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The article presents the climatological dataset from the Polish Polar Station Hornsund located in the southwest part of Spitsbergen – the biggest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Due to a general lack of long-term in situ measurements and observations, the High Arctic remains one of the largest climate-data-deficient regions on the Earth. Theref...
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... Stanisław Siedlecki Polish Polar Station in Hornsund (77 • 00 N 15 • 33 E), located 300 m from the shore of the Isbjørnhamna Bay of the Hornsund fjord in SW Spitsbergen (Fig. 1), was established during the International Geophysical Year in 1957. Since 1978 it has conducted year-round scientific research, and it is the northernmost permanent Polish scientific site, which throughout the years has become a modern interdisciplinary scientific platform that carries out research projects aimed at a better ...
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... to that, reduced visibility cannot be an indicator of poor air quality on the local scale. Figure 10a shows the variability of mean annual visibility in the period 1983-2018. On average in this period, there is good horizontal visibility that amounts to 7.40; minimum mean annual visibility was observed in 2016 (7.08), while a maximum was observed in 1987 (7.70). ...
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... to 7.40; minimum mean annual visibility was observed in 2016 (7.08), while a maximum was observed in 1987 (7.70). A decreasing tendency is visible (slope of trend −0.02 per decade); however the trend is statistically insignificant at the 0.05 level. Variability of the mean monthly visibility at Hornsund in the period 1983-2018 is presented in Fig. 10b. It is characterised by both low interannual and interseasonal variability and on average reaches values between 7 and ...
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Sammendrag
I dette studiet har vi sett på sammenhengen mellom oppvarmingen av Svalbard («Atlantifiseringen») og effekten dette har på naeringsvalg og ungeproduksjon hos to av de mest tallrike sjøfuglartene på øygruppen, nemlig alkekonge og krykkje. Vi fant en sammenheng mellom økende sjøtemperatur (og redusert sjøisutbredelse) i Vest-Spitsbergenst...
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... In this research, we provide a step towards identifying particles characteristic of anthropogenic pollution sources found in the composition of the atmospheric air at Hornsund, Svalbard, where local human activity is very limited on-site. This priorly unmonitored location is investigated here since characteristics of the Arctic aerosol largely differ between monitoring stations [16], and Hornsund is a site with a strong climate gradient, where mean temperature increases by 1.00 • C per decade, which is one the highest rates on Earth [17]. ...
The character of atmospheric pollution and its impact on surface waters may vary substantially in space, and hence, we add a potentially important location for the studies of atmospheric air pollution to the map of the High Arctic. We have investigated the anthropogenic particle characteristics and selected persistent organic pollutant concentrations, in a priorly unmonitored location in the Arctic (Svalbard), exposed to a climatic gradient. Single-particle analysis of PM indicates that besides the prevailing natural aerosol particles, anthropogenic ones were present. The likely anthropogenic origin of some particles was established for spherical Fe-rich or aluminosilicate particles formed in high-temperature processes or metal-rich particles of the chemical composition corresponding to industrial products and atypical for natural minerals; soot, tar balls, and secondary sulfate were also likely of anthropogenic origin. Some of the observed anthropogenic particles could only come from remote industrial sources. POP concentrations indicated a background of LRAT, consistent with the ΣPCB concentrations and volatility profile. However, the ΣDDX composition indicating aged sources and an order of magnitude higher concentrations of both ΣDDXs and ΣHCHs than at other High Arctic monitoring stations indicate their potential source in two types of re-emission from secondary sources, i.e., from seawater and snowpack, respectively.
... In the 21st century, the Arctic is facing serious environmental transformations such as climate warming, leading to the intensification of glacier melting and thawing of permafrost (Biskaborn et al., 2019;Hanssen-Bauer et al., 2019;Szumi nska et al., 2018;Wawrzyniak & Osuch, 2020). These phenomena promote the rapid retreat of glaciers and the expansion of Arctic permafrost areas. ...
Progressive climate change may have unpredictable consequences for the Arctic environment. Permafrost catchments off the west coast of Svalbard, described as “thin” and “warm,” are particularly sensitive to climate change. The interdisciplinary research on the hydrochemical response of surface and underground water functioning within a small permafrost catchment area focused on the determination of the impact of meteorological conditions (temperature (T), precipitation (P)) on the mean daily discharge (Q), and the lowering of the groundwater table (H). We determined physical and chemical properties (pH and SEC) and concentrations of major elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K) and 23 trace elements (i.a. Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) in 280 water samples. The results of the correlation matrix showed that an increase in the average air temperature in the summer of 2021 had a significant impact on the hydrochemistry of both types of waters operating in the catchment. In response to increase in T, the lowering of the H (0.52 < r < 0.66) and a decrease in Q (−0.66 < r < −0.68) were observed what in consequence also leads to changes in water chemistry. The principal component analysis (CA) indicates that chemical weathering and binding of elements to DOC are processes influencing water chemistry. Results of statistical analysis showed that the resultant of the hydrometeorological conditions that prevailed in that season and the type of geological formations on which they were located had a significant impact on the water chemistry at individual measurement points. Significant differences in the concentrations of elements between points on the same geological formations were also found.
... October to April had higher interannual air temperature variability compared to the more consistent May to September. There is a trend of increasing mean annual air temperature by 1.14°C per decade with the highest monthly increase of 2.1-2.4°C per decade in December, January and February (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). ...
... Wind conditions recorded at the PPS are strongly influenced by the shape, topography and coastal location of the Hornsund fjord. In 1979-2018 the easterly winds dominated with a mean wind direction of 124°and an average wind speed of 5.5 m s −1 , with a minimum mean monthly of 4.0 m s −1 in July and a maximum mean monthly of 7.1 m s −1 in February (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). Long oceanic swell and mixed swell/wind sea from the south-southwest and short, locally generated wind waves from the east determine wave conditions in the fjord. ...
The Sentinel-1A/B synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery archive between 14 October 2014 and 29 June 2023 was used in combination with a segmentation algorithm to create a series of binary ice/open-water maps of Hornsund fjord, Svalbard, at 50 m resolution for nine seasons (2014/15 to 2022/23). The near-daily (1.57 d mean temporal resolution) maps were used to calculate sea ice coverage for the entire fjord and its parts, namely the main basin and three major bays: Burgerbukta, Brepollen and Samarinvågen. The average length of the sea ice season was 158 d (range: 105–246 d). Drift ice first arrived from the southwest between October and March, and the fast-ice onset was on average 24 d later. The fast ice typically disappeared in June, around 20 d after the last day with drift ice. The average sea ice coverage over the sea ice season was 41 % (range: 23 %–56 %), but it was lower in the main basin (27 %) compared to in the bays (63 %). Of the bays, Samarinvågen had the highest sea ice coverage (69 %), likely due to its narrow opening and its location in southern Hornsund protecting it from the incoming wind-generated waves. Seasonally, the highest sea ice coverage was observed in April for the entire fjord and the bays and in March for the main basin. The 2014/15, 2019/20 and 2021/22 seasons were characterised by the highest sea ice coverage, and these were also the seasons with the largest number of negative air temperature days in October–December. The 2019/20 season was characterised by the lowest mean daily and monthly air temperatures. We observed a remarkable interannual variability in the sea ice coverage, but on a nine-season scale we did not record any gradual trend of decreasing sea ice coverage. These high-resolution data can be used to, e.g. better understand the spatiotemporal trends in the sea ice distribution in Hornsund, facilitate comparison between Svalbard fjords, and improve modelling of nearshore wind wave transformation and coastal erosion.
... The maximum values of the observed water temperature during 2012-2022 at Fuglebekken range from 11.3 • C in 2012 to 17.8 • C in 2020. These values are significantly higher than observed air temperatures at the meteorological station (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). This is a result of streambed composition as well as streamflows. ...
... In the second part of July and August, during the low flow period, the increases in water temperatures are related to higher air and ground temperatures. In September, the changes are related not only to the higher air temperature but also to the increase in rainfall described in Wawrzyniak and Osuch (2020). Similar outcomes in other arctic catchments were reported by Zheng et al. ...
... From the results of these experiments, we know that increased annual temperatures may cause its rapid degradation (Biskaborn et al., 2019;Dobiński, 2020a;Gido et al., 2019;Guglielmin and Cannone, 2012). The forward modelling reveals that variations in ground temperature, and thus in hydrology and the active layer thickness may be faster and stronger every year (Christiansen et al., 2016;Wawrzyniak, 2017a, 2017b;Wawrzyniak et al., 2016;Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). Such changes may have a massive impact on the continuity of the permafrost (Kneisel et al., 2015), and thus the entire geological and cryological ecosystems in the Arctic and Alpine regions. ...
... Western Spitsbergen reflects the substantial influence of relatively mild polar-marine conditions. The average annual air temperature of southwestern Spitsbergen was − 3.6 • C for the period 1979-2020 (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). Simultaneously, for this interval, notable variations in air temperature were observed (Nordli et al., 2020). ...
... Simultaneously, for this interval, notable variations in air temperature were observed (Nordli et al., 2020). Over the past 40 years, southwestern Spitsbergen has experienced a warming of 4.5 • C. Recorded air temperature changes in this region are more than 6 times greater than global averages (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). ...
The areas covered by permafrost in the polar regions are vulnerable to rapid changes in the current climate. The well-studied near-surface active layer and permafrost zone are in contrast to the unknown exact shape of the bottom permafrost boundary. Therefore, the entire shape of permafrost between the upper and lower boundaries is not identified with sufficient accuracy. Since most of the factors affecting deep cryotic structures are subsurface in nature, their evolution in deeper layers is also relatively unclear. Here, we propose a hypothesis based on the results of geophysical studies regarding the shape of the permafrost in the coastal area of Svalbard, Southern Spitsbergen. In the article, we emphasize the importance of recognizing not only the uppermost active layer but also the bottom boundary of permafrost along with its transition zone, due to the underestimated potential role of its continuity in observing climate change. The lower permafrost boundary is estimated to range from 70 m below the surface in areas close to the shore to 180 m inland, while a continuous layer of an entirely frozen matrix can be identified with a thickness between 40 m and 100 m. We also hypothesized the presence of the possible subsea permafrost in the Hornsund. The influence of seawater intrusions, isostatic uplift of deglaciated areas, and surface-related processes that affect permafrost evolution may lead to extensive changes in the hy-drology and geology of the polar regions in the future. For all these reasons, monitoring, geophysical imaging and understanding the characteristics and evolution of deep permafrost structures requires global attention and scientific efforts.
... October to April had higher interannual air temperature variability 105 compared to the more consistent May to September. There is a trend of increasing mean annual air temperature by 1.14ºC per decade with the highest monthly increase of 2.1-2.4ºC per decade in December, January and February (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). ...
... Wind conditions recorded at the PPS are strongly influenced by the shape of the Hornsund fjord, topography and coastal 110 location. In 1979-2018 the easterly winds dominated with the mean wind direction of 124º and the average wind speed of 5.5 m s -1 with the minimum mean monthly of 4.0 m s -1 in July and the maximum of 7.1 m s -1 in February (Wawrzyniak and Osuch, 2020). Long oceanic swell and mixed swell/wind sea from the south-southwest, and short locally generated wind waves from the east determine wave conditions in the fjord. ...
The Sentinel-1A/B synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery archive between 14 October 2014 and 29 June 2023 was used in combination with a segmentation algorithm to create a series of binary ice/open water maps of Hornsund fjord, Svalbard at 50 m resolution for nine seasons (2014/15 to 2022/23). The near-daily (1.57 day mean temporal resolution) maps 10 were used to calculate sea ice coverage for the entire fjord and its parts: the main basin and three major bays: Burgerbukta, Brepollen and Samarinvågen. The average length of the sea ice season was 158 days (range: 105-246 days). Drift ice first arrived from the southwest between October and March and the fast ice onset was on average 24 days later. The fast ice typically disappeared in June, around 20 days after the last day with drift ice. The average sea ice coverage over the sea ice season was 41% (range: 23-56%), but it was lower in the main basin (27%) compared to the bays (63%). Of the bays, 15 Samarinvågen had the highest sea ice coverage (69%) likely due to the location in southern Hornsund protected from the incoming wind-generated waves and a narrow opening. Seasonally, the highest sea ice coverage was observed in April for the entire fjord and the bays, and in March for the main basin. The highest sea ice coverage characterised 2019/20, 2021/22 and 2014/15, which were also the seasons with the largest number of negative air temperature days in October-December. The season 2019/20 was characterised by the lowest mean daily and monthly air temperatures. We observed a remarkable 20 inter-annual variability in the sea ice coverage but at the nine-season scale we did not record any gradual trend of decreasing sea ice coverage. These high-resolution data can be used to e.g., better understand the spatio-temporal trends in the sea ice distribution in Hornsund, facilitate comparison between Svalbard fjords and improve modelling of nearshore wind wave transformation and coastal erosion.
... On-going changes are closely linked to the 1°C per decade warming trend observed in the region 35 . Today, local mean air temperatures remain below zero at -3.7˚C and the annual amount of precipitation averages 478 mm per year at nearby Hornsund station 45 . ...
The Arctic is rapidly losing its sea ice cover while the region warms faster than anywhere else on Earth. As larger areas become ice-free for longer, winds strengthen and interact more with open waters. Higher waves can increase coastal erosion and flooding, threatening communities and releasing permafrost carbon. However, the future trajectory of these changes remains poorly understood as instrumental observations and geological archives remain rare and short. Here, we address this critical knowledge by presenting the first continuous Holocene-length reconstruction of Arctic wind and wave strength using coastal lake sediments from Svalbard. Exposed to both polar Easterlies and Westerly storm tracks, sheltered by a bedrock barrier, and subjected to little post-glacial uplift, our study site provides a uniquely stable baseline to assess long-term changes in the region's dominant wind systems. To do so with high precision, we rely on multiple independent lines of proxy evidence for wind- and wave-blown sediment input. Our reconstructions reveal quasi-cyclic wind maxima during regional cold periods, and therefore challenge the prevalent view that a warmer less icy future Arctic will be stormier.
... Today, the mean annual air temperature in central Spitsbergen is about -4.6°C, with mean annual precipitation of about 190 mm [22]. Temperatures are estimated to have increased by 4°C over the past few decades [23] [24], and liquid precipitation is becoming more frequent, at the expense of solid precipitation [22]. ...
Multi-proxy analyses of two twin sediment cores from Reindeer Lake were performed to reconstruct Holocene environmental conditions in this eastern branch of Bellsund region (Western Spitsbergen). The basal sediment was AMS-dated to 8.4-8.2 ka cal BP. The low thickness of the sediments in the profile, with a good correlation of dates with their depth in the age-depth model, and the homogeneity of algae gyttja with the dominance of one species, Pediastrum orientale , indicate: (1) very slow sedimentation process during the period of the lake’s functioning, (2) low supply of nutrients from the catchment throughout the period from mid-Holocene to the present, (3) the process of constant physiological adaptation of Pediastrum orientale algae to changing environmental conditions. The inferred climatic history at Reindeer Lake is compatible with other evidence from Svalbard and elsewhere in the Arctic.
... Precipitation and daily average air temperature in 2008, modified afterWawrzyniak and Osuch (2020). ...
In the 2008 ablation season, subglacial springs discharge, flow rate and profiling of the proglacial river, physical-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity) and chemical composition (HCO 3 − , SO 4 2− , Cl − , NO 3 − , NO 2 − , PO 4 3− , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , K + , Fe tot , Mn 2+ , Al 3+ , Zn 2+ , Pb 2+ and SiO 2) of water in the Werenskiold Glacier forefield were measured. Chemical composition of groundwater as well as water of lakes, the main watercourse, subglacial outflows and water representing direct meltwater recharge were studied to determine their origin, the depth of circulation and recharge systems. The results indicate that the main source of water in the glacial river were the subglacial outflows in the central part of the glacier. They generated 77% of the total amount of water in the glacier forefield. Direct inflow of groundwater from glacier moraine to proglacial river was marginally low and the water circulation system was shallow, fast and variable. There were no evidences for an important role of deeper than suprapermafrost water circulation systems. The water temperature, especially in the lakes, exceeding the mean daily air temperature during the ablation period, is due to the heating of the ground moraine rocks. A clear difference between groundwater chemical composition and surface water as well as subglacial runoff in terms of major ions, together with the homogeneity of chemical composition of the proglacial river from spring to mouth confirmed the marginal role of groundwater runoff in the drainage of the catchment area. It was confirmed that the chemical composition of groundwater and moraine lakes in the glacier forefield was shaped by geological factors, i.e., mainly chemical weathering of sulphides, carbonates and secondary sulphates. The possibility of secondary iron hydroxide precipitation and a high probability of complex aluminosilicate transformations were also demonstrated.
... The Brattegg catchment was monitored meteorologically only in some summer periods in the past (Migała et al., 2013). However, weather conditions are continuously recorded at the Hornsund Polar Station (10 m a.s.l.), 15 km from the study area (Figure 2), where MAAT has increased by more than 4 C since 1979, and the increase averages 1.14 C per decade (Wawrzyniak & Osuch, 2020). In 2016, the year before thermistor F I G U R E 1 Brattegg Valley; (a)-study area: 1-ground temperature measurement sites, height above sea level given, 2-panoramic photography (b), 3-watershed, 4-area available for drilling (see in methods), 5-ERT sections, PPSH-Polish Polar Station Hornsund; (b)panoramic view of the valley; (c)-oblique-view of the simplified geomorphological map: 1-glacier ice, 2-LIA moraine, 3-weathered moraine, 4scree slope and talus, 5-blockfields with marine sediments, 6-solifluction-modelled surface, 7-wetland, 8-morphological edge, 9-river ravine, 10-patterned ground, 11-lake, depth is given after Marszałek and G orniak (2017); (d)-hypsometric map, temperature measurement sites given; (e)-slope map; (f)-aspect map. ...
We consider the case of a mountain catchment representative of southwest Spits-bergen to investigate the spatial and temporal variation in temperature of the near-surface ground. We set up 20 thermistor strings distributed in different parts of the catchment, combine the measured data with land surface temperature (LST) retrieved from Landsat imagery, and verify the depth of ground thawing using electrical resis-tivity tomography. Under current climatic conditions, the thickness of the active layer (ALT) is at least 1.5 m, and in the lower parts of the catchment, between 3.5 and 4 m. The maximum ground surface temperature in the study area can be 27 C, and the temperature at a depth of 1.5 m, 5.4 C. We identified unfrozen ground (taliks) to a depth of 10-30 m in zones of water concentration at foot slopes and under river channels. The persistence of year-round taliks at lake shores is possible. We verify the hypothesis that topographic parameters significantly determine the spatial variation of near-surface ground temperature. For each level of temperature aggregation (from 6 h to 12 months data) and each examined the depth of the active layer, it is possible to identify environmental variables-related to energy conditions, heights, terrain relief, and ground surface moisture-significantly correlated with ground temperature , and consequently to specify multiple regression models. Topographic exposure and LST (used only in daily models), altitude, and various approximations of relative height are crucial in their construction. The ground temperature variance, unexplained in the regression analysis, prompts recognition of the critical role of factors not included in the modelling (groundwater, soil structure). K E Y W O R D S active layer, electrical resistivity tomography, ground temperature, permafrost, spatial analysis, Svalbard
