Geomorphology and Glacial Geology in Nordaustlandet, Spitsbergen

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Geomorphology and Glacial Geology in Nordaustlandet, Spitsbergen This dissertation has been 63—37 microfilmed exactly as received BLAKE, Jr., Weston, 1930— GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GLACIAL GEOLOGY IN NORDAUSTLANDET, SPITSBERGEN. (VOLUMES I AND n). The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1962 Geology University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan OaOMDRPHOLOGY AND GLACIAL GEOLOGY IN NORDAUSTLANDET, SPITSBERGEN Volume I DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Weston Blake, Jr., A.B., M, Sc, xxxxxxxx The Ohio State University 1962 Approved by Richard P. Golüthwait Department of Geology PREFACE F ie ld Work The field work upon which this dissertation is based was carried out during th e summers of 1957 and 1958 w hile I served as g la c ia l geologist with the Swedish Glaciological Expedition to Nordaustlandet (North-East Land), Spitsbergen, led by Dr. V. Schytt of Stockholms Universitets Geografiska Institution, General accounts of the two summers' work are given in the "Polar Record" (Blake, 1958, pp. 142- 143; 1959, pp. 339-340). In 1957 the four members of our expedition arrived in Nordaustlandet on July 15th, and my three companions departed on August 27th, Field work was carried out on the following days: July 21-28, and 30; August 2-16, 19 and 24-25, a total of four weeks. The rest of the time was spent unloading ships, unpacking, and packing. Of the actual days spent doing field work a considerable amount of time was devoted to establishing depots for the next summer's work and setting out ablation stakes and thermistors on the ice cap, Vestfonna. Thus most of the field work was necessarily of a reconnaissance nature. The five weeks from August 28th to October 3rd were entirely occupied by field work. However, most of this period was devoted to starting a detailed study of patterned ground near Kinnvika, Murchisonfjorden, and the results of this work w ill be treated in a separate report. On a five day trip to Lady Franklinfjorden the motion survey of S^re Franklinbreen (South Franklin Glacier) ii was begun, and a final trip was made to the ice cap to read ablation stakes and thermistors. In I 95 Ô five of us flew north on May 8th, Some field work was carried out on May 9-14, and 26-2?j June 1-2, 16-17, and 22-23, Otherwise the time between May 13th and June 26th was spent assisting in glaciological and seismic vrork on the ice caps. The time between June 27th and July 8th was devoted partly to . field work near Kinnvika, partly to preparing for the second part of the summer. From July 9th to August 7 th two of us made a t r i p to Lady F ra n k lin f jorden and Lagfdya; between August 9th and 20th we worked in Murchisonfjorden, From August 21st to 31st, when the expedition left Nordaustlandet, time was divided between packing and field work. Thus most of the work reported in this dissertation was carried out during a six-week period in July and August, 1 9 5 8 , P lace Names The place names used are those approved by Norsk Polarinstitutt (the Norwegian Polar Institute), according to their publication "The Place-Names of Svalbard" (1942, pp, 1-539) and the supplement to this (Orvin, 1958, pp, 1-133)« All names used here for the first time have been approved by Dr, A. K, Orvin of Norsk Polarinstitutt, The latter part of each place-name is given in Norwegian, and for that reason a list of Norwegian endings is given below, according to Orvin (1958, pp, 9-11), The part in parentheses is the definite article. i i x Norwegian English translation a u st(re ) east, eastern b e rg (e t) mountain, h ill, crag bre(en) pi, breane g la c ie r bukt(a) bay, bight, cove by(en) town d a l(en) v a lle y e lv (a ) river, stream fjell(et) pi. fjella mountain fjo rd (e n ) fiord, firth fly(a) pi. flyene barren, level or undulating ground fonn(a) snowfield or glacier halvj^y(a) p eninsula haam(a) harbor, haven huk(en) hook, headland i s (en) ic e kapp(et) cape k o ll(e n ) rounded h ill or crag lagune (laguna) lagoon lan d ( e t) land mark(a) field, ground n e s(e t) p o in t nord(re ) north, northern odde(en) point, cape pynt(en) p o in t renne (renna) lane, channel rygg(en) ridge, range sj^ (e n ) sea, lake sk ard (et) pass stein(en) pi. steinane stone, rock stra n d (a ) strand, shore sund(et) sound, strait s^ r(e ) south, southern topp(en) pi. toppane peak, summit vatn(et) pi. vatna lak e v e s t( re ) west, western v ik (a) creek, cove, bay vag(en) protected bay jdy(a) is la n d IV Spitsbergen, meaning "sharp mountains," is the name which was first given to the islands by the Dutch explorer Barents in 1596, According to official Norwegian usage ("The Place-Names of Svalbard", 1942, pp. 399-404» 4 1 7 ) Spitsbergen includes the islands of VestSpitsbergen, Nordaustlandet, Edge^ya, Barentsf(ya, and Prins Karls Borland, together with the small islands near each of these, for a total area of 61,600 square kilometers (23,785 square miles), Svalbard, meaning "cold coasts" in Norwegian, is the name for all the islands in the Arctic Ocean which were placed under Norwegian sovereignty by the Treaty of Paris, February 9, 1920, In addition to the islands of the Spitsbergen group, Svalbard includes Kvit^ya, Kong Karls land, Hopen, and Bjj^m/iîya, for a total of 62,405 square kilometers (24,095 square miles). Acknowledgments % t r i p to Sweden was made under th e au sp ices o f th e Foreign Field Research Program, Division of Earth Sciences, National Academy of Sciences — National Research Council, with financial support provided by the Geography Branch, Office of Naval Research. The expedition itse lf was financed mainly by Statens Naturvetenskapliga ForskningsrSd (the Swedish Natural Science Research Council), and significant contributions were also made by a number of other government and private organizations in Sweden and Finland, The glacial geological work in particular was supported by Svenska Sallskapet for Antropologi och Geografi (the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography), Special mention must be made of the help received from the Swedish Amy in the form of loans of clothing and equipment, to the Swedish Air Force for providing me with a reconnaissance flight over the field area and for taking air photographs in 1957» and to the Swedish Wavy for providing transport of equipment to Spitsbergen and transport of expedition members home. KommendBr (then Kommendorkapten) B, Lundvall, the captain of the Swedish minelayer "llvsnabben" in 1957» assisted in every possible way» particularly in providing personnel for unloading the ship and in arranging for our small boat to be repaired. Transport to Nordaustlandet in 1957 was provided by the Finnish research ship "Aranda", which was carrying out oceanographic work in the Barents Sea and north of Spitsbergen on an expedition from Kerentutkimuslaitos (The Institute of Marine Research) in Helsinki, under the command of Professor I. Hela, We are indebted to the staff of "Aranda" for assistance in landing our expedition supplies, and I am obliged to Dr. H. Ignatius for allowing me to use some of the echo-sounding data obtained. Transport for ray assistant and me in 1958 was in part provided by Norsk Polarinstitutt, and in both summers 0. Birketvedt, Sysselmannen pa Svalbard (the Governor of Svalbard) provided transport. On the way north in 1957 overnight accomodatiœi in Longyearbyen was provided by Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani A/5, and in October 1957 Sysselmannen Birketvedt provided accomodations for two weeks. The Swedish-Finnish-Svn.ss I.G.Y. Expedition to Nordaustlandet, 1957-53» led by Professor G. Liljequist of Uppsala Universitets Heteorologiska Institution, kindly allowed us to use their base at Kinnvika as headquarters, and I» especially, enjoyed their hospitality while living there in September and October 1957. 1 am indebted to VI all members of both expeditions for assistance in the field, but particular mention must be made of Dr. E. Palosuo of our expedition and E, Tollén and Dr. M. Aro of Liljequists* group for help in 1957, and of Fil, Kand. R. Bergstrom of our expedition for serving as my field assistant in 1958. Various items of field equipment were loaned by Stockholms Universitets Geografiska Institution and by the Department of Geology, The Ohio State University, Funds for the purchase of air photographs were provided by the latter department and by the Ohio Academy of Science. The staff of Norsk Polarinstitutt, particularly T. S. Winsnes and K. Z. Lundquist, assisted in many ways, both in the field and in O slo, Support during the working up of results has come from many sources. From January to June, 1959 I held a Bownocker Fellowship in the Department of Geology, The Ohio State University, From November 1959 through January 1961 I worked under National Science Foundation Grant No, 121,15/340 (I.G.Y. Interdisciplinary Research Project 21.15), administered through The Ohio State University Research Foundation (Project No, 1037) and the Institute of Polar Studies, Travel funds to enable me to go to Sweden a second time were provided by the Geography Branch, Office of Naval Research, The radiocarbon dating was carried out by Fil, Lie. Ingrid 01sson at Uppsala Universitets Fysiska Institution and the radium- uranium dating has been done by Professor W, S, Broecker at Lamont Geological Observatory, Columbia University, The index of refraction determinations have been carried out by J, Hanssen through the kindness vii of Professor A.
Recommended publications
  • A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics
    J ournal of Glaciology, V ol. 1 I , No. 63, 1972 A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF DIRT-CONE DYNAMICS By DAVID J. DREWRY (Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge CB2 IER, Engla nd) ABSTRACT . Quantitative investigations have been made of ice-cored dirt cones on Bersaerkerbrre in north-east Greenland. Experiments were also undertaken to eva luate field observations. M easurem ents included: m aximum cone dimensions, sediment thickness and pa rticle size, cone growth ra tes, slo pe a ngles and the tempera ture distribution within the d ebris layer and ice core. Particle size, which h as not been stressed in previous studies, a nd rela ted liquid consistency limits, appear as the domina nt controls in cone forma tion, independent of d ebris thickness within the observed ra nge of 10 mm to 125 mm. A thres hold gra in·size for dir t-cone inception was found, between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm. The growth of con es was usually no t more tha n 50% of the a blation over "clean" ice. T empera ture m easuremen ts within dirt cones has enabled heat-flow studies to be made, evalua ting the thermal conductivity of a sediment layer a nd the heat tra nsfer involved in m elting the ice core. A simple m odel of dirt-cone d ynamics is proposed , characterized by negative feed backs and describing a stead y-sta te system. R ESUME. Une approche quantitative de la dynamique des "cones de pOllssiere". Des recherches qua ntita ti ves ont ele faites d e cones de poussiere (dirt-cones) a noyau d e glace da ns le Bersaerkerbrre dans le Nord-Est du G roenla nd.
    [Show full text]
  • Handbok07.Pdf
    - . - - - . -. � ..;/, AGE MILL.YEAR$ ;YE basalt �- OUATERNARY votcanoes CENOZOIC \....t TERTIARY ·· basalt/// 65 CRETACEOUS -� 145 MESOZOIC JURASSIC " 210 � TRIAS SIC 245 " PERMIAN 290 CARBONIFEROUS /I/ Å 360 \....t DEVONIAN � PALEOZOIC � 410 SILURIAN 440 /I/ ranite � ORDOVICIAN T 510 z CAM BRIAN � w :::;: 570 w UPPER (J) PROTEROZOIC � c( " 1000 Ill /// PRECAMBRIAN MIDDLE AND LOWER PROTEROZOIC I /// 2500 ARCHEAN /(/folding \....tfaulting x metamorphism '- subduction POLARHÅNDBOK NO. 7 AUDUN HJELLE GEOLOGY.OF SVALBARD OSLO 1993 Photographs contributed by the following: Dallmann, Winfried: Figs. 12, 21, 24, 25, 31, 33, 35, 48 Heintz, Natascha: Figs. 15, 59 Hisdal, Vidar: Figs. 40, 42, 47, 49 Hjelle, Audun: Figs. 3, 10, 11, 18 , 23, 28, 29, 30, 32, 36, 43, 45, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72, 75 Larsen, Geir B.: Fig. 70 Lytskjold, Bjørn: Fig. 38 Nøttvedt, Arvid: Fig. 34 Paleontologisk Museum, Oslo: Figs. 5, 9 Salvigsen, Otto: Figs. 13, 59 Skogen, Erik: Fig. 39 Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani (SNSK): Fig. 26 © Norsk Polarinstitutt, Middelthuns gate 29, 0301 Oslo English translation: Richard Binns Editor of text and illustrations: Annemor Brekke Graphic design: Vidar Grimshei Omslagsfoto: Erik Skogen Graphic production: Grimshei Grafiske, Lørenskog ISBN 82-7666-057-6 Printed September 1993 CONTENTS PREFACE ............................................6 The Kongsfjorden area ....... ..........97 Smeerenburgfjorden - Magdalene- INTRODUCTION ..... .. .... ....... ........ ....6 fjorden - Liefdefjorden................ 109 Woodfjorden - Bockfjorden........ 116 THE GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF SVALBARD .... ........... ....... .......... ..9 NORTHEASTERN SPITSBERGEN AND NORDAUSTLANDET ........... 123 SVALBARD, PART OF THE Ny Friesland and Olav V Land .. .123 NORTHERN POLAR REGION ...... ... 11 Nordaustlandet and the neigh- bouring islands........................... 126 WHA T TOOK PLACE IN SVALBARD - WHEN? ....
    [Show full text]
  • Formation, Meltout Processes and Landscape Alteration of High-Arctic Ice-Cored Moraines——Examples from Nordenskiold Land, Central Spitsbergen Sven Lukas, Lindsey I
    This article was downloaded by: [Universitaetsbibliothek Innsbruck] On: 14 September 2011, At: 02:08 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Polar Geography Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tpog20 Formation, Meltout Processes and Landscape Alteration of High-Arctic Ice-Cored Moraines——Examples From Nordenskiold Land, Central Spitsbergen Sven Lukas, Lindsey I. Nicholson, Fionna H. Ross & Ole Humlum Available online: 04 Mar 2011 To cite this article: Sven Lukas, Lindsey I. Nicholson, Fionna H. Ross & Ole Humlum (2005): Formation, Meltout Processes and Landscape Alteration of High-Arctic Ice-Cored Moraines——Examples From Nordenskiold Land, Central Spitsbergen, Polar Geography, 29:3, 157-187 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/789610198 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and- conditions This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
    [Show full text]
  • Norway and Its Marine Areas - a Brief Description of the Sea Floor
    No.3 2003 IN FOCUS Norway and its marine areas - a brief description of the sea floor From the deep sea to the fjord floor Norwegian waters comprise widely differing environments - from the Bjørnøyrenna deep sea via the continental slope and continental shelf to the coastal zone with its strandflat, archipelagos and fjords.This constitutes a geologi- cal diversity that is unique in a European context. An exciting geological history lies Trænadjupet behind this diversity - a development that has taken place over more than 400 million years.The continents con- Vøringplatået sist of plates of solidified rock that float on partially molten rock, and these plates move relative to one another.Where they collide, the Earth's crust is folded and mountain chains are created.Where they drift apart, deep oceans form and new sea Storegga floor is created along rifts because molten rock (magma) streams up from below. A good example is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, including Iceland, a which is a result of Greenland and n n e Europe drifting from each other at a r e rate of about 2 cm a year. k s r o The plates on which Norway and N Greenland rest collided more than 400 million years ago and formed mountain chains on either side of a Skagerrak shallow sea. Both Greenland and Norway are remnants of worn down mountain chains. Between these mountain chains, the shallow sea Figure 1.Norway and its neighbouring seas. gradually filled with sediments derived from the erosion of the chains.These sedi- ments became transformed into sandstones, shales and limestones and it is in these rocks we now find oil and gas on the Norwegian continental shelf.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate in Svalbard 2100
    M-1242 | 2018 Climate in Svalbard 2100 – a knowledge base for climate adaptation NCCS report no. 1/2019 Photo: Ketil Isaksen, MET Norway Editors I.Hanssen-Bauer, E.J.Førland, H.Hisdal, S.Mayer, A.B.Sandø, A.Sorteberg CLIMATE IN SVALBARD 2100 CLIMATE IN SVALBARD 2100 Commissioned by Title: Date Climate in Svalbard 2100 January 2019 – a knowledge base for climate adaptation ISSN nr. Rapport nr. 2387-3027 1/2019 Authors Classification Editors: I.Hanssen-Bauer1,12, E.J.Førland1,12, H.Hisdal2,12, Free S.Mayer3,12,13, A.B.Sandø5,13, A.Sorteberg4,13 Clients Authors: M.Adakudlu3,13, J.Andresen2, J.Bakke4,13, S.Beldring2,12, R.Benestad1, W. Bilt4,13, J.Bogen2, C.Borstad6, Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) K.Breili9, Ø.Breivik1,4, K.Y.Børsheim5,13, H.H.Christiansen6, A.Dobler1, R.Engeset2, R.Frauenfelder7, S.Gerland10, H.M.Gjelten1, J.Gundersen2, K.Isaksen1,12, C.Jaedicke7, H.Kierulf9, J.Kohler10, H.Li2,12, J.Lutz1,12, K.Melvold2,12, Client’s reference 1,12 4,6 2,12 5,8,13 A.Mezghani , F.Nilsen , I.B.Nilsen , J.E.Ø.Nilsen , http://www.miljodirektoratet.no/M1242 O. Pavlova10, O.Ravndal9, B.Risebrobakken3,13, T.Saloranta2, S.Sandven6,8,13, T.V.Schuler6,11, M.J.R.Simpson9, M.Skogen5,13, L.H.Smedsrud4,6,13, M.Sund2, D. Vikhamar-Schuler1,2,12, S.Westermann11, W.K.Wong2,12 Affiliations: See Acknowledgements! Abstract The Norwegian Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) is collaboration between the Norwegian Meteorological In- This report was commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency in order to provide basic information for use stitute, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Norwegian Research Centre and the Bjerknes in climate change adaptation in Svalbard.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist of Lichenicolous Fungi and Lichenicolous Lichens of Svalbard, Including New Species, New Records and Revisions
    Herzogia 26 (2), 2013: 323 –359 323 Checklist of lichenicolous fungi and lichenicolous lichens of Svalbard, including new species, new records and revisions Mikhail P. Zhurbenko* & Wolfgang von Brackel Abstract: Zhurbenko, M. P. & Brackel, W. v. 2013. Checklist of lichenicolous fungi and lichenicolous lichens of Svalbard, including new species, new records and revisions. – Herzogia 26: 323 –359. Hainesia bryonorae Zhurb. (on Bryonora castanea), Lichenochora caloplacae Zhurb. (on Caloplaca species), Sphaerellothecium epilecanora Zhurb. (on Lecanora epibryon), and Trimmatostroma cetrariae Brackel (on Cetraria is- landica) are described as new to science. Forty four species of lichenicolous fungi (Arthonia apotheciorum, A. aspicili- ae, A. epiphyscia, A. molendoi, A. pannariae, A. peltigerina, Cercidospora ochrolechiae, C. trypetheliza, C. verrucosar- ia, Dacampia engeliana, Dactylospora aeruginosa, D. frigida, Endococcus fusiger, E. sendtneri, Epibryon conductrix, Epilichen glauconigellus, Lichenochora coppinsii, L. weillii, Lichenopeltella peltigericola, L. santessonii, Lichenostigma chlaroterae, L. maureri, Llimoniella vinosa, Merismatium decolorans, M. heterophractum, Muellerella atricola, M. erratica, Pronectria erythrinella, Protothelenella croceae, Skyttella mulleri, Sphaerellothecium parmeliae, Sphaeropezia santessonii, S. thamnoliae, Stigmidium cladoniicola, S. collematis, S. frigidum, S. leucophlebiae, S. mycobilimbiae, S. pseudopeltideae, Taeniolella pertusariicola, Tremella cetrariicola, Xenonectriella lutescens, X. ornamentata,
    [Show full text]
  • Arctic Environments
    Characteristics of an arctic environment and the physical geography of Svalbard - ‘geography explained’ fact sheet The Arctic environment is little studied at Key Stage Three yet it is an excellent basis for an all-encompassing study of place or as a case study to illustrate key concepts within a specific theme. Svalbard, an archipelago lying in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Europe, about midway between Norway and the North Pole, is a place with an awesome landscape and unique geography that includes issues and themes of global, regional and local importance. A study of Svalbard could allow pupils to broaden and deepen their knowledge and understanding of different aspects of the seven geographical concepts that underpin the revised Geography Key Stage Three Programme of Study. Many pupils will have a mental image of an Arctic landscape, some may have heard of Svalbard. A useful starting point for study is to explore these perceptions using visual prompts and big questions – where is the Arctic/Svalbard? What is it like? What is happening there? Why is it like this? How will it change? Svalbard exemplifies the distinctive physical and human characteristics of the Arctic and yet is also unique amongst Arctic environments. Perceptions and characteristics of the Arctic may be represented in many ways, including art and literature and the pupil’s own geographical imagination of the place. Maps and photographs are vital in helping pupils develop spatial understanding of locations, places and processes and the scale at which they occur. Source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:W_W_Svalbard... 1 Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s capital Source:http://www.photos- The landscape of Western Svalbard voyages.com/spitzberg/images/spitzberg06_large.jpg Source: www.hi.is/~oi/svalbard_photos.htm Where is Svalbard? Orthographic map projection centred on Svalbard and showing location relative to UK and EuropeSource: www.answers.com/topic/orthographic- projection..
    [Show full text]
  • WEST NORWEGIAN FJORDS UNESCO World Heritage
    GEOLOGICAL GUIDES 3 - 2014 RESEARCH WEST NORWEGIAN FJORDS UNESCO World Heritage. Guide to geological excursion from Nærøyfjord to Geirangerfjord By: Inge Aarseth, Atle Nesje and Ola Fredin 2 ‐ West Norwegian Fjords GEOLOGIAL SOCIETY OF NORWAY—GEOLOGICAL GUIDE S 2014‐3 © Geological Society of Norway (NGF) , 2014 ISBN: 978‐82‐92‐39491‐5 NGF Geological guides Editorial committee: Tom Heldal, NGU Ole Lutro, NGU Hans Arne Nakrem, NHM Atle Nesje, UiB Editor: Ann Mari Husås, NGF Front cover illustrations: Atle Nesje View of the outer part of the Nærøyfjord from Bakkanosi mountain (1398m asl.) just above the village Bakka. The picture shows the contrast between the preglacial mountain plateau and the deep intersected fjord. Levels geological guides: The geological guides from NGF, is divided in three leves. Level 1—Schools and the public Level 2—Students Level 3—Research and professional geologists This is a level 3 guide. Published by: Norsk Geologisk Forening c/o Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse N‐7491 Trondheim, Norway E‐mail: [email protected] www.geologi.no GEOLOGICALSOCIETY OF NORWAY —GEOLOGICAL GUIDES 2014‐3 West Norwegian Fjords‐ 3 WEST NORWEGIAN FJORDS: UNESCO World Heritage GUIDE TO GEOLOGICAL EXCURSION FROM NÆRØYFJORD TO GEIRANGERFJORD By Inge Aarseth, University of Bergen Atle Nesje, University of Bergen and Bjerkenes Research Centre, Bergen Ola Fredin, Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim Abstract Acknowledgements Brian Robins has corrected parts of the text and Eva In addition to magnificent scenery, fjords may display a Bjørseth has assisted in making the final version of the wide variety of geological subjects such as bedrock geol‐ figures . We also thank several colleagues for inputs from ogy, geomorphology, glacial geology, glaciology and sedi‐ their special fields: Haakon Fossen, Jan Mangerud, Eiliv mentology.
    [Show full text]
  • Satellite Ice Extent, Sea Surface Temperature, and Atmospheric 2 Methane Trends in the Barents and Kara Seas
    The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2018-237 Manuscript under review for journal The Cryosphere Discussion started: 22 November 2018 c Author(s) 2018. CC BY 4.0 License. 1 Satellite ice extent, sea surface temperature, and atmospheric 2 methane trends in the Barents and Kara Seas 1 2 3 2 4 3 Ira Leifer , F. Robert Chen , Thomas McClimans , Frank Muller Karger , Leonid Yurganov 1 4 Bubbleology Research International, Inc., Solvang, CA, USA 2 5 University of Southern Florida, USA 3 6 SINTEF Ocean, Trondheim, Norway 4 7 University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA 8 Correspondence to: Ira Leifer ([email protected]) 9 10 Abstract. Over a decade (2003-2015) of satellite data of sea-ice extent, sea surface temperature (SST), and methane 11 (CH4) concentrations in lower troposphere over 10 focus areas within the Barents and Kara Seas (BKS) were 12 analyzed for anomalies and trends relative to the Barents Sea. Large positive CH4 anomalies were discovered around 13 Franz Josef Land (FJL) and offshore west Novaya Zemlya in early fall. Far smaller CH4 enhancement was found 14 around Svalbard, downstream and north of known seabed seepage. SST increased in all focus areas at rates from 15 0.0018 to 0.15 °C yr-1, CH4 growth spanned 3.06 to 3.49 ppb yr-1. 16 The strongest SST increase was observed each year in the southeast Barents Sea in June due to strengthening of 17 the warm Murman Current (MC), and in the south Kara Sea in September. The southeast Barents Sea, the south 18 Kara Sea and coastal areas around FJL exhibited the strongest CH4 growth over the observation period.
    [Show full text]
  • Foraminifera1 Stratigraphy of Raised Marine Deposits, Representing Isotope Stage 5, Prins Karls Forland, Western Sval Bard
    Foraminifera1 stratigraphy of raised marine deposits, representing isotope stage 5, Prins Karls Forland, western SVal bard HELENE BERGSTEN. TORBJORN ANDERSON and OLAFUR INGOLFSSON Bergsten, H., Andersson. T. & Ingolfsson, 0. 1998: Foraminiferd stratigraphy of raised marine deposits, representing isotope stage 5. Prins Karls Forland, western Svalbard. Polar Research 17(1). 81-91. Two raised marine sequences from Prim Karls Forland, western Svalbard, interpreted to have been deposited during part of isotope substage Se (Eemian) and substage 5a, were studied for foraminifera content. Time constraints are given by I4C ages, infrared stimulated luminescence age estimates and amino acid ratios in suhfossil marine molluscs. A diamicton (unit B) separates the two marine sequences and reflects an advancement of local glaciers sometime late in isotope stage 5. The two marine sequences contain diverse benthic foraminifera1 faunas, indicating periods of a relatively warm and seasonally ice-free marine shelf environment. Compared to the lowermost sequence (unit A), the upper marine sequence (unit C) seems to reflect a more shallow environment that could have resulted from the global lowering of the sea level towards the end of isotope stage 5. Our results further emphasise the problem of biostratigraphic distinction between interglacial and interstadial deposits at high latitudes, with temperature conditions for substage Sa close to those of substage 5e and present conditions. Helene Bergsten, Torbjorn Andersson and Olufur Ingdlfsson, Earth Sciences Centre, Goteborg University, Box 460, S-405 30 Goteborg, Sweden. Introduction Chronology and glacial history The Poolepynten site is situated on Prins Karls Sediments in the Poolepynten sections are ex- Forland, western Svalbard at N78'27'El l"40' posed in up to 10 metre high coastal cliffs over a (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Preliminary Mass-Balance Food Web Model of the Eastern Chukchi Sea
    NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-AFSC-262 Preliminary Mass-balance Food Web Model of the Eastern Chukchi Sea by G. A. Whitehouse U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science Center December 2013 NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS The National Marine Fisheries Service's Alaska Fisheries Science Center uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum series to issue informal scientific and technical publications when complete formal review and editorial processing are not appropriate or feasible. Documents within this series reflect sound professional work and may be referenced in the formal scientific and technical literature. The NMFS-AFSC Technical Memorandum series of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center continues the NMFS-F/NWC series established in 1970 by the Northwest Fisheries Center. The NMFS-NWFSC series is currently used by the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. This document should be cited as follows: Whitehouse, G. A. 2013. A preliminary mass-balance food web model of the eastern Chukchi Sea. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-262, 162 p. Reference in this document to trade names does not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-AFSC-262 Preliminary Mass-balance Food Web Model of the Eastern Chukchi Sea by G. A. Whitehouse1,2 1Alaska Fisheries Science Center 7600 Sand Point Way N.E. Seattle WA 98115 2Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean University of Washington Box 354925 Seattle WA 98195 www.afsc.noaa.gov U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Penny. S. Pritzker, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Kathryn D.
    [Show full text]
  • NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE Scientific Name: Eubalaena
    Common Name: NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE Scientific Name: Eubalaena glacialis Müeller Other Commonly Used Names: Northern right whale, right whale Previously Used Names: Balaena glacialis Family: Balaenidae Rarity Ranks: G1/S1 State Legal Status: Endangered Federal Legal Status: Endangered Description: North Atlantic right whales are robust baleen whales weighing as much as 63 metric tons (70 U.S. tons) and growing upwards of 15 meters (50 feet) in length. Newborn calves are approximately 4 meters (13 feet) long at birth. Distinctive characteristics include a strongly arched lower jaw, no dorsal fin, a V-shaped blow when the whale surfaces to breathe, large white patches on the head (callosities), paddle-shaped flippers, and a large head that may exceed one fourth of total body length. Most right whales are uniformly black, but some individuals have areas of white pigmentation on the belly. Two rows of black baleen plates up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length grow from the roof of the mouth . Each baleen plate is fringed with fine hair-like structures that enable the whales to filter plankton from the surrounding water. Right whale callosities are areas of raised, jagged skin located near the whale’s blowhole, eyes, rostrum, lip- line, and chin. The callosities are black in color but appear white because they are colonized by populations of white amphipod crustaceans called cyamids or “whale lice.” Each right whale has a unique callosity pattern, enabling scientists to distinguish individuals. Similar Species: Three species of right whales inhabit the world’s temperate oceans: the North Atlantic right whale, the North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica), and the southern right whale (E.
    [Show full text]