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The Svalbard archipelago, showing the flight lines flown during the spring of 1996 and 2002. The three meteorological stations on Spitsbergen and the one in southeastern Svalbard (Hopen) are shown by solid circles.
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1] Observations from repeat-pass airborne laser altimetry, acquired in 1996 and 2002, indicate an anomalous positive ice-surface elevation change for the central accumulation area of the largest ice cap in the Eurasian Arctic; Austfonna, eastern Svalbard. The increase is equivalent to 35% of the long-term annual accumulation rate and coincides with...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... During the springs of 1996 and 2002, airborne laser- altimeter surveys were flown over a number of glaciers and ice caps in the Svalbard archipelago (Figure 1). A complex pattern of elevation change was observed due to a variety of forcing factors including ice dynamics as well as climate. ...
Context 2
... we report on the elevation changes measured on the largest ice cap in the Eurasian Arctic, Austfonna, which lies on the island of Nordaustlandet in northeastern Svalbard (Figure 1). The ice cap covers an area of 8,120 km 2 , and contains about 22% of the ice volume of the whole archipelago [Dowdeswell, 1986;Dowdeswell et al., 1986]. ...
Context 3
... Ice-surface elevation measurements of very high accuracy were acquired using the Airborne Topographic Mapper 3 (ATM3) [ Krabill et al., 2000]. The flight lines over Svalbard are shown in Figure 1. The instrument is a conical-scanning laser-ranging system with a pulse-repeti- tion frequency of 5 kHz and a scan rate of 20 Hz in 2002 and 10 Hz in 1996. ...
Context 4
... Meteorological station data from Svalbard were obtained to see if they showed a trend in precipitation that could explain the observations of surface-elevation change on Austfonna. Data for three stations on Spitsbergen and one on a small island in the southeast of the archipelago were obtained from the Norwegian Meteorological Office (Figure 1). The cumulative precipitation anomaly (sum of annual value minus the mean for all years) observed at these stations between 1982 and 2001 is shown in Figure 4 (Hopen has only a twelve-year record). ...
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... Nordaustlandet is located close to the northern limit of the West Spitsbergen current and its associated atmospheric warming. Despite its high latitude of 79°10′-80°33′N, this region affords a relatively mild climate compared to similar latitudes elsewhere in the high Arctic (Bamber et al. 2004). The climate of Svalbard in general reflects two circulation modes (Hisdal 1998). ...
Nordaustlandet is the northernmost and one of the most inaccessible regions of Svalbard. The lichens of the Nordaustlandet were studied most actively from the mid-nineteenth century to the 40 s of the twentieth century. It was during this period that significant collections of lichens were collected, which still form the basis for some taxonomic studies. Thanks to large-scale research conducted by the Avrorin Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute of the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 3 years (2010–2012), we were able to make a significant contribution to the knowledge of Nordaustlandet lichens. The study of the lichen biota of Murchisonfjorden prompted us to summarise all the information about the lichens and lichenophilous fungi of Nordaustlandet, as well as to evaluate the degree of detection of the lichen flora. The checklist includes 477 lichen species, 2 subspecies and 22 species and one subspecies of lichenicolous fungi, of which Calogaya bryochrysion, Diplotomma lutosum, Flavoplaca flavocitrina, Lecanora intumescens and Zwackhiomyces coepulonus are reported for the first time for the Svalbard archipelago and another 40 species—for Nordaustlandet. The richest in terms of the number of species is Gustav V Land (415 species and two subspecies of lichens and 18 species and one subspecies of lichenicolous fungi). An assessment of lichen biota diversity using an integrated approach based on Hill numbers showed that the data cover a maximum of 80.93% of the total number of lichen species in the study area.
... The forefield of Austfonna is mostly covered with multiyear ice from the Arctic Ocean. Since the late 1970s, a progressive decrease in the seaice cover in the Barents Sea is observed (e.g., Comiso, 2002 ), causing an increase in moisture transport across Nordaustlandet and the growth of its ice masses (e.g., Bamber et al., 2004 ). The structure of the water column near the glaciated coastline is the result of the mixing of different water masses, including glacial meltwater. ...
Due to the Arctic amplification effect, the Svalbard archipelago is an important area for studying the ongoing environmental changes. However, its marine ecosystem is extremely complex. In this study, we analyze modern assemblages of dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) and benthic foraminifera from surface sediment samples around Svalbard. We use multivariate statistical analyses to examine relationships between environmental conditions (summer and winter sea surface temperature and salinity, sea-ice cover, etc.) and both microfossil groups to evaluate their use as proxies for reconstructions of the marine environment in the region. Our results show that the most important factor controlling the environment around Svalbard is the Atlantic Water which mostly impacts the western coast, but its influence reaches as far as the eastern coast of Nordaustlandet. However, on a local scale, such factors as the sea-ice cover, the presence of tidewater glaciers or even the morphology and hydrology of fjords become increasingly important. We found that two dinocyst species, cysts of Polarella glacialis and Echinidinium karaense, can be considered regional winter drift ice indicators. The relationships between environmental parameters and benthic foraminiferal assemblages are much more difficult to interpret. Although statistical analysis shows a correlation of benthic foraminiferal species with various environmental parameters, this correlation might be somewhat coincidental and caused by other factors not analyzed in this study. Nevertheless, the use of two complementary microfossil groups as (paleo)environmental indicators can provide a more comprehensive picture of the environmental conditions.
... To date, only large ice masses (>200 km 2 ) with extensive ac-cumulation zones have been reported to stay close to balance in SV (e.g. Bamber et al., 2004;Schuler et al., 2020), whereas mountain glaciers have been traditionally perceived to have continuously lost mass since the Little Ice Age termination in the early 20th century, generally at increasing rates (e.g. Kohler et al., 2007;Małecki, 2016;Sobota et al., 2016;Schuler et al., 2020). ...
Small land-terminating mountain glaciers are a widespread
and important element of Arctic ecosystems, influencing local hydrology,
microclimate, and ecology. Due to their relatively small ice volumes, this
class of ice mass is particularly sensitive to the significant ongoing
climate warming in the European sector of the Arctic, i.e. in the Barents
Sea area. Archipelagos surrounding the Barents Sea, i.e. Svalbard (SV),
Novaya Zemlya (NZ), and Franz Josef Land (FJ), host numerous populations of
mountain glaciers, but their response to recent strong warming remains
understudied in most locations. This paper aims to obtain a snapshot of
their state by utilizing high-resolution elevation data (ArcticDEM) to
investigate the recent (ca. 2011–2017) elevation and volume changes of 382
small glaciers across SV, NZ, and FJ. The study concludes that many mountain
glacier sites across the Barents Sea have been in a critical imbalance with
the recent climate and might melt away within the coming several decades.
However, deviations from the general trend exist; e.g. a cluster of small
glaciers in north SV has been experiencing thickening. The findings reveal
that near-stagnant glaciers might exhibit contrasting behaviours (fast
thinning vs. thickening) over relatively short distances, which is a
challenge for glacier mass balance models but also an opportunity to test
their reliability.
... Other studies have discussed the apparent link between variability in the sea ice edge and onset of snowmelt in Svalbard [21], though this relationship was not quantitatively established. On the other hand, a decline in sea ice may lead to mass growth in certain glaciated regions on Svalbard due to enhanced wintertime precipitation resulting from increased evaporation over open water [32,33]. Outside of Svalbard, a link between sea ice decline in the Barents Sea and more severe Eurasian winter snowfall has been reported, which was attributed to increased frequency of atmospheric blocking patterns and cold air advection [34]. ...
... From the spatial patterns of trends in precipitation and temperature over Svalbard, Van Pelt et al. [17] concluded that the later disappearance of snow in the northern regions was to a greater extent controlled by trends of increased winter snowfall rather than spring snowmelt. Increased winter precipitation over the northeastern parts of Svalbard has been projected from regional climate model simulations [49] and has previously been suggested to be a likely driver of observed ice cap growth on Austfonna, an ice cap located on Nordaustlandet [32], whereby winter snow accumulation exceeds spring snow loss due to melting. Here, the increased winter precipitation was linked to sea ice decline in the adjacent Barents Sea and resulting increased moisture transport over Nordaustlandet. ...
The climate in Svalbard has been warming dramatically compared with the global average for the last few decades. Seasonal snow cover, which is sensitive to temperature and precipitation changes, is therefore expected to undergo both spatial and temporal changes in response to the changing climate in Svalbard. This will in turn have implications for timing of terrestrial productivity, which is closely linked to the disappearance of seasonal snow. We have produced a 20-year snow cover fraction time series for the Svalbard archipelago, derived from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Terra data to map and identify changes in the timing of the first snow-free day (FSFD) for the period 2000-2019. Moreover, we investigate the influence of sea ice concentration (SIC) variations on FSFD and how FSFD is related to the start of the phenological growing season in Svalbard. Our results revealed clear patterns of earlier FSFD in the southern and central parts of the archipelago, while the northernmost parts exhibit little change or trend toward later FSFD, resulting in weaker trends in summer and winter duration. We found that FSFD preceded the onset of the phenological growing season with an average difference of 12.4 days for the entire archipelago, but with large regional variations that are indicative of temperature dependence. Lastly, we found a significant correlation between variations of time-integrated SIC and variations in FSFD, which maximizes when correlating SIC northeast of Svalbard with FSFD averaged over Nordaustlandet. Prolonged sea ice cover in the spring was correlated with late snow disappearance, while lower-than-average sea ice cover correlated with early snow disappearance, indicating that proximity to sea ice plays an important role in regulating the timing of snow disappearance on land through influencing the regional air temperature and therefore rate of spring snowmelt.
... Despite its high latitude of 79°10′-80°33′N, this region affords a relatively mild climate compared to similar latitudes elsewhere in the high Arctic. Bamber et al. 28 and Isaksson et al. 29 suggested that the ice caps on Nordaustlandet are precipitation controlled and dependent on seasonally open sea-ice conditions around the island. Estimated glacier equilibrium altitudes at central Nordaustlandet are 300-400 m a.s.l. 13 . ...
Sediment cores from Kløverbladvatna, a threshold lake in Wahlenbergfjorden, Nordaustlandet, Svalbard were used to reconstruct Holocene glacier fluctuations. Meltwater from Etonbreen spills over a threshold to the lake, only when the glacier is significantly larger than at present. Lithological logging, loss-on-ignition, ITRAX scanning and radiocarbon dating of the cores show that Kløverbladvatna became isolated from Wahlenbergfjorden c. 5.4 cal. kyr BP due to glacioisostatic rebound. During the Late Holocene, laminated clayey gyttja from lacustrine organic production and surface runoff from the catchment accumulated in the lake. The lacustrine sedimentary record suggests that meltwater only spilled over the threshold at the peak of the surge of Etonbreen in AD 1938. Hence, we suggest that this was the largest extent of Etonbreen in the (mid-late) Holocene. In Palanderbukta, a tributary fjord to Wahlenbergfjorden, raised beaches were surveyed and organic material collected to determine the age of the beaches and reconstruct postglacial relative sea level change. The age of the postglacial raised beaches ranges from 10.7 cal. kyr BP at 50 m a.s.l. to 3.13 cal. kyr BP at 2 m a.s.l. The reconstructed postglacial relative sea level curve adds valuable spatial and chronological data to the relative sea level record of Nordaustlandet.
... Today, the Wahlenbergfjorden area is partially glacierised with outlet glaciers of Idunbreen, Frazerbreen, Aldousbreen, Bodleybreen, Etonbreen and Palanderbreen calving into the fjord (Fig. 1). A number of the outlet glaciers in Nordaustlandet have surged since the 1930s (Dowdeswell et al., 1999;Bamber et al., 2004;. Etonbreen is believed to have surged in 1938 (Bamber et al., 2004;Mothold et al., 2010). ...
... A number of the outlet glaciers in Nordaustlandet have surged since the 1930s (Dowdeswell et al., 1999;Bamber et al., 2004;. Etonbreen is believed to have surged in 1938 (Bamber et al., 2004;Mothold et al., 2010). Bodleybreen surged between 1976 and 1981 (Dowdeswell, 1986). ...
... The ridges in inner Wahlenbergfjorden have similar shape and dimensions as earlier studied terminal moraine ridges associated with surging glaciers in Svalbard fjords (Figs. 2 and 3), Ottesen et al., 2008a;. The T.4 and T.5 ridges are located in front of tidewater glaciers which have been recorded to surge Bamber et al., 2004), indicating that these ridges formed during surge maxima. The three sets of terminal moraine ridges in the T.4 landsystem imply that Bodleybreen most likely has surged three times, with each successive surge being less extensive, possibly indicating a similar pattern of general retreat interrupted with temporary surge-driven ice margin advances, as is observed in western Svalbard . ...
Abstract
This thesis presents a reconstruction of the late Weichselian, deglacial and Holocene
glacial history of the Svalbard fjords, focusing on eastern Svalbard. The study is based
on high-resolution multibeam data, shallow acoustic (chirp) data, marine sediment
cores, historical maps and aerial- satellite images. During the Last Glacial Maximum
the Svalbard Barents Sea ice sheet reached the shelf edge around Svalbard and was
drained by large ice streams along its western and northern margins, located in the
same areas as the present day cross-shelf troughs. In northeastern Svalbard, fastflowing
ice converged into the Hinlopen Strait ice stream from the surrounding fjords.
Submarine landforms indicate that ice flow velocities increased as ice flowed from the
inner- to the outer fjords and the shelf. The deglaciation from the northeastern shelf
edge proceeded rapidly by ice lift-off in the troughs and deeper parts of the fjords,
whereas the shallower areas experienced slower retreat with minor re-advances. The
inner fjords around Nordaustlandet were ice free prior to 11.3-10.5 ka BP years.
During early- to mid-Holocene tidewater glaciers in Mohnbukta and Vaigattbogen
experienced at least one surge-type advance. These pre-Little Ice Age surges
differentiate the east coast glaciers from the west coast glaciers. The early Holocene
advance in Mohnbukta has been attributed to rapid climatic and environmental change
at the end of the deglaciation, leading to dynamic disequilibrium and an
environmentally induced jump into surge-mode. This suggests a more dynamic
Holocene glacial history in Svalbard than previously stated, also indicating that the
role of climate is more important in the evolution of general surge patterns than
previously presumed. Similarly, climatic and environmental changes at the end of the
Little Ice Age could explain why many Svalbard glaciers, both on the west and east
coasts surged in that time period.
Today, the majority of Svalbard’s fjords accommodate tidewater glaciers, of which
several have been recorded to surge. Commonly the glaciers have surged at least twice
during the Holocene. The surging tidewater glacier landform assemblages share many
similarities and can be used to identify past surges in the geological record. In this
study the submarine morphology has been used to identify three new surge-type
glaciers in Wahlenbergfjorden. The surge history of the Svalbard glaciers is diverse
and even though the landform assemblages share many similarities, they all feature
differences, suggesting that local conditions are important in the evolution of glacial
surges.
... Today, the Wahlenbergfjorden area is partially glacierised with outlet glaciers of Idunbreen, Frazerbreen, Aldousbreen, Bodleybreen, Etonbreen and Palanderbreen calving into the fjord (Fig. 1). A number of the outlet glaciers in Nordaustlandet have surged since the 1930s (Dowdeswell et al., 1999;Bamber et al., 2004;Robinson and Dowdeswell, 2011). Etonbreen is believed to have surged in 1938 (Bamber et al., 2004;Mothold et al., 2010). ...
... A number of the outlet glaciers in Nordaustlandet have surged since the 1930s (Dowdeswell et al., 1999;Bamber et al., 2004;Robinson and Dowdeswell, 2011). Etonbreen is believed to have surged in 1938 (Bamber et al., 2004;Mothold et al., 2010). Bodleybreen surged between 1976 and 1981 (Dowdeswell, 1986). ...
... The ridges in inner Wahlenbergfjorden have similar shape and dimensions as earlier studied terminal moraine ridges associated with surging glaciers in Svalbard fjords (Figs. 2 and 3), (Ottesen and Dowdeswell, 2006;Ottesen et al., 2008a;Flink et al., 2015). The T.4 and T.5 ridges are located in front of tidewater glaciers which have been recorded to surge (Lefauconnier and Hagen, 1991;Bamber et al., 2004), indicating that these ridges formed during surge maxima. The three sets of terminal moraine ridges in the T.4 landsystem imply that Bodleybreen most likely has surged three times, with each successive surge being less extensive, possibly indicating a similar pattern of general retreat interrupted with temporary surge-driven ice margin advances, as is observed in western Svalbard . ...
Wahlenbergfjorden is a fjord situated in the western part of Nordaustlandet in northern Svalbard. It leads into the 400 m deep Hinlopen Strait located between Nordaustlandet and Spitsbergen. High-resolution multibeam bathymetric and sub-bottom data, as well as sediment cores are used to study the past extent and dynamics of glaciers in Wahlenbergfjorden and western Nordaustlandet. The submarine landform assemblage in Wahlenbergfjorden consists of landforms characteristic of subglacial, ice marginal and proglacial conditions. Glacial lineations indicate that Wahlenbergfjorden was occupied by streaming ice during the LGM and most likely acted as an ice stream onset zone. Westward ice flow in the fjord merged with the ice stream in Hinlopen Strait. Absence of ice recessional landforms in outer Wahlenbergfjorden suggests relatively fast deglaciation, possibly by flotation of the glacier front in the deeper parts of the fjord. The inner part of Wahlenbergfjorden and Palanderbukta are characterized by De Geer moraines, indicating episodic retreat of a grounded glacier front. In Palanderbukta, longer still stands of the glacier terminus resulted in the formation of larger terminal moraine ridges. The inner part of Wahlenbergfjorden was deglaciated prior to 11.3 ± 55 Cal. ka BP. The submarine landform assemblages in front of Bodleybreen, Etonbreen, Idunbreen, Frazerbreen and Aldousbreen confirm that these glaciers have surged at least once during the Holocene.
... Cumulative anomalies are sensitive to systematic errors and trends, and should be interpreted with some caution. Nonetheless, they are widely used when discussing reactions of glaciers to climate forcing (Bamber et al. 2004;van den Broeke et al. 2009;Abermann et al. 2011). Long-term (multiple years) positive or negative climate anomalies can have a cumulative effect on glacier parameters like flow velocity or mass balance, but the effects of short-term (annual or shorter) variations in weather often do not have immediately visible effects, making cumulative anomalies a useful tool. ...
... It follows that the shear strain and the velocity are dependent on parameters such as ice temperature, crystal orientation, density and the amount of impurities present (Cuffey and Paterson 2010). At ice temperatures above -10°C the presence of liquid water at grain boundaries is thought to contribute to creep through grain boundary sliding, as well as melt-freeze processes (Barnes et al. 1971;Jones and Brunet 1978). ...
Surface velocities have been regularly monitored at the rock glacier in Outer Hochebenkar, Ötztal Alps, Austria since the early 1950s. This study provides an update to previously published surface velocity time series, showing mean profile velocities of four cross profiles since the beginning of the measurements (1951,1954, 1997; depending on the profile), as well as single block displacements from 1998 to 2015. Profiles P1, P2 and P3 have moved between 42 and 90 m, at mean velocities between 0.70 and 1.48 m yr-1, since they were first established in the early 1950s (1951/54). Profile P0, established in 1997, has since moved 13 m or 0.75 m yr-1. An acceleration can be observed at all profiles since the late 1990s, with a particularly sharp velocity increase since 2010. All profiles reached a new maximum velocity in 2015, with 1.98 m yr-1 at the slowest profile (P0) and 6.37 m yr-1 at the fastest profile (P1). Year-to-year variations in profile velocities cannot be clearly attributed to inter-annual variations of climatic parameters like mean annual air temperature, summer temperature, positive degree days, or precipitation. However, higher correlation is found between velocities and cumulative anomalies of air temperature (mean annual air temperature and positive degree days) and summer precipitation, suggesting that these parameters play a key role for the movement of the rock glacier. The lower profiles (P0, P1) show more pronounced year-to-year variations than the upper profiles (P2, P3). It is considered likely that processes other than climatic forcing (e.g. sliding, topography) contribute to the different velocity patterns at the four profiles.
... Sporadic glacier surges, as currently seen in Basin-3 (McMillan et al., 2014b; can significantly alter the calving flux from the ice cap. Prior to the surge of Basin-3, interior thickening at rates of ∼ 0.5 m a −1 and marginal thinning of 1-3 m a −1 had been detected from repeat airborne (1996-2002Bamber et al., 2004) and satellite laser altimetry (2003Moholdt et al., 2010). The accumulation area comprises an extensive superimposed ice and wet snow zone, and in some years a percolation zone may exist. ...
... ing feature is the large height decrease of > 30 m associated with the surge of Basin-3. Otherwise, the pattern of interior thickening, especially along the east side of the main ice divide, and the marginal thinning resembles the elevationchange pattern reported for earlier time periods (Bamber et al., 2004;Moholdt et al., 2010). Also, the CS2 height change results are consistent with the results obtained from repeated GPS tracks (spring 2011 to spring 2014, see Fig. 12). ...
We show that the CryoSat-2 radar altimeter can provide useful estimates of
surface elevation change on a variety of Arctic ice caps, on both monthly
and yearly timescales. Changing conditions, however, can lead to a varying
bias between the elevation estimated from the radar altimeter and the
physical surface due to changes in the ratio of subsurface to surface
backscatter. Under melting conditions the radar returns are predominantly
from the surface so that if surface melt is extensive across the ice cap
estimates of summer elevation loss can be made with the frequent coverage
provided by CryoSat-2. For example, the average summer elevation decreases
on the Barnes Ice Cap, Baffin Island, Canada were 2.05 ± 0.36 m
(2011), 2.55 ± 0.32 m (2012), 1.38 ± 0.40 m (2013) and
1.44 ± 0.37 m (2014), losses which were not balanced by the winter snow
accumulation. As winter-to-winter conditions were similar, the net elevation
losses were 1.0 ± 0.20 m (winter 2010/11 to winter 2011/12),
1.39 ± 0.20 m (2011/12 to 2012/13) and 0.36 ± 0.20 m (2012/13 to
2013/14); for a total surface elevation loss of 2.75 ± 0.20 m over this
3-year period. In contrast, the uncertainty in height change from Devon Ice
Cap, Canada, and Austfonna, Svalbard, can be up to twice as large because of
the presence of firn and the possibility of a varying bias between the true
surface and the detected elevation due to changing year-to-year conditions.
Nevertheless, the surface elevation change estimates from CryoSat for both
ice caps are consistent with field and meteorological measurements.
... Both effects are caused by higher air temperatures and the increased precipitation observed in Svalbard (Hanssen−Bauer 2002;Førland and Hanssen−Bauer 2003;Łupikasza 2013). While higher runoff from glaciers is a widely recognised effect of climate warming (Oerlemans 2001;ACIA 2005;Adalgeirsdóttir et al. 2006;Irvine−Fynn et al. 2011;SWIPA 2011), the importance of higher sums of liquid precipitation for the hydrology of Arctic catchments has been explored to a smaller extent (Bamber et al. 2004;Nowak and Hodson 2013). ...
The results from a hydrological monitoring program of Breelva basin (Spits-bergen, Svalbard) have been analysed to improve the understanding of the Werenskiöld Glacier system's functioning in the High Arctic. Hydrographs of a 44 km2 river basin (27 km2 of which was covered by a glacier) were analysed for the period 2007-2012. Sea-sonal discharge fluctuations were linked to glacier ablation and meteorological parameters, including atmospheric circulation types. A dichotomy was found in the discharge peaks generation during the hydrologically active season, with the main role played by snow and ice melt events during its first part and the rainfall regime dominating its second part. Foehn type strong winds played a significant role in the generation of ablation type floods (e.g. in August 2011). A simple classification of the runoff regime was applied to the examined six-year period, resulting in the identification of its three types: the ablation type (dominant in 2007 and 2009), the rainfall type (in the years 2011-2012), and the mixed type (during 2008 and 2010). According to publications the river flow season in Spitsbergen begins in June and end with freeze-up in September or at the beginning of October. Recently, this sea-son for Breelva tend to be extended with the mid-May onset and end in the second part of October. A multiannual trend was noted that reflects a growing importance of rainfalls, especially in September. Rainfall waters play a more distinct role in outflow from the Breelva catchment recently.
