| 1. |
- Beaudon, Emelie, et al.
(author)
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Lomonosovfonna and Holtedahlfonna ice cores reveal east west disparities of the Spitsbergen environment since AD 1700
- 2013
-
In: Journal of Glaciology. - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 59:218, s. 1069-1083
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An ice core extracted from Holtedahlfonna ice cap, western Spitsbergen, record spanning the period 1700–2005, was analyzed for major ions. The leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) component is correlated with an index of summer melt (log([Na + ]/[Mg 2+ ]) from 1850 and shows that almost 50% of the variance can be attributed to seasonal melting since the beginning of the industrial revolution. The Holtedahlfonna d 18 O value is less negative than in the more easterly Lomonosovfonna ice core, suggesting that moist air masses originate from a closer source, most likely the Greenland Sea. During the Little Ice Age the lower methanesulfonic acid (MSA) concentration and MSA non-sea-salt sulfate fraction are consistent with the Greenland Sea as the main source for biogenic ions in the ice cores. Both the melt index and the MSA fraction suggest that the early decades of the 18th century may have exhibited the coldest summers of the last 300 years in Svalbard. Ammonium concentrations rise from 1880, which may result from the warming of the Greenland Sea or from zonal differences in atmospheric pollution transport over Svalbard. During winter, neutralized aerosols are trapped within the tropospheric inversion layer, which is usually weaker over open seas than over sea ice, placing Holtedahlfonna within the inversion more frequently than Lomonosovfonna.
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| 2. |
- Bertrand, Philip, et al.
(author)
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Feeding at the front line : interannual variation in the use of glacier fronts by foraging black-legged kittiwakes
- 2021
-
In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. - : Inter-Research Science Center. - 0171-8630 .- 1616-1599. ; 677, s. 197-208
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tidewater glacier fronts can represent important foraging areas for Arctic predators. Their ecological importance is likely to change in a warmer Arctic. Their profitability and use by consumers are expected to vary in time, but the underlying mechanisms driving such variation remain poorly known. The subglacial plume, originating from meltwater discharge, is responsible for the entrainment and transport of zooplankton to the surface, making them more readily available for surface-feeding seabirds. Both discharge and zooplankton abundance are known to fluctuate in time and are thus expected to modulate the foraging profitability of glacier fronts. This study tested the predictions that annual use of glacier fronts by black-legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla is positively related to the average glacier discharge and prey biomass in the fjord. To do this, we combined a multiyear dataset of environmental drivers and GPS tracks of birds in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Our results confirmed the interannual variation in the use of glacier fronts by kittiwakes; however, contrary to our predictions, these variations were negatively correlated to both glacier discharge and zooplankton abundance. These apparent negative relationships likely reflect non-linear effects and complex interactions between local and regional environmental factors that affect the relative profitability of glacier fronts as foraging areas. Despite their high spatial predictability, glacier fronts may not offer consistent foraging opportunities for marine predators over time.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Deschamps-Berger, Cesar, et al.
(author)
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Closing the mass budget of a tidewater glacier : the example of Kronebreen, Svalbard
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Glaciology. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 65:249, s. 136-148
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 5. |
- Frank, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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Reconciling ice dynamics and bed topography with a versatile and fast ice thickness inversion
- 2023
-
In: The Cryosphere. - : Copernicus Publications. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 17:9, s. 4021-4045
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a novel thickness inversion approach that leverages satellite products and state-of-the-art ice flow models to produce distributed maps of sub-glacial topography consistent with the dynamic state of a given glacier. While the method can use any complexity of ice flow physics as represented in ice dynamical models, it is computationally cheap and does not require bed observations as input, enabling applications on both local and large scales. Using the mismatch between observed and modelled rates of surface elevation change dh/dt as the misfit functional, iterative point-wise updates to an initial guess of bed topography are made, while mismatches between observed and modelled velocities are used to simultaneously infer basal friction. The final product of the inversion is not only a map of ice thickness, but is also a fully spun-up glacier model that can be run forward without requiring any further model relaxation. Here we present the method and use an artificial ice cap built inside a numerical model to test it and conduct sensitivity experiments. Even under a range of perturbations, the method is stable and fast. We also apply the approach to the tidewater glacier Kronebreen on Svalbard and finally benchmark it on glaciers from the Ice Thickness Models Intercomparison eXperiment (ITMIX, Farinotti et al., 2017), where we find excellent performance. Ultimately, our method shown here represents a fast way of inferring ice thickness where the final output forms a consistent picture of model physics, input observations and bed topography.
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| 6. |
- Fuerst, Johannes J., et al.
(author)
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The Ice-Free Topography of Svalbard
- 2018
-
In: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 45:21, s. 11760-11769
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a first version of the Svalbard ice-free topography (SVIFT1.0) using a mass conserving approach for mapping glacier ice thickness. SVIFT1.0 is informed by more than 1 million point measurements, totalling more than 8,700 km of thickness profiles. SVIFT1.0 is publicly available and represents the geometric state around the year 2010. Our estimate for the total ice volume is 6,199 km(3), equivalent to 1.5-cm sea level rise. The thickness map suggests that 13% of the glacierized area is grounded below sea level. A complementary map of error estimates comprises uncertainties in the thickness surveys as well as in other input variables. Aggregated error estimates are used to define a likely ice-volume range of 5,200-7,300 km(3). The ice front thickness of marine-terminating glaciers is a key quantity for ice loss attribution because it controls the potential ice discharge by iceberg calving into the ocean. We find a mean ice front thickness of 135 m for the archipelago (likely range 123-158 m). Plain Language Summary Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, north of Norway, which is comparable in size to the New York metropolitan area. Roughly half of it is covered by glacier ice. Yet to this day, the ice volume stored in the many glaciers on Svalbard is not well known. Many attempts have been made to infer a total volume estimate, but results differ substantially. This surprises because of the long research activity in this area. A large record of more than 1 million thickness measurements exists, making Svalbard an ideal study area for the application of a state-of-the-art mapping approach for glacier ice thickness. The mapping approach computes an ice volume that will raise global sea level by more than half an inch if instantaneously melted. If spread over the metropolitan area, New York would be buried beneath a 100-m ice cover. The asset of this approach is that it provides not only a thickness map for each glacier on the archipelago but also an error map that defines the likely local thickness range. Finally, we provide the first well-informed estimate of the ice front thickness of all marine-terminating glaciers that loose icebergs to the ocean. The archipelago-wide mean ice front cliff is 135 m.
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| 7. |
- Geyman, Emily, et al.
(author)
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Historical glacier change on Svalbard predicts doubling of mass loss by 2100
- 2022
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Nature. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 601, s. 374-379
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The melting of glaciers and ice caps accounts for about one-third of current sea-level rise1,2,3, exceeding the mass loss from the more voluminous Greenland or Antarctic Ice Sheets3,4. The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, which hosts spatial climate gradients that are larger than the expected temporal climate shifts over the next century5,6, is a natural laboratory to constrain the climate sensitivity of glaciers and predict their response to future warming. Here we link historical and modern glacier observations to predict that twenty-first century glacier thinning rates will more than double those from 1936 to 2010. Making use of an archive of historical aerial imagery7 from 1936 and 1938, we use structure-from-motion photogrammetry to reconstruct the three-dimensional geometry of 1,594 glaciers across Svalbard. We compare these reconstructions to modern ice elevation data to derive the spatial pattern of mass balance over a more than 70-year timespan, enabling us to see through the noise of annual and decadal variability to quantify how variables such as temperature and precipitation control ice loss. We find a robust temperature dependence of melt rates, whereby a 1 °C rise in mean summer temperature corresponds to a decrease in area-normalized mass balance of −0.28 m yr−1 of water equivalent. Finally, we design a space-for-time substitution8 to combine our historical glacier observations with climate projections and make first-order predictions of twenty-first century glacier change across Svalbard.
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| 8. |
- Hooke, Roger LeB., et al.
(author)
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Intra-seasonal changes in deformation profiles revealed by borehole studies, Storglaciären, Sweden.
- 1992
-
In: Journal of Glaciology. - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 38:130, s. 348-358
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 1985, 1987 and 1988, we measured deformation of bore holes in the ablation zone of Storglaciaren. A different hole was used each year. Deformation profiles were determined for four consecutive time periods between mid-July and early September. All three holes were in an area where the glacier lies in an overdeepened part of the bed, up-glacier from a riegel. The first hole was approximately on the glacier center line while the others were midway between the center line and one or the other margin. Despite large standard errors, variations in the deformation profiles during the melt season are broadly consistent with other data. We thus believe that they are real, and that they reflect changes in the stress field resulting from changes in drag at the bed. A decrease in drag early in the melt season, coupled with convergence of the bed contours towards the riegel, is believed to be responsible for a previously documented increase in vertical velocity just upglacier from the riegal at this time of year. Also noteworthy, but perhaps problematical, was an abrupt transverse shear of",! m at a depth of ",25 m near the center of the glacier inJuly 1985. The shear took place in the zone in which cold ice near the surface gives way to temperate ice deeper in the glacier.
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| 9. |
- How, Penny, et al.
(author)
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Rapidly changing subglacial hydrological pathways at a tidewater glacier revealed through simultaneous observations of water pressure, supraglacial lakes, meltwater plumes and surface velocities
- 2017
-
In: The Cryosphere. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 11, s. 2691-2710
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Subglacial hydrological processes at tidewater glaciers remain poorly understood due to the difficulty in obtaining direct measurements and lack of empirical verification for modelling approaches. Here, we investigate the subglacial hydrology of Kronebreen, a fast-flowing tidewater glacier in Svalbard during the 2014 melt season. We combine observations of borehole water pressure, supraglacial lake drainage, surface velocities and plume activity with modelled run-off and water routing to develop a conceptual model that thoroughly encapsulates subglacial drainage at a tidewater glacier. Simultaneous measurements suggest that an earlyseason episode of subglacial flushing took place during our observation period, and a stable efficient drainage system effectively transported subglacial water through the northern region of the glacier tongue. Drainage pathways through the central and southern regions of the glacier tongue were disrupted throughout the following melt season. Periodic plume activity at the terminus appears to be a signal for modulated subglacial pulsing, i.e. an internally driven storage and release of subglacial meltwater that operates independently of marine influences. This storage is a key control on ice flow in the 2014 melt season. Evidence from this work and previous studies strongly suggests that long-term changes in ice flow at Kronebreen are controlled by the location of efficient/inefficient drainage and the position of regions where water is stored and released.
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| 10. |
- Ignatiuk, Dariusz, et al.
(author)
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Ground penetrating radar measurement of snow in Svalbard - past, present, future (SnowGPR)
- 2023
-
In: SESS report 2022 - The State of Environmental Science in Svalbard - an annual report. - : Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS).
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This is chapter 5 of the State of Environmental Science in Svalbard (SESS) report 2022.Snowpack covers 60-100% of all land in Svalbard, depending on the season, and it is very sensitive to changes in climate. Knowledge about the snowpack is important not just in itself, but also to understand how snow cover affects other components of Svalbard’s natural environment – land, sea, permafrost, glaciers, and the ecosystems that they support. Monitoring the evolution of Svalbard’s snow cover will be crucial as the world’s climate continues to warm.Ground-penetrating radars (GPRs) towed by snowmobile across glaciers and snowfields provide vital information about snowpack thickness and structure. Ideally, such surveys should be repeated annually for continuous monitoring of climate-induced change. Three decades ago, a GPR programme catalogued regional variations in snow accumulation. This should be repeated and expanded to cover all of Svalbard. The GPR method should also be further developed e.g. by mounting GPRs on drones, giving access to parts of glaciers that are too dangerous for researchers to visit. Lastly, women are encouraged to join the field of GPR-based research on snow.Most of the GPR data collected so far are not currently available in any data repository. The comprehensive compilation of available studies presented in this report, and the recommendations for metadata and data quality, are important first steps to making GPR data more accessible.
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| 11. |
- Isaksson, Elisabeth, et al.
(author)
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Climate oscillations as recorded in Svalbard ice core δ 18O records between 1200-1997 AD
- 2005
-
In: Geografiska Annaler. Series A, Physical Geography. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0435-3676 .- 1468-0459. ; 87a:1, s. 203-214
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We apply two different time series analytical tools to omega18O records from two Svalbard ice cores. One ice core is from Lomonosovfonna at 1250 ma.s.l. and the other from Austfonna at 750 m a.s.l. These cores are estimated to cover at least the past 800 years and have been dated using a combination of known reference horizons and glacial modelling. Wavelet analysis reveals low frequency oscillations on the 60-120-year scale on the lower elevation site Austfonna while the higher altitude site on Lomonosovfonna does not reveal such variability throughout the record. The second method, Significant Zero Crossing of Derivates (SiZer) does not resolve the low-frequency periodicity seen in the wavelet analysis. The low-frequency variability resolved by the wavelet analysis is similar to what has been found in various climate records including instrumental temperatures and tree-rings, and has been proposed as the most important oscillation for the observed trends in Arctic air temperatures.
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| 12. |
- Isaksson, Elisabeth, et al.
(author)
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Two ice core δ18O records from Svalbard illustrating climate and sea ice variability over the last 400 years
- 2005
-
In: The Holocene. - : SAGE Publications. - 0959-6836 .- 1477-0911. ; 15:4, s. 501-509
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ice cores from the relatively low-lying ice caps in Svalbard have not been widely exploited in climatic studies owing to uncertainties about the effect of meltwater percolation. However, results from two new Svalbard ice cores, at Lomonosovfonna and Austfonna, have shown that with careful site selection, high-resolution sampling and multiple chemical analyses it is possible to recover ice cores from which part of the annual signals are preserved, despite the considerable meltwater percolation. The new Svalbard ice cores are positioned in different parts of Svalbard and cover the past 800 years. In this paper we focus on the last 400 years. The 6180 signals from the cores are qualitatively similar over most of the twentieth century, suggesting that they record the same atmospheric signal. Prior to AD 1920, the Austfonna ice core exhibits more negative 6180 values than Lomonosovfonna, although there are intermittent decadal-scale periods throughout the record with similar values. We suggest that the differences reflect the effect of the inversion layer during the winter. The pattern in the 6180 records is similar to the Longyearbyen airtemperature record, but on an annual level the correlation is low. The Austfonna record correlates well with the temperature record from the more distant and southwesterly located Jan Mayen. A comparison of the ice-core and sea-ice records from this period suggests that sea-ice extent and Austfonna 6180 are related over the past 400 years. This may reflect the position of the storm tracks and their direct influence on the relatively low-altitude Austfonna. Lomonosovfonna may be less sensitive to such changes and primarily record free atmospheric changes instead of variations in sea-ice extent, the latter is probably a result of its higher elevation.
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| 13. |
- Kohler, Jack, et al.
(author)
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A long-term Arctic snow depth record from Abisko, northern Sweden, 1913-2004
- 2006
-
In: Polar Research. - : Norwegian Polar Institute. - 0800-0395 .- 1751-8369. ; 25:2, s. 91-113
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A newly digitized record of snow depth from the Abisko Scientific Research Station in northern Sweden covers the period 1913-present. Mean snow depths were taken from paper records of measurements made on a profile comprising 10 permanent stakes. This long-term record yields snow depths consistent with two other shorter term Abisko records: measurements made at another 10-stake profile (1974-present) and at a single stake (1956-present). The measurement interval is variable, ranging from daily to monthly, and there are no data for about half Of the winter months in the period 1930-1956. To fill the gaps, we use a simple snowpack model driven by concurrent temperature and precipitation measurements at Abisko. Model snow depths are similar to observed; differences between the two records are comparable to those between profile and single stake measurements. For both model and observed snow depth records, the most statistically significant trend is in winter mean snow depths, amounting to an increase of about 2 cm or 5% of the mean per decade over the whole measurement period, and 10% per decade since the 1930-40s, but all seasonal means of snow depth show positive trends on the longest timescales. However, the start, end, and length of the snow season do not show any statistically significant long-term trends. Finally, the relation between the Arctic Oscillation index and Abisko temperature, precipitation and snow depth is positive and highly significant, with the best correlations for winter.
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| 14. |
- Lindbäck, Katrin, et al.
(author)
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Subglacial topography, ice thickness, and bathymetry of Kongsfjorden, northwestern Svalbard
- 2018
-
In: Earth System Science Data. - : COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH. - 1866-3508 .- 1866-3516. ; 10:4, s. 1769-1781
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 15. |
- Moeller, Marco, et al.
(author)
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Adjustment of regional climate model output for modeling the climatic mass balance of all glaciers on Svalbard
- 2016
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres. - 2169-897X .- 2169-8996. ; 121:10, s. 5411-5429
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Large-scale modeling of glacier mass balance relies often on the output from regional climate models (RCMs). However, the limited accuracy and spatial resolution of RCM output pose limitations on mass balance simulations at subregional or local scales. Moreover, RCM output is still rarely available over larger regions or for longer time periods. This study evaluates the extent to which it is possible to derive reliable region-wide glacier mass balance estimates, using coarse resolution (10 km) RCM output for model forcing. Our data cover the entire Svalbard archipelago over one decade. To calculate mass balance, we use an index-based model. Model parameters are not calibrated, but the RCM air temperature and precipitation fields are adjusted using in situ mass balance measurements as reference. We compare two different calibration methods: root mean square error minimization and regression optimization. The obtained air temperature shifts (+1.43 degrees C versus +2.22 degrees C) and precipitation scaling factors (1.23 versus 1.86) differ considerably between the two methods, which we attribute to inhomogeneities in the spatiotemporal distribution of the reference data. Our modeling suggests a mean annual climatic mass balance of -0.05 +/- 0.40 mw.e.a(-1) for Svalbard over 2000-2011 and a mean equilibrium line altitude of 452 +/- 200m above sea level. We find that the limited spatial resolution of the RCM forcing with respect to real surface topography and the usage of spatially homogeneous RCM output adjustments and mass balance model parameters are responsible for much of the modeling uncertainty. Sensitivity of the results to model parameter uncertainty is comparably small and of minor importance.
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| 16. |
- Noël, Brice, et al.
(author)
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Low elevation of Svalbard glaciers drives high mass loss variability
- 2020
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 11:4597
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Compared to other Arctic ice masses, Svalbard glaciers are low-elevated with flat interior accumulation areas, resulting in a marked peak in their current hypsometry (area-elevation distribution) at ~450 m above sea level. Since summer melt consistently exceeds winter snowfall, these low-lying glaciers can only survive by refreezing a considerable fraction of surface melt and rain in the porous firn layer covering their accumulation zones. We use a high-resolution climate model to show that modest atmospheric warming in the mid-1980s forced the firn zone to retreat upward by ~100 m to coincide with the hypsometry peak. This led to a rapid areal reduction of firn cover available for refreezing, and strongly increased runoff from dark, bare ice areas, amplifying mass loss from all elevations. As the firn line fluctuates around the hypsometry peak in the current climate, Svalbard glaciers will continue to lose mass and show high sensitivity to temperature perturbations.
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| 17. |
- Pramanik, Ankit, et al.
(author)
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Comparison of snow accumulation events on two High Arctic glaciers to model-derived and observed precipitation
- 2019
-
In: Polar Research. - : Norwegian Polar Institute. - 0800-0395 .- 1751-8369. ; 38
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We evaluate how precipitation forcing data used in glacier mass balance models characterize snow accumulation events on synoptic timescales for two glaciers in north-western Svalbard (Kongsvegen and Holtedahlfonna). Using sonic ranger (snow depth) and wind speed data from automatic weather stations located on the glaciers, we distinguish accumulation events occurring under either calm or windy conditions. We show clear differences in the timing and magnitude of snow accumulation events between the two neighbouring glaciers, illustrating the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation in this region. The accumulation measurements show that at equivalent elevations, Kongsvegen receives more snowfall than neighbouring Holtedahlfonna, and that Kongsvegen is more affected by wind-driven snow redistribution than Holtedahlfonna. This is consistent with the synoptically-driven precipitation patterns in the region. Accumulation events are then compared to precipitation data from the nearest meteorological station in Ny-Ålesund (ca. 30 km distant) and to a downscaled snowfall data product based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis (nearest gridpoint ca. 300 m distant). Evaluation of the synchrony of observed events at the glacier sites and the precipitation products shows that the ERA-Interim precipitation data reproduce more snowfall events than the Ny-Ålesund station data, suggesting that the precipitation fields from distributed reanalysis data provide a more reasonable representation of accumulation on the study glaciers, even over short timescales.
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| 18. |
- Pramanik, Ankit, et al.
(author)
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Simulating climatic mass balance, seasonal snow development and associated freshwater runoff in the Kongsfjord basin, Svalbard (1980–2016)
- 2018
-
In: Journal of Glaciology. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 64:248, s. 943-956
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Kongsfjord basin in northwest Svalbard is the site of a number of interdisciplinary studies concerned with the effect of fresh water from seasonal snow and glacier melt on the physical and biological environment. We use an energy-balance model coupled with a subsurface snow model to simulate the long-term climatic mass-balance evolution of the glaciers and the seasonal snow development of nonglacierized parts of the Kongsfjord basin. Runoff from both glacierized and nonglacierized parts of the basin is simulated to quantify the fresh water flux to the fjord. The model is calibrated with long-term mass-balance data measured at four glaciers, and with automatic weather station data. The simulated area-averaged climatic mass balance for the whole basin is positive (+0.23 m w.e. a−1) over the period 1980–2016; however, the trend for net mass balance is not statistically significant over the simulation period, despite the observed ongoing summer warming. Refreezing equals 0.24 m w.e. a−1, which is equivalent to 17% of the total mass gain from precipitation and moisture deposition. Total runoff comprises contributions from seasonal snow in the nonglacierized area (16%) and glacier discharge (84%). Model time series shows a significant increasing trend for annual glacier runoff (6.83 × 106 m3 a−1) over the simulation period.
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| 19. |
- Ruppel, Meri M., et al.
(author)
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Do contemporary (1980-2015) emissions determine the elemental carbon deposition trend at Holtedahlfonna glacier, Svalbard?
- 2017
-
In: Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 17:20, s. 12779-12795
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The climate impact of black carbon (BC) is notably amplified in the Arctic by its deposition, which causes albedo decrease and subsequent earlier snow and ice spring melt. To comprehensively assess the climate impact of BC in the Arctic, information on both atmospheric BC concentrations and deposition is essential. Currently, Arctic BC deposition data are very scarce, while atmospheric BC concentrations have been shown to generally decrease since the 1990s. However, a 300-year Svalbard ice core showed a distinct increase in EC (elemental carbon, proxy for BC) deposition from 1970 to 2004 contradicting atmospheric measurements and modelling studies. Here, our objective was to decipher whether this increase has continued in the 21st century and to investigate the drivers of the observed EC deposition trends. For this, a shallow firn core was collected from the same Svalbard glacier, and a regional-to-meso-scale chemical transport model (SILAM) was run from 1980 to 2015. The ice and firn core data indicate peaking EC deposition values at the end of the 1990s and lower values thereafter. The modelled BC deposition results generally support the observed glacier EC variations. However, the ice and firn core results clearly deviate from both measured and modelled atmospheric BC concentration trends, and the modelled BC deposition trend shows variations seemingly independent from BC emission or atmospheric BC concentration trends. wet-deposited at this Svalbard glacier, indicating that meteorological processes such as precipitation and scavenging efficiency have most likely a stronger influence on the BC deposition trend than BC emission or atmospheric concentration trends. BC emission source sectors contribute differently to the modelled atmospheric BC concentrations and BC deposition, which further supports our conclusion that different processes affect atmospheric BC concentration and deposition trends. Consequently, Arctic BC deposition trends should not directly be inferred based on atmospheric BC measurements, and more observational BC deposition data are required to assess the climate impact of BC in Arctic snow.
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
- Sevestre, Heidi, et al.
(author)
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Tidewater Glacier Surges Initiated at the Terminus
- 2018
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9003 .- 2169-9011. ; 123:5, s. 1035-1051
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 22. |
- Sjögren, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Determination of firn density in ice cores using image analysis
- 2007
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In: Journal of Glaciology. - : International Glaciological Society. - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 53:182, s. 413-419
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study presents a simple and inexpensive method for deriving a high-resolution density proxy record for the firn part of an ice core using digital images. The image data have better resolution and are less sensitive to core quality than is density derived through di-electric profiling (DEP). Simple image analysis is thus suitable to derive a density proxy record in the firn section of ice cores drilled in the percolation or wet snow zone, and to better interpret the results of a DEP record. The images may be used as a permanent record when evaluating other types of ice-core data. Suggestions are provided to improve data quality and decrease post-processing time of the image analysis in future studies.
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| 23. |
- Spolaor, Andrea, et al.
(author)
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Climate change is rapidly deteriorating the climatic signal in Svalbard glaciers
- 2024
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In: CRYOSPHERE. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 18:1, s. 307-320
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Svalbard archipelago is particularly sensitive to climate change due to the relatively low altitude of its main ice fields and its geographical location in the higher North Atlantic, where the effect of Arctic amplification is more significant. The largest temperature increases have been observed during winter, but increasing summer temperatures, above the melting point, have led to increased glacier melt. Here, we evaluate the impact of this increased melt on the preservation of the oxygen isotope ( delta 18 O) signal in firn records. delta 18 O is commonly used as a proxy for past atmospheric temperature reconstructions, and, when preserved, it is a crucial parameter to date and align ice cores. By comparing four different firn cores collected in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019 at the top of the Holtedahlfonna ice field (1100 m a.s.l.), we show a progressive deterioration of the isotope signal, and we link its degradation to the increased occurrence and intensity of melt events. Our findings indicate that, starting from 2015, there has been an escalation in melting and percolation resulting from changes in the overall atmospheric conditions. This has led to the deterioration of the climate signal preserved within the firn or ice. Our observations correspond with the model's calculations, demonstrating an increase in water percolation since 2014, potentially reaching deeper layers of the firn. Although the delta 18 O signal still reflects the interannual temperature trend, more frequent melting events may in the future affect the interpretation of the isotopic signal, compromising the use of Svalbard ice cores. Our findings highlight the impact and the speed at which Arctic amplification is affecting Svalbard's cryosphere.
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| 24. |
- Vallot, Dorothée, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Basal dynamics of Kronebreen, a fast-flowing tidewater glacier in Svalbard : non-local spatio-temporal response to water input
- 2017
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In: Journal of Glaciology. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0022-1430 .- 1727-5652. ; 63:242, s. 1012-1024
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We evaluate the variability in basal friction for Kronebreen, Svalbard, a fast-flowing tidewater glacier. We invert 3 years (2013–15) of surface velocities at high temporal resolution (generally 11 days), to estimate the changing basal properties of the glacier. Our results suggest that sliding behaviour of Kronebreen within a year is primarily influenced by changes in water input patterns during the meltwater season and basal friction is highly variable from a year to another. At present, models usually employ parameterisations to encompass the complex physics of glacier sliding by mathematically simulate their net effect. For such ice masses with strong seasonal variations of surface melt, the spatio-temporal patterns of basal friction imply that it is neither possible nor appropriate to use a parameterisation for bed friction that is fixed in space and/or time, at least in a timescale of a few years. Basal sliding may not only be governed by local processes such as basal topography or summer melt, but also be mediated by factors that vary over a larger distance and over a longer time period such as subglacial hydrology organisation, ice-thickness changes or calving front geometry.
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| 25. |
- Vallot, Dorothée, et al.
(author)
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Effects of undercutting and sliding on calving : a global approach applied to Kronebreen, Svalbard
- 2018
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In: The Cryosphere. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 12, s. 609-625
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, we study the effects of basal friction, sub-aqueous undercutting and glacier geometry on the calving process by combining six different models in an offline-coupled workflow: a continuum-mechanical ice flow model (Elmer/Ice), a climatic mass balance model, a simple sub-glacial hydrology model, a plume model, an undercutting model and a discrete particle model to investigate fracture dynamics (Helsinki Discrete Element Model, HiDEM). We demonstrate the feasibility of reproducing the observed calving retreat at the front of Kronebreen, a tidewater glacier in Svalbard, during a melt season by using the output from the first five models as input to HiDEM. Basal sliding and glacier motion are addressed using Elmer/Ice, while calving is modelled by HiDEM. A hydrology model calculates subglacial drainage paths and indicates two main outlets with different discharges. Depending on the discharge, the plume model computes frontal melt rates, which are iteratively projected to the actual front of the glacier at subglacial discharge locations. This produces undercutting of different sizes, as melt is concentrated close to the surface for high discharge and is more diffuse for low discharge. By testing different configurations, we show that undercutting plays a key role in glacier retreat and is necessary to reproduce observed retreat in the vicinity of the discharge locations during the melting season. Calving rates are also influenced by basal friction, through its effects on near-terminus strain rates and ice velocity.
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| 26. |
- Van Pelt, Ward, et al.
(author)
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A long-term dataset of climatic mass balance, snow conditions, and runoff in Svalbard (1957–2018)
- 2019
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In: The Cryosphere. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 13, s. 2259-2280
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The climate in Svalbard is undergoing amplified change compared to the global mean. This has major implications for runoff from glaciers and seasonal snow on land. We use a coupled energy balance–subsurface model, forced with downscaled regional climate model fields, and apply it to both glacier-covered and land areas in Svalbard. This generates a long-term (1957–2018) distributed dataset of climatic mass balance (CMB) for the glaciers, snow conditions, and runoff with a 1 km×1 km spatial and 3-hourly temporal resolution. Observational data including stake measurements, automatic weather station data, and subsurface data across Svalbard are used for model calibration and validation. We find a weakly positive mean net CMB (+0.09 m w.e. a−1) over the simulation period, which only fractionally compensates for mass loss through calving. Pronounced warming and a small precipitation increase lead to a spatial-mean negative net CMB trend (−0.06 m w.e. a−1 decade−1), and an increase in the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) by 17 m decade−1, with the largest changes in southern and central Svalbard. The retreating ELA in turn causes firn air volume to decrease by 4 % decade−1, which in combination with winter warming induces a substantial reduction of refreezing in both glacier-covered and land areas (average −4 % decade−1). A combination of increased melt and reduced refreezing causes glacier runoff (average 34.3 Gt a−1) to double over the simulation period, while discharge from land (average 10.6 Gt a−1) remains nearly unchanged. As a result, the relative contribution of land runoff to total runoff drops from 30 % to 20 % during 1957–2018. Seasonal snow on land and in glacier ablation zones is found to arrive later in autumn (+1.4 d decade−1), while no significant changes occurred on the date of snow disappearance in spring–summer. Altogether, the output of the simulation provides an extensive dataset that may be of use in a wide range of applications ranging from runoff modelling to ecosystem studies.
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| 27. |
- van Pelt, Ward J. J., et al.
(author)
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Multi-decadal climate and seasonal snow conditions in Svalbard
- 2016
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface. - 2169-9003 .- 2169-9011. ; 121:11, s. 2100-2117
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Svalbard climate is undergoing amplified change with respect to the global mean. Changing climate conditions directly affect the evolution of the seasonal snowpack, through its impact on accumulation, melt, and moisture exchange. We analyze long-term trends and spatial patterns of seasonal snow conditions in Svalbard between 1961 and 2012. Downscaled regional climate model output is used to drive a snow modeling system (SnowModel), with coupled modules simulating the surface energy balance and snowpack evolution. The precipitation forcing is calibrated and validated against snow depth data on a set of glaciers around Svalbard. Climate trends reveal seasonally inhomogeneous warming and a weakly positive precipitation trend, with strongest changes in the north. In response to autumn warming the date of snow onset increased (2days decade(-1)), whereas in spring/summer opposing effects cause a nonsignificant trend in the snow disappearance date. Maximum snow water equivalent (SWE) in winter/spring shows a modest increase (+0.01 meters water equivalent (mwe)decade(-1)), while the end-of-summer minimum snow area fraction declined strongly (from 48% to 36%). The equilibrium line altitude is highest in relatively dry inland regions, and time series show a clear positive trend (25mdecade(-1)) as a result of summer warming. Finally, rain-on-snow in the core winter season, affecting ground ice formation and limiting access of grazing animals to food supplies, peaks during specific years (1994, 1996, 2000, and 2012) and is found to be concentrated in the lower lying coastal regions in southwestern Svalbard.
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| 28. |
- Østby, Torbjørn Ims, et al.
(author)
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Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014
- 2017
-
In: The Cryosphere. - : COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH. - 1994-0416 .- 1994-0424. ; 11:1, s. 191-215
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Estimating the long-term mass balance of the high-Arctic Svalbard archipelago is difficult due to the incomplete geodetic and direct glaciological measurements, both in space and time. To close these gaps, we use a coupled surface energy balance and snow pack model to analyse the mass changes of all Svalbard glaciers for the period 1957-2014. The model is forced by ERA-40 and ERA-Interim reanalysis data, downscaled to 1 km resolution. The model is validated using snow/firn temperature and density measurements, mass balance from stakes and ice cores, meteorological measurements, snow depths from radar profiles and remotely sensed surface albedo and skin temperatures. Overall model performance is good, but it varies regionally. Over the entire period the model yields a climatic mass balance of 8.2 cm w.e.yr(-1), which corresponds to a mass input of 175 Gt. Climatic mass balance has a linear trend of -1.4 +/- 0.4 cmw.e.yr(-2) with a shift from a positive to a negative regime around 1980. Modelled mass balance exhibits large interannual variability, which is controlled by summer temperatures and further amplified by the albedo feedback. For the recent period 2004-2013 climatic mass balance was 21 cmw.e.yr(-)1, and accounting for frontal ablation estimated by Blaszczyk et al. (2009) yields a total Svalbard mass balance of -39 cmw.e.yr(-1) for this 10-year period. In terms of eustatic sea level, this corresponds to a rise of 0.037 mm yr(-1). Refreezing of water in snow and firn is substantial at 22 cm w.e.yr(-1) or 26% of total annual accumulation. However, as warming leads to reduced firn area over the period, refreezing decreases both absolutely and relative to the total accumulation. Negative mass balance and elevated equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) resulted in massive reduction of the thick (> 2 m) firn extent and an increase in the superimposed ice, thin (< 2 m) firn and bare ice extents. Atmospheric warming also leads to a marked change in the thermal regime, with cooling of the glacier mid-elevation and warming in the ablation zone and upper firn areas. On the long-term, by removing the thermal barrier, this warming has implications for the vertical transfer of surface meltwater through the glacier and down to the base, influencing basal hydrology, sliding and thereby overall glacier motion.
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| 29. |
- Abbafati, Cristiana, et al.
(author)
-
- 2020
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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