| 1. |
- Deschamps-Berger, Cesar, et al.
(författare)
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Closing the mass budget of a tidewater glacier : the example of Kronebreen, Svalbard
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Glaciology. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 65:249, s. 136-148
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, we combine remote sensing, in situ and model-derived datasets from 1966 to 2014 to calculate the mass-balance components of Kronebreen, a fast-flowing tidewater glacier in Svalbard. For the well-surveyed period 2009-2014, we are able to close the glacier mass budget within the prescribed errors. During these 5 years, the glacier geodetic mass balance was -0.69 +/- 0.12 m w.e. a(-1), while the mass budget method led to a total mass balance of -0.92 +/- 0.16 m w.e. a(-1), as a consequence of a strong frontal ablation (-0.78 +/- 0.11 m w.e. a(-1) ), and a slightly negative climatic mass balance (-0.14 +/- 0.11 m w.e. a(-1) ). The trend towards more negative climatic mass balance between 1966-1990 (+0.20 +/- 0.05 m w.e. a(-1) ) and 2009-2014 is not reflected in the geodetic mass balance trend. Therefore, we suspect a reduction in ice-discharge in the most recent period. Yet, these multidecadal changes in ice-discharge cannot be measured from the available observations and thus are only estimated with relatively large errors as a residual of the mass continuity equation. Our study presents the multidecadal evolution of the dynamics and mass balance of a tidewater glacier and illustrates the errors introduced by inferring one unmeasured mass-balance component from the others.
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| 2. |
- Fuerst, Johannes Jakob, et al.
(författare)
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Application of a two-step approach for mapping ice thickness to various glacier types on Svalbard
- 2017
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Ingår i: The Cryosphere. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 11:5, s. 2003-2032
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The basal topography is largely unknown beneath most glaciers and ice caps, and many attempts have been made to estimate a thickness field from other more accessible information at the surface. Here, we present a two-step reconstruction approach for ice thickness that solves mass conservation over single or several connected drainage basins. The approach is applied to a variety of test geometries with abundant thickness measurements including marine-and landterminating glaciers as well as a 2400 km(2) ice cap on Svalbard. The input requirements are kept to a minimum for the first step. In this step, a geometrically controlled, non-local flux solution is converted into thickness values relying on the shallow ice approximation (SIA). In a second step, the thickness field is updated along fast-flowing glacier trunks on the basis of velocity observations. Both steps account for available thickness measurements. Each thickness field is presented together with an error-estimate map based on a formal propagation of input uncertainties. These error estimates point out that the thickness field is least constrained near ice divides or in other stagnant areas. Withholding a share of the thickness measurements, error estimates tend to overestimate mismatch values in a median sense. We also have to accept an aggregate uncertainty of at least 25% in the reconstructed thickness field for glaciers with very sparse or no observations. For Vestfonna ice cap (VIC), a previous ice volume estimate based on the same measurement record as used here has to be corrected upward by 22 %. We also find that a 13% area fraction of the ice cap is in fact grounded below sea level. The former 5% estimate from a direct measurement interpolation exceeds an aggregate maximum range of 6-23% as inferred from the error estimates here.
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| 3. |
- Köhler, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of seasonal glacial seismicity from a single-station on-ice record at Holtedahlfonna, Svalbard
- 2019
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Ingår i: Annals of Glaciology. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0260-3055 .- 1727-5644. ; 60:79, s. 23-36
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Glacial seismicity provides important insights into glacier dynamic processes. We study the temporal distribution of cryogenic seismic signals (icequakes) at Holtedahlfonna, Svalbard, between April and August 2016 using a single three-component sensor. We investigate sources of observed icequakes using polarization analysis and waveform modeling. Processes responsible for five icequake categories are suggested, incorporating observations of previous studies into our interpretation. We infer that the most dominant icequake type is generated by surface crevasse opening through hydrofracturing. Secondly, bursts of high-frequency signals are presumably caused by repeated near-surface crevassing due to high strain rates during glacier fast-flow episodes. Furthermore, signals related to resonance in water-filled cracks, fracturing or settling events in dry firn or snow before the melt season, and processes at the glacier bed are observed. Amplitude of seismic background noise is clearly related to glacier runoff. We process ambient seismic noise to invert horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios for a sub-surface seismic velocity model used to model icequake signals. Our study shows that a single seismic sensor provides useful information about seasonal ice dynamics in case deployment of a network is not feasible.
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| 4. |
- Lindbäck, Katrin, et al.
(författare)
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Subglacial topography, ice thickness, and bathymetry of Kongsfjorden, northwestern Svalbard
- 2018
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Ingår i: Earth System Science Data. - : COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH. - 1866-3508 .- 1866-3516. ; 10:4, s. 1769-1781
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Svalbard tidewater glaciers are retreating, which will affect fjord circulation and ecosystems when glacier fronts become land-terminating. Knowledge of the subglacial topography and bathymetry under retreating glaciers is important to modelling future scenarios of fjord circulation and glacier dynamics. We present high-resolution (150m gridded) digital elevation models of subglacial topography, ice thickness, and ice surface elevation of five tidewater glaciers in Kongsfjorden (1100 km(2)), northwestern Spitsbergen, based on similar to 1700 km airborne and ground-based ice-penetrating radar profiles. The digital elevation models (DEMs) cover the tidewater glaciers Blomstrandbreen, Conwaybreen, Kongsbreen, Kronebreen, and Kongsvegen and are merged with bathymetric and land DEMs for the non-glaciated areas. The large-scale subglacial topography of the study area is characterized by a series of troughs and highs. The minimum subglacial elevation is 180m above sea level (a.s.l.), the maximum subglacial elevation is 1400m a.s.l., and the maximum ice thickness is 740m. Three of the glaciers, Kongsbreen, Kronebreen, and Kongsvegen, have the potential to retreat by similar to 10 km before they become land-terminating. The compiled data set covers one of the most studied regions in Svalbard and is valuable for future studies of glacier dynamics, geology, hydrology, and fjord circulation.
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| 5. |
- Sevestre, Heidi, et al.
(författare)
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Tidewater Glacier Surges Initiated at the Terminus
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9003 .- 2169-9011. ; 123:5, s. 1035-1051
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There have been numerous reports that surges of tidewater glaciers in Svalbard were initiated at the terminus and propagated up-glacier, in contrast with downglacier-propagating surges of land-terminating glaciers. Most of these surges were poorly documented, and the cause of this behavior was unknown. We present detailed data on the recent surges of two tidewater glaciers, Aavatsmarkbreen and Wahlenbergbreen, in Svalbard. High-resolution time series of glacier velocities and evolution of crevasse patterns show that both surges propagated up-glacier in abrupt steps. Prior to the surges, both glaciers underwent retreat and steepening, and in the case of Aavatsmarkbreen, we demonstrate that this was accompanied by a large increase in driving stress in the terminal zone. The surges developed in response to two distinct processes. (1) During the late quiescent phase, internal thermodynamic processes and/or retreat from a pinning point caused acceleration of the glacier front, leading to the development of terminal crevasse fields. (2) Crevasses allowed surface meltwater and rainwater to access the bed, causing flow acceleration and development of new crevasses up-glacier. Upward migration of the surge coincided with stepwise expansion of the crevasse field. Geometric changes near the terminus of these glaciers appear to have led to greater strain heating, water production, and storage at the glacier bed. Water routing via crevasses likely plays an important role in the evolution of surges. The distinction between internally triggered surges and externally triggered speedups may not be straightforward. The behavior of these glaciers can be understood in terms of the enthalpy cycle model.
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| 6. |
- Winsvold, Solveig, et al.
(författare)
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Using SAR data time-series for regional glacier mapping
- 2018
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Ingår i: The Cryosphere. - : European Geosciences Union (EGU). - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 12:3, s. 867-890
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With dense SAR satellite data time series it is possible to map surface and subsurface glacier properties that vary in time. On Sentinel-1A and RADARSAT-2 backscatter time series images over mainland Norway and Svalbard, we outline how to map glaciers using descriptive methods. We present five application scenarios. The first shows potential for tracking transient snow lines with SAR backscatter time series and correlates with both optical satellite images (Sentinel-2A and Landsat 8) and equilibrium line altitudes derived from in situ surface mass balance data. In the second application scenario, time series representation of glacier facies corresponding to SAR glacier zones shows potential for a more accurate delineation of the zones and how they change in time. The third application scenario investigates the firn evolution using dense SAR backscatter time series together with a coupled energy balance and multilayer firn model. We find strong correlation between backscatter signals with both the modeled firn air content and modeled wetness in the firn. In the fourth application scenario, we highlight how winter rain events can be detected in SAR time series, revealing important information about the area extent of internal accumulation. In the last application scenario, averaged summer SAR images were found to have potential in assisting the process of mapping glaciers outlines, especially in the presence of seasonal snow. Altogether we present examples of how to map glaciers and to further understand glaciological processes using the existing and future massive amount of multi-sensor time series data.
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