The Hydrochemical Characteristics of the Northern Part of Wedel Jarlsberg Land

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The Hydrochemical Characteristics of the Northern Part of Wedel Jarlsberg Land Stefan Bartoszewski, Zdzisław Michalczyk Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen Institute of Earth Sciences UMCS, Lublin 1991 Maria Curie-Sklodowska University Lublin, Poland Jan Magierski Institute of Soil Sciences Agricultural College Lublin, Poland THE HYDROCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NORTHERN PART OF WEDEL JARLSBERG LAND In 1986-1990 the hydrological and hydrochemical studies were carried out on Spitsbergen during the Geographical Expeditions, UMCS. The field studies took place in the northern area of Wedel Jarlsberg Land bordered by the Bellsund coast in the West and Van Keulen Fiord in the North as well as the Dunder Valley in the South. The aim of the studies were hydrological and hydrochemical features of the area. The collected material was used for the preliminary characteristics of spatial and seasonal differentiations of physicochemical properties of water in different circulation phases: rainfall, glacial, surface and underground waters. The hydrochemical map (Fig. 1) presents the cartographic picture of different water qualities. Besides glaciers and mountain ridges, it shows the course of isoline of the water mineralization 100 mg/1 and water chemical structure. The water chemical structure was also presented in the records (Tables 1,2). PROFILES OF GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND RELIEF The western part of the studied area is built of rocks of the Upper Proterozoic and Lower Paleozoic making the Hecla Hoek geological formation (Flood et. al. 1971, Dallmaun et. al 1990). The forms of the older foundation are strongly, tectonically disordered. Besides faults and thursts of WNW-SSE and NW-SE directions there are numerous folds. The geological configuration is close to the southern direction (Ohta 1982). The main types of rocks are tillits, phyllites and quartzites. Tillits are very differentiated as far as texture and mineralogy are concerned. Their main component is calcium carbonate (mostly calcite) but quartz, sericite and mica are also found (Chlebowski 1989). The geological medium is rich in calcium, magnesium and silica. In the upper and middle areas of the Chamberlin and Dunder Valleys besides tillits there are found large amounts of phyllites. Dolomites and quartzites occur along the eastern coast of the Recherche Fiord. 123 Between the entrance to the Van Keulen Fiord and Hornsund there is a boundary between the Caledonian structures and younger forms. Its course is characterized by unconformity, thrusts and faults resulting from the Tertiary folding (Dallmann et al. 1990). The eastern part of the studied area, the southern periphery of the Van Keulen Fiord is built of the series of the Upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments. At the entrance of the Van Keulen Fiord there can be found the rocks of the Gipsdalen formation shaped as gypsum or dolomite coming from the Carboniferous and Permian periods. Sandstones shales and mudstones Kapp Toscana Group from Trias and Jurassic periods adjoin them in the eastern part. The rivers collecting water from the area of gypsums, dolomites and sandstones are of the increased mineralization. The mounatain massifs surrounding the Finsterwalder Glacier is built of shales, mudstones and sandstones (Janusfjellet Formation series) (Birkenmajer, Pugaczewska 1975, Różycki 1959). The maritime plains are built of loose Quaternary sediments formed as gravel, sand, marine silt, boulder clay (Dallmann et. al. 1990, Landvik, Salvigsen 1985, Pękala, Repelewska-Pękalowa 1990, Pękala, Reder 1989, Troicki et. al. 1979). Tectonics and geological structure constitute the relief. The course of main unglaciated valleys Dunder and Chamberlin resembles the system of faults and thrusts (Dallmann et. al. 1990). Their lower parts are the previous bays filled with delta sediments. The northern part of Chamberlindalen and Dunderdalen (from Grytdalselva outwash) is made of lifted marine terraces (Pękala 1988, Pękala, Repelewska-Pękalowa 1989). This type of relief can be also found in the maritime plains: Lognedalsflya, Dyrstadflya, Lyellstranda and Calypsostranda which surround the centre of the studied area. The middle part is occupied by the mountain massif, 500-800 m high and glaciers covering the mountain valleys: Renard, Scott, Blomli, Tjórn, Ringar, Logne and Crammer. The largest of them Renardbreen similar to the glaciers situated further to the East: Recherchebreen, Antoniabreen and Finsterwalderbreen has been in the stage of strong recession for the last decade (Koriakin 1974, Jania 1988). METHODS Water samples to be analyzed and measured were taken into plastic containers. While taking it, the temperature was measured and colour as well as transparency were determined in a visual way. The water ionic composition was determined in the field hydrochemical laboratory in Calypsobyen. Some samples were examined in the laboratory of the Soil Institute, Agriculture Academy, Lublin. In the field laboratory determination was made by titration (Markowicz, Pulina 1979). Water hardness and calcium content were determined by the versenate method while magnesium content was caculated from the 124 difference of general hardness and calcium amount. Hydrocarbons were determined using hydrochloric acid in the presence of methyl orange, chlorides by the argentometric method and sulfides by the versenate method with barium chloride. The water reaction was measured using the pH-meter Mera-Elwro N-5123. Sodium and potassium were calculated from ionic balance but some groups were determined in Lublin by the flame photometry using spectro- photometer Zeiss AAS-1 in the mode of the emission work. General mineralization was determined as a sum of ions from the electric conductivity measurement using the battery conductometer N-571 with PS-2 electrode. From the chemical compositions analysis and water conductivity measurements there was determined the numerical parameter 0.825 allowing to calculate water mineralization from the measured conductivity. The formula used was as follows: M = к • 0.852 where M is the indicator of water mineralization in mg/1, к is the electric conductivity of water at 25°C in us/cm. MATERIALS Problems of differentiation and changeability of water physicochemical characteristics were presented in the papers by participants of the Geographical Expeditions to Spitsbergen, UMCS (Bartoszewski 1988, Bartoszewski, Repelew- ska-Pękalowa 1988, Bartoszewski, Magierski 1989, Bartoszewski et. al. 1988, Repelewska-Pękalowa, Magierski 1989, Michalczyk, Magierski 1990). The collected materials show spatial and seasonal differentiation of physicochemical characteristics of surface and underground waters. The stationary studies carried out in the basins of the Scott and Wydrzyca River (as being representatives) of different supply sources show almost identical seasonal rhythm of each period or studies. Similar conclusions can be drawn from the patrol measurements. The data analyzed in the paper were collected in the active hydrological season mainly in the polar summer. The waters of glacial origin were characterized by the lowest conductivity. The conductivity of waters coming from precipitation was 30-70 |iS/cm which was caused by the presence of sea water aerosols. The electrical conductivity was increased in the water contact with the bedrocks. The water from the molten ice taken from the land glaciers and the ice floating in the fiord had a conductivity of several |xS/cm. In the supraglacial underflows it increased to a dozen or so ^S/cm and in the waters flowing out of the glacial gates it was 60-90 |iS/cm. A farther contact with the background and permafrost water inflow showed increase in 125 conductivity up to 75-130 (iS/cm. In the rivers collecting waters from the unglaciated area the water electrical conductivity was 70-250 |iS/cm and in some cases it even exceeded 400 (iS/cm. Permatrost undeground waters flowing out of springs and taken from shallow piezometers were characterized by higher conductivity than the river waters. In the Calypsobyen region the undeground water conductivity in the measurement sites was from 200 to 350 |iS/cm and did not show great seasonal changes. The lowest conductivity was found at the beginning of studies and the highest in the end. In the initial stage of spring existance, conductivity might be higher due to dissolution of chemical com- pounds precipitated from the water while it was getting frozen. Intensity of hydrological and hydrochemical processes is dependent on air and water temperatures. The temperature of waters flowing over the glacier and flowing out of the glacier gates was about 0.5°C. A slow temperature increase was observed with the farther river course e.g. in the estuary profile of the glacial River Scott the mean temperature was 2.8°C with the extreme values 0.4 and 4.6°C. The temperature in small periglacial rivers was several degrees, most frequently below 5°C. In small lakelets the temperature in the active hydrological season was from 0.8 to 13.2°C and in those of small water exchange from 0.4 to 8.0°C. The temperature of permafrost waters taken from piezometers was 1-2°C and those outflowing in springs 1-4°C (Michalczyk, Magierski 1990). The waters occurring in the studied area of Spitsbergen are poorly minerali- zed. Most frequently they are ultrasweet waters. The waters coming from glaciers are of the lowest mineralization — several mg/1. The waters are more concentrated with the components in a contact with the material deposited on the glacier and the bedrock. Mineralization of the waters flowing out from glaciers in most cases did
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