 1996 University of Vermont Botany, Field Naturalist Program
BA 1990 University of California, Santa Barbara Environmental Studies

Skills and Interest Areas
Geology, geohazards, glacier and permafrost monitoring, botany, the banjo

Professional Experience
2015-present Physical Scientist, National Park Service, Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve
2015-2021 Adjunct Research Professor, Alaska Pacific University, Department of Environmental Science
2010-2015 Associate Professor, Alaska Pacific University, Department of Environmental Science
2008-2012 Director, Master of Science in Environmental Science Program, Alaska Pacific University

Professional Activities
Glacier monitoring for Wrangell-St Elias, Denali, and Glacier Bay national parks and preserves
SAR Incident Management Team Planning Chief, Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve
President, Board of Directors, The Wrangell Mountains Center (2006-2010)
Member of the American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America, and International Glaciological Society

Posters and Presentations
Glacier monitoring and melt modeling on debris-covered Kennicott Glacier, presented at the 2021 meeting of the American Geophysical Union

Thompson AC, Loso MG, Jones T, Truffer M, Holt J, Devaux-Chupin V, Tober B, Christoffersen M, Kuehn T, Wagner N, Fahnestock MA, Larsen CF. 2021. Saltwater intrusion in proglacial lakes at Malaspina Glacier, southeast Alaska: introducing the world’s newest tidewater glacier. Abstract submitted to the American Geophysical Union fall meeting, New Orleans, December 13-17. See a presentation by Anna Thompson recorded before the meeting.

Publications

2024 Matmon, A., P. Haeussler, and M. G. Loso. Anomalously high relief on Denali, Alaska, caused by tectonic, lithologic, and climatic drivers. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 646: 118999.

2024 Brinkerhoff, D., B. Tober, M. Daniel, V. Devaux-Chupin, M. Christofferson, J. Holt, C. Larsen, M. Fahnestock, M. G. Loso, K. Timm, R. Mitchell, and M. Truffer. The demise of the world’s largest piedmont glacier: A probabilistic forecast. The Cryosphere

2024 Petersen, E., R. Hock, and M. G. Loso. 2024. Stream hydrology controls on ice cliff evolution and survival on debris-covered glaciers. Earth Surface Dynamics (12)3: 727-745.

2024 Thompson AC, Loso MG, Mooneyham SA, Tober BS, Larsen CF, Holt JW. Surficial geology and proglacial lake change at Sít’ Tlein (recently known as “Malaspina Glacier”), Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Natural Resource Report NPS/WRST/NRR-2024/2620. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2301689.

2023 Petersen E, Hock R, Loso MG. Stream hydrology controls on ice cliff generation, evolution, and survival on debris-covered glaciers. Preprint in discussion at EGUsphere.DOI:10.5194/egusphere-2023-1913.

2023 Sousanes P, Hill K, Swanson D, O’Donnell J, Kirchner P, Kurtz D, Loso MG, and Bliss A. Crossing the Zero-Degree C Threshold. Alaska Park Science, 22(1):6-21.

2022 White JT, Aureade H, Kuehn S, Loso MG, and Rasic JT. Terminal Pleistocene human occupation of the upper Copper River Basin, southern Alaska: Results of test excavations at NATAEŁ NA’. Quaternary International. DOI:10.1016/j.quaint.2022.08.012.

2022 Jacquemart M, Welty E, Leopold M, Loso M, Lajoie L, Tiampo K. Geomorphic and sedimentary signatures of catastrophic glacier detachments: A first assessment from Flat Creek, Alaska. Geomorphology. DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108376.

2021 Schiefer E, Geck J, Ostman J, McKay N, Praet N, Loso MG, Kaufman D. Fluvial suspended sediment transfer and lacustrine sedimentation of recent flood turbidites in proglacial Eklutna Lake, western Chugach Mountains, Alaska. Hydrological Processes. DOI:10.1002/hyp.14375.

2021 Geck J, Hock R, Loso MG, Ostman J, Dial R. Modeling the impacts of climate change on mass balance and discharge of Eklutna Glacier, Alaska, 1985-2019. Journal of Glaciology. DOI:10.1017/jog.2021.41.

2021 Loso MG, Larsen CF, Tober B, Fahnestock M, Truffer M, Christoffersen M, Holt J. Quo vadis, Alsek? Climate-driven glacier retreat may change the course of a major river outlet in southern Alaska. Geomorphology. DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107701.

2020 McNeil C, O’Neel S, Loso MG, Pelto M, Sass L, Baker EH, Campbell S. Explaining mass balance and retreat dichotomies at Taku and Lemon Creek Glaciers, Alaska. Journal of Glaciology. DOI:10.1017/jog.2020.22.

2020 Jacquemart M, Loso MG, Berthier E, Hansen JSS, Sykes J, Tiampo K. What drives large-scale glacier detachments? Insight from Flat Creek glacier, St. Elias Mountains, Alaska. Geology. DOI:10.1130/G47211.1.

2019 Broadman E, Thurston LL, McKay NP, Kaufman DS, Schiefer E, Fortin D, Geck J, Loso MG, Nolan M, Arcusa SH, Benson CW, Ellerbroek RA, Erb MP, Routson CC, Wiman C, Jae Wong A. An Arctic watershed observatory at Lake Peters, Alaska: weather-glacier-river-lake system data for 2015-2018. Earth System Science Data. DOI:10.5194/essd-11-1957-2019.

2019 Jacquemart M and Loso MG. Catastrophic glacier collapse and debris flow at Flat Creek, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Alaska Park Science, 18(1): 16-25.

2018 Wikstrom Jones K, Loso MG, Bartelt P. Modelled mass and temperature effects of entrained snow on the lubricated flow regime and implications for predicting avalanche run-out distance. Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Innsbruck Austria 84-88.

2018 Higman B, … Loso MG. The 2015 landslide and tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska. Scientific Reports. DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-30475-w.

2018 Wang K, Jafarov E, Schaefer K, Overeem I, Romanovsky V, Clow G, Urban F, Cable W, Piper M, Schwalm C, Zhang T, Kholodov A, Sousanes P, Loso MG, Hill K. A synthesis dataset of permafrost-affected soil thermal conditions for Alaska, USA. Earth System Science Data. DOI:10.5194/essd-10-2311-2018.

2018 Dufresne A, Geertsma M, Shugar DH, Koppes M, Higman B, Haeussler PJ, Stark C, Venditti JG, Bonno D, Larsen C, Gulick SP, McCall N, Walton MA, Loso MG, Willis MJ. Sedimentology and geomorphology of a large tsunamigenic landslide, Taan Fiord, Alaska. Sedimentary Geology 364: 302-318. DOI:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.10.004.

2017 Boes E, Van Daele M, Moernaut J, Schmidt S, Jensen BJL, Praet N, Kaufman D, Haeussler P, Loso MG, De Batist M. Varve formation during the past three centuries in three large proglacial lakes in south-central Alaska. GSA Bulletin. DOI:10.1130/B31792.1.

2017 Ganey GQ, Loso MG, Burgess AB, Dial RJ. The role of microbes in snowmelt and radiative forcing on a large Alaskan icefield. Nature Geoscience. DOI:10.1038/ngeo3027.

2017 Loso MG, Finney B, Johnson R, Sinnott R. Evaluating evidence for historic anadromous salmon runs in Eklutna Lake, Alaska. Arctic 70(3): 259-272. DOI:10.14430/arctic4665.

2017 Praet N, Moernaut J, Van Daele M, Boes E, Haeussler P, Strupler M, Schmidt S, Loso MG, De Batist M. Paleoseismic potential of sublacustrine landslide records in a high-seismicity setting (south-central Alaska). Marine Geology 384:103-119. DOI:10.1016/j.margeo.2016.05.004

2017 Curran JH, Loso MG, Williams HB. Glacial conditioning of stream position and flooding in the braid plain of the Exit Glacier foreland, Alaska. Geomorphology 293: 272-288. DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.06.004.

2017 Sass LC, Loso MG, Geck J, Thoms EE, McGrath D. Geometry, mass balance, and thinning at Eklutna Glacier, Alaska: an altitude-mass-balance feedback with implications for water resources. Journal of Glaciology. DOI:10.1017/jog.2016.146.

2017 Rinas C, Dial R, Sullivan PF, Smeltz TS, Tobin CS, Loso MG, Geck J. Thermal segregation drives patterns of alder and willow expansion in a montane ecosystem subject to climate warming. Journal of Ecology. DOI:10.1111/1365-2745.12737.

2014 Loso MG, Arendt A, Larsen C, Rich J, Murphy N. Alaskan National Park glaciers-status and trends: Final report. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/AKRO/NRTR-2014/922. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2014 Loso MG, Doak DF, and Anderson RS. Lichenometric dating of Little Ice Age glacier moraines using explicit demographic models of lichen colonization, growth, and survival. Geografiska Annaler. 96: 21-41. DOI:10.1111/geoa.12022.

2014 Arendt A, Larsen C, Loso MG, Murphy N, and Rich J. Alaskan National Park glaciers-status and trends: Fourth progress report. Natural Resource Data Series NPS/AKR/NRDS-2014/607. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2014 Loso MG, Arendt A, Larsen C, Murphy N, and Rich J. Alaska National Park glaciers: what do they tell us about climate change? Alaska Park Science, 12(2): 18-25.

2013 Loso MG, Goodwin KG, Williams H, Johnson R, and English D. Glacial transport of human waste and survival of fecal bacteria on Mt. McKinley’s Kahiltna Glacier, Denali National Park, Alaska. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/AKR/NRTR-2013/784. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2013 Arendt A, Larsen C, Loso MG, Murphy N, and Rich J. Alaskan National Park glaciers-status and trends: Third progress report. Natural Resource Data Series NPS/AKR/NRDS-2013/439. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2012 Goodwin KG, Loso MG, and Braun M. Glacial transport of human waste and survival of fecal bacteria on Mt. McKinley’s Kahiltna Glacier, Denali National Park, Alaska. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 44(4): 432-445.

2012 Arendt A, Larsen C, Loso MG, Murphy N, and Rich J. Alaskan National Park glaciers-status and trends: Second progress report. Natural Resource Data Series NPS/AKR/NRDS-2012/404. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2012 Arendt A, Larsen C, Loso MG, Murphy N, and Rich J. Alaskan National Park glaciers-status and trends: First progress report. Natural Resource Data Series NPS/AKR/NRDS-2012/403. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2012 Diedrich KE and Loso MG. Transient impacts of Little Ice Age glacier expansion on sedimentation processes at glacier-dammed Iceberg Lake, southcentral Alaska. Journal of Paleolimnology. doi:10.1007/s10933-012-9614-5.

2009 Kaufman DS, Schneider DP, McKay NP, Ammann CM, Bradley RS, Briffa KR, Miller GH, Otto-Bliesner BL, Overpeck JT, Vinther BM, Arctic Lakes 2k Project Members (Abbott M, Axford Y, Bird B, Birks HJB, Bjune AE, Briner J, Cook T, Chipman M, Francus P, Gajewski K, Geirsdóttir Á, Hu FS, Kutchko B, Lamoureux S, Loso MG, MacDonald G, Peros M, Porinchu D, Schiff C, Seppä H, Thomas E). Recent warming reverses long-term Arctic cooling. Science 325(5945): 1236-1239.

2009 Loso MG. Summer temperatures during the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age inferred from varved proglacial lake sediments in southcentral Alaska. Journal of Paleolimnology. doi:10.1007/s10933-008-9264-9.

2006 Loso MG, Anderson RS, Anderson SP, and Reimer PJ. A 1500 year, high resolution reconstruction of Little Ice Age climate and glacial response from varved Iceberg Lake, southcentral Alaska. Quaternary Research, 66: 12-24, doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2005.11.007.

2005 Loso MG and Doak DF. The biology behind lichenometric calibration curves. Oecologia, 146: 168-174, doi:10.1007/s00442-005-0265-3.

2005 Riihimaki CA, MacGregor KR, Anderson RS, Anderson SP, and Loso MG. Sediment evacuation and glacial erosion rates at a small alpine glacier. JGR Earth Surface, 110, doi:10.1029/2004jf000189.

2005 Loso MG. McCarthy Creek Forest Resource Inventory. National Park Service Resource Technical Report: NPS/AR/NRTR-2005-52. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

2004 Loso MG. Late Holocene climate and glacier response reconstructed using stratigraphy and lichenometry at Iceberg Lake, Alaska. Ph.D. Dissertation.

2004 Loso MG, Anderson RS, and Anderson SP. Post-Little Ice Age record of coarse and fine clastic sedimentation in an Alaskan proglacial lake. Geology, 32: 1065-1068.

2004 Anderson RS, Anderson, SP, MacGregor KR, Waddington ED, O’Neel S, Riihimaki CA, and Loso MG. Strong feedbacks between hydrology and sliding of a small alpine glacier. JGR Earth Surface, 109, doi:10.1029/2004JF000120.

2003 Doak DF, and Loso MG. Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 35(4): 421-428.

1999 South Carolina Educational Television. Industry in the Wilderness. Video & internet-based high school science curriculum (co-writer and talent). Columbia, SC.

1998 Loso MG. Productivity, population structure, and subsistence use of a white spruce forest in the Kennicott Valley, Alaska. Mountain Research and Development, 18: 285-308.

1998 Loso MG, Schwartz HK, Wright SF, and Bierman PR. Composition, morphology, and genesis of a moraine-like feature in the Miller Brook Valley, Vermont. Northeastern Geology and Environmental Sciences, 20: 1-10.

1994 Loso MG. Pulmonary edema, ascending too fast. In Williamson, J. (ed.) Accidents in North American Mountaineering, Golden CO: American Alpine Club, 20.