Controls on Debris-Covered Glacier Fronts in Central and Western

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Controls on Debris-Covered Glacier Fronts in Central and Western Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard A study of arctic glacier termini Ineke Irene Rookus Master Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science in Geosciences 60 credits Institute of Geosciences Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences UNIVERSITY OF OSLO November 2016 Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard A study of arctic glacier termini Ineke Irene Rookus Master thesis in geosciences UNIVERSITY CENTRE IN SVALBARD UNIVERSITY OF OSLO November 2016 © Ineke Irene Rookus 2016 Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard Ineke Irene Rookus Cover picture: Longyearbreen in September 2014, by Ineke Irene Rookus http://www.duo.uio.no/ Print: Reprosentralen, Universitetet i Oslo Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard Abstract Debris-covered ice is both common and can greatly change the response of a glacier to climate change. Therefore, realistic predictions of future water availability and global sea-level change need to include debris-covered ice. This study presents an empirical model that estimates the debris-covered ice surface of glaciers of up to 15 km2, based on the clean ice surface area. Analysis of 91 glacier termini in Nordenskiöld Land, Oscar II Land and Prins Karls Forland, on which the model is based, result in a clear negative correlation, and probable relation, between a glacier’s clean surface area and its debris- covered fraction. Differences in geology, topography and climate do not seem to impact the correlation between clean glacier size and debris cover. However, surge-type glaciers are unlikely to form debris-covered termini. Longyearbreen, a glacier of which the front is covered by on average 0.5 m of debris (n=36), serves as a field example in this study. The debris on this glacier is sourced by avalanches and rockfall events and transported supra- and englacially, occasionally by glacial streams. Temperature sensors have been installed at different depths in the debris layer. The resultant time series are combined with weather data and on-field observations, like slumping and collapses during and straight after mid- freezeback rain showers. Analysis of the data indicates that the debris cover is a better insulator during summer-time than during winter-time. This may explain the great impact that a debris cover can have on a glacier’s response to climate change. Overall, climatic changes towards dry conditions are likely to enhance debris-covered ice preservation, but the perfect scenario to preserve debris-covered ice would combine wet autumns, cold, dry and/or windy winters and dry summers. 1 Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard Acknowledgements Special thanks go to my supervisor, professor Ole Humlum for his encouraging and enthousiastic manner of suppervision and his help and understanding when progress was slow. I could in all honesty not have wished fo a better supervisor. Many people helped me out during the fieldwork campaigns and this thesis would not have been here without their help. Great thanks go to Dani Roehnert, for all her help and companionship in the field and in particular for her relentless digging. Untill one attempts to dig a meter deep hole in a glacial debris layer, my gratetute for her help in this cannot be fully understood. My thanks also go to professor Hanne Christiansen for providing the temperature sensons and extracting the data from them. Without her help at these times when professor Ole Humlum was not in Svalbard the temperature measurements couldn not have been performed. I would also like to thank Kjersti Kalhagen and Stefan Schöttl for their long days out doing snowdepth measurements on Longyearbreen with me. Although the results could unfortunately not be used to their full potential, as choises have to be made and time is always limited, these first days of fieldswork formed the best thesis start anyone can have. And last but definately not least, I ow a big thank you to Emil Kiesbye Larsen and Stijn Hofhuis for helping me dig the temperature sensors up again a year later. I must confess they could have hardly realized what kind of harsh work they signed up for, just a few weeks after moving to Svalbard. And I am much obliged to their enthousiastic attitude and relentles digging efforts in ground that is simply not ment for digging. 2 Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Description of study areas .............................................................................................................. 7 2.1. Location of study areas ........................................................................................................... 7 2.2. Recent climatic history and current climate ......................................................................... 10 2.3. Glaciation extent and distribution over the archipelago ...................................................... 12 2.4. Extent and distribution of debris-covered glacier ice ........................................................... 14 3. Theoretic background ................................................................................................................... 16 3.1. Bigger picture: Holocene history of Svalbard and Longyearbreen ....................................... 16 3.2. Formation of debris-covered glacier margins ....................................................................... 18 3.3. Deformation processes within and underneath debris covers ............................................. 21 3.4. Surging and debris-covered glacier termini in Svalbard ....................................................... 22 4. Methods: Glacier margins along the West Coast of Svalbard and in Central Spitsbergen ........... 23 4.1 Deciding how much of an area is ice-cored .......................................................................... 23 4.2 Length, area and orientation measurements ....................................................................... 29 4.2.1 Modelling debris-covered glacier surface against clean glacier size ............................ 29 4.2.2 Calculating headwall and side-slope surface areas ...................................................... 30 4.2.3 Measuring wind direction by snow-drifts ..................................................................... 32 5. Results: Glacier margins along the West Coast of Svalbard and in Central Spitsbergen .............. 33 5.1 Small-scale study of glaciers within 20 km of Longyearbreen .............................................. 33 5.2 Large-scale study of glaciers along the West Coast of Svalbard and in Central Spitsbergen 35 5.2.1 The influence of glacier size .......................................................................................... 35 5.2.2 Terminal shapes and glaciation differences.................................................................. 42 5.2.3 Exceptions to the rule: small glaciers with little ice-core in the marginal zones .......... 44 5.2.4 The influence of headwall area on debris-covered ice ................................................. 47 5.2.5 Surging and debris-covered ice ..................................................................................... 48 5.2.6 The influence of wind on glacier orientation ................................................................ 53 3 Controls on debris-covered glacier fronts in Central and Western Svalbard 6. Interpretation: Glacier margins along the West Coast of Svalbard and in Central Spitsbergen .. 56 6.1 Small glaciers, large debris covers ........................................................................................ 56 6.2 Climatic differences and different types of debris-covered glacier fronts ........................... 58 6.3 Causes for the negative trend between glacier size and the debris-covered area .............. 60 6.4 Surging and debris-covered ice ............................................................................................. 62 7. Introduction to an in-depth study of a Central Spitsbergen glacier: Longyearbreen ................... 66 8. Methods specific to Longyearbreen ............................................................................................. 67 8.1. Geomorphological observations, mapping and debris thickness measurements ................ 67 8.2. Temperature recording ......................................................................................................... 69 9. Results specific to Longyearbreen ................................................................................................ 71 9.1. Formation of Longyearbreen’s debris-covered terminus ..................................................... 73 9.2. Current state of Longyearbreen’s debris-covered terminus ................................................ 76 9.3. Deformation of the debris cover on Longyearbreen’s terminus .......................................... 81 9.4. Temperature recording: Heat transfer in the debris layer ................................................... 85 9.4.1. Background ................................................................................................................... 85 9.4.2. Data analysis ................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • Terrestrial Inputs Govern Spatial Distribution of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs) and Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in an Arctic Fjord System (Isfjorden, Svalbard)*
    Environmental Pollution 281 (2021) 116963 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Environmental Pollution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/envpol Terrestrial inputs govern spatial distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in an Arctic fjord system (Isfjorden, Svalbard)* * Sverre Johansen a, b, c, Amanda Poste a, Ian Allan c, Anita Evenset d, e, Pernilla Carlsson a, a Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Tromsø, Norway b Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway c Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway d Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway e UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway article info abstract Article history: Considerable amounts of previously deposited persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are stored in the Received 20 July 2020 Arctic cryosphere. Transport of freshwater and terrestrial material to the Arctic Ocean is increasing due to Received in revised form ongoing climate change and the impact this has on POPs in marine receiving systems is unknown This 11 March 2021 study has investigated how secondary sources of POPs from land influence the occurrence and fate of Accepted 13 March 2021 POPs in an Arctic coastal marine system. Available online 17 March 2021 Passive sampling of water and sampling of riverine suspended particulate matter (SPM) and marine sediments for analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was carried out Keywords: Particle transport in rivers and their receiving fjords in Isfjorden system in Svalbard. Riverine SPM had low contaminant < S e Terrestrial runoff concentrations ( level of detection-28 pg/g dw PCB14,16 100 pg/g dw HCB) compared to outer marine Environmental contaminants sediments 630-880 pg/g dw SPCB14,530e770 pg/g dw HCB).
    [Show full text]
  • Seasonal Dynamics of the Marine CO System in Adventfjorden, a West
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Seasonal dynamics of the marine CO2 system in Adventfjorden, a west Spitsbergen fjord Ylva Ericson1,2, Melissa Chierici1,3, Eva Falck1,2, Agneta Fransson4, Elizabeth Jones3 & Svein Kristiansen5 1Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway; 2Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; 3Institute of Marine Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway; 4Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway; 5Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway Abstract Keywords Marine carbonate system; aragonite; Time series of the marine CO2 system and related parameters at the IsA Sta- net community production; Arctic fjord tion, by Adventfjorden, Svalbard, were investigated between March 2015 biogeochemistry; Svalbard and November 2017. The physical and biogeochemical processes that govern changes in total alkalinity (TA), total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and the Correspondence Ylva Ericson, Department of Arctic saturation state of the calcium carbonate mineral aragonite (ΩAr) were assessed on a monthly timescale. The major driver for TA and DIC was changes in salin- Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, ity, caused by river runoff, mixing and advection. This accounted for 77 and PO Box 156, NO-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway. E-mail: [email protected] 45%, respectively, of the overall variability. It contributed minimally to the variability in ΩAr (5%); instead, biological activity was responsible for 60% of Abbreviations the monthly variations. For DIC, the biological activity was also important, con- ArW: Arctic water; AW: Atlantic water; tributing 44%. The monthly effect of air–sea CO2 fluxes accounted for 11 and CC: coastal current; CTD: conductivity– temperature–depth instrument; DIC: 15% of the total changes in DIC and ΩAr, respectively.
    [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]
  • Heavy Rain Events in Svalbard Summer and Autumn of 2016 to 2018
    Heavy Rain Events in Svalbard Summer and Autumn of 2016 to 2018 Ola Bakke Aashamar Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science in Meteorology Department of Geosciences Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Oslo Department of Arctic Geophysics The University Centre in Svalbard August 15, 2019 2 “ Når merket vel dere byfolk her i deres stengte gater selv det minste pust av den frihet som tindrer over Ishavets veldige rom? Sto en eneste av dere noensinne ensom under Herrens øyne i et øde av snø og natt? Stirret dere noen gang opp i polarlandets flammende nordlys og forstod de tause toner som strømmet under stjernene? Hva vet dere om de makter som taler i stormer, som roper i snøløsningens skred og som jubler i fuglefjellenes vårskrik? Ingenting. “ - Fritt etter John Giæver, Ishavets glade borgere (1956) ​ 3 Acknowledgements First of all, I am forever grateful to my main supervisor Marius Jonassen, who with his great insight and supportive comments gave me all the motivation and help I needed along the way towards this master thesis. Big round of applause to all the amazing students and staff at UNIS who I was lucky to meet during my stays in Svalbard, and the people at MetOs in Oslo. The times shared with you inspire me both personally and professionally, and I will always keep the memories! Then I want to thank Grete Stavik-Døvle, Terje Berntsen, Frode Stordal and Karl-Johan Ullavik Bakken for ​ ​ admitting and guiding two lost NTNU students into studies at UiO. If not for you, who knows what would have happened.
    [Show full text]
  • Poland, Piotr Glowacki
    Piotr GŁOWACKI Associate Professor Title Polish activity in Svalbard – Report from 2016 – ASSW – FARO Meeting, Prague, Czech Republik, 1 April 2017 Polish activity at Svalbard in 2016 Kaffioyra Petunia Calypso Hornsund area Greenlad Sea: (Knipovich Reach) 12 July 2002 Terra/MODIS © NASA “Visible Earth” Polish camp activity in Hornsund area in 2016 Vimsoden Treskelen Werenskiold Hamberbukta Gnalberget Hornsund Station Calypso 12 July 2002 Terra/MODIS © NASA “Visible Earth” Polish Polar Station Hornsund hosted in 2016 • Winter crew – 11 persons x 2 • Technical staff – 13 persons • Polish scientists – 64 persons • Students from Maritime Academy – 8 persons • Foreign scientists – 19 persons (Czech - 4, Spein -2, Germany - 2, Norway - 3, UK - 3, USA - 5) Seasonal station in Petuniabukta owner: Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (5 July – 5 September) 16 scientists ; 465 man-days Photo: J. Malecki Seasonal station at Kaffiøyra (Oscar II Land) owner: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (15 – 24 April) and (5 July – 8 September) 16 scientists; 438 man-days Seasonal station BARANOWKA (Wedel Jarlsberg Land) owner: University of Wroclaw (4 July – 6 September) 3 scientists; 130 man-days s/y OCEANIA AREX 2016 (22 June - 14 August) Crew 14 persons + 14 scientists Exchange ca 40 scientists from Poland and Germany (700 person days) Scientific - training vessel Horyzont II on Svalbard in 2016 First trip (26 June – 18 July) Secound trip (11 September - 5 Oktober) 16 crew 16 crew 20 students 20 students 64 members from expeditions 45 members from expedition EDU-ARTIC (2016 – 2019) „Innovative educational program attracting young people to natural sciences and polar research” Grant supported by: Horizon 2020 Coordinator: Institute of Geophysics PAS Partners: • American Systems Ltd.
    [Show full text]
  • Springtime Nitrogen Oxides and Tropospheric Ozone in Svalbard: Local and Long-Range Transported Air Pollution
    EGU21-9126 https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9126 EGU General Assembly 2021 © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Springtime nitrogen oxides and tropospheric ozone in Svalbard: local and long-range transported air pollution Alena Dekhtyareva1, Mark Hermanson2, Anna Nikulina3, Ove Hermansen4, Tove Svendby5, Kim Holmén6, and Rune Graversen7 1Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway ([email protected]) 2Hermanson and Associates LLC, Minneapolis, USA 3Department of Research Coordination and Planning, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia 4Department of Monitoring and Information Technology, NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Norway 5Department of Atmosphere and Climate, NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Norway 6International director, Norwegian Polar Institute, Longyearbyen, Norway 7Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway Svalbard is a near pristine Arctic environment, where long-range transport from mid-latitudes is an important air pollution source. Thus, several previous studies investigated the background nitrogen oxides (NOx) and tropospheric ozone (O3) springtime chemistry in the region. However, there are also local anthropogenic emission sources on the archipelago such as coal power plants, ships and snowmobiles, which may significantly alter in situ atmospheric composition. Measurement results from three independent research projects were combined to identify the effect of emissions from various local sources on the background concentration of NOx and O3 in Svalbard. The hourly meteorological and chemical data from the ground-based stations in Adventdalen, Ny-Ålesund and Barentsburg were analysed along with daily radiosonde soundings and weekly data from O3 sondes.
    [Show full text]
  • Written Exam SH-201 the History of Svalbard the University Centre in Svalbard, Monday 6 February 2012
    Written exam SH-201 The History of Svalbard The University Centre in Svalbard, Monday 6 February 2012 The exam is a 3 hour written test. It consists of two parts: Part I is a multiple choice test of factual knowledge. Note: This sheet with answers to part I shall be handed in. Part II (see below) is an essay part where you write extensively about one of two alternative subjects. No aids except dictionary are permitted. You may answer in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish. 1 2 Part I counts approximately /3 and part II counts /3 of the grade at the evaluation, but adjustment may take place. Both parts must be passed in order to pass the whole exam. Part I: Multiple choice test. Make only one cross for each question. In what year was Bjørnøya discovered by Willem 1. 1569 1596 1603 Barentsz? 2. When did land-based whaling end on Svalbard? ca. 1630 ca. 1680 ca. 1720 Which geographical region did most Russian 3. Pechora Murmansk White Sea hunters and trappers come from? When did Norwegian hunters and trappers start 4. ca. 1700 the 1750s the 1820s going to Svalbard regularly? From when dates the first map to show the whole 5. 1598 1714 1872 Svalbard archipelago? A famous scientific expedition visited Svalbard in 6. Chichagov Fram 1838–39. Which name is it known under? Recherche Svalbard was for a long time a no man’s land. In 7. Norway Sweden Russia 1871, who took an initiative to annex the islands? 8. When did Norway formally take over sovereignty? 1916 1920 1925 When was the Sysselmann (Governor of Svalbard) 9.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix: Economic Geology: Exploration for Coal, Oil and Minerals
    Downloaded from http://mem.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on October 1, 2021 PART 4 Appendix: Economic geology: exploration for coal, oil and Glossary of stratigraphic names, 463 minerals, 449 References, 477 Index of place names, 455 General Index, 515 Alkahornet, a distinctive landmark on the northwest, entrance to Isfjorden, is formed of early Varanger carbonates. The view is from Trygghamna ('Safe Harbour') with CSE motorboats Salterella and Collenia by the shore, with good anchorage and easy access inland. Photo M. J. Hambrey, CSE (SP. 1561). Routine journeys to the fjords of north Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet pass by the rocky coastline of northwest Spitsbergen. Here is a view of Smeerenburgbreen from Smeerenburgfjordenwhich affords some shelter being protected by outer islands. On one of these was Smeerenburg, the principal base for early whaling, hence the Dutch name for 'blubber town'. Photo N. I. Cox, CSE 1989. Downloaded from http://mem.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on October 1, 2021 The CSE motorboat Salterella in Liefdefjorden looking north towards Erikbreen with largely Devonian rocks in the background unconformably on metamorphic Proterozoic to the left. Photo P. W. Web, CSE 1989. Access to cliffs and a glacier route (up Hannabreen) often necessitates crossing blocky talus (here Devonian in foreground) and then possibly a pleasanter route up the moraine on to hard glacier ice. Moraine generally affords a useful introduction to the rocks to be traversed along the glacial margin. The dots in the sky are geese training their young to fly in V formation for their migration back to the UK at the end of the summer.
    [Show full text]
  • Sess Report 2018
    SESS REPORT 2018 The State of Environmental Science in Svalbard – an annual report Xxx 1 SESS report 2018 The State of Environmental Science in Svalbard – an annual report ISSN 2535-6321 ISBN 978-82-691528-0-7 Publisher: Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS) Editors: Elizabeth Orr, Georg Hansen, Hanna Lappalainen, Christiane Hübner, Heikki Lihavainen Editor popular science summaries: Janet Holmén Layout: Melkeveien designkontor, Oslo Citation: Orr et al (eds) 2019: SESS report 2018, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System The report is published as electronic document, available from SIOS web site www.sios-svalbard.org/SESSreport Contents Foreword .................................................................................................................................................4 Authors from following institutions contributed to this report ...................................................6 Summaries for stakeholders ................................................................................................................8 Permafrost thermal snapshot and active-layer thickness in Svalbard 2016–2017 .................................................................................................................... 26 Microbial activity monitoring by the Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (MamSIOS) .................................................................................. 48 Snow research in Svalbard: current status and knowledge gaps ............................................
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary of Stratigraphic Names
    Downloaded from http://mem.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on September 23, 2021 Glossary of stratigraphic names This index attempts to list in alphabetical order all proper strati- completed here in square brackets where it differs. Constituent graphic names from Svalbard literature. It cannot be complete, units are listed generally from the top down. although most names encountered during work on this book have As explained in Sections 18.3 and 19.3.2 correlated units in the an entry. Each entry begins with the name and its stratigraphic rank Hammerfest Basin have been included. abbreviated. The name occurs and may be defined in the translation of the Aavatsmarkbreen Fm (Harland et al. 1993) Comfortlessbreen Russian Publication of Gramberg et al. (1990, Dallmann & Mork Gp; V2, Edi; 9 13. 1991 (eds)). This is a valuable source of further information which * Aberdeenflya Fm (SKS 1996, after Rye Larsen ) McVitiepynten supplements this work. Gramberg et al. is indeed especially valu- Sbgp; Pg; 9 20. able because the Russian entries are interpreted by the authors' *t Adriabukta Fro. (Birkenmajer & Turnau 1962) Billefjorden Gp; colleagues. However, the presently recommended equivalents of Meranfjellet, Julhogda, Haitanna mbrs; Cl,Tou-Vis; 10, 17. many named units are different from that work. :~t Adventdalen Gp (Parker 1967) Janusfjellet Subgp; Carolinefjel- * Names have been recommended for use by the Stratigrafisk let, Helvetiafjellet, Rurikfjellet, Agardhfjellet, Kong Karls Komite for Svalbard (SKS) of Norsk Stratigrafisk Komite (NSK). Land, Kongsoya fms; J2-K~; 4 5, 19; it has been suggested to At the time of collation of this book the SKS had provisionally include Kolmule, Kolje, Knurr, Hekkingen and Fuglen fms of agreed only on post-Devonian stratigraphic nomenclature, hence Hammerfest Basin.
    [Show full text]
  • Supplement of Solid Earth, 12, 1025–1049, 2021 © Author(S) 2021
    Supplement of Solid Earth, 12, 1025–1049, 2021 https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-1025-2021-supplement © Author(s) 2021. CC BY 4.0 License. Supplement of Early Cenozoic Eurekan strain partitioning and decoupling in central Spitsbergen, Svalbard Jean-Baptiste P. Koehl Correspondence to: Jean-Baptiste P. Koehl ([email protected]) The copyright of individual parts of the supplement might differ from the article licence. 1 S1: (a) Photographs in non-polarized and (b) polarized light of a thick section in Devonian sandstone including fractured quartz (qz) crosscut by healed fractures (hf) showing no displacement and by quartz-rich cataclastic fault rock filled with calcite cement (upper part); (c) Photographs in non-polarized and (d) polarized light of cataclased Devonian sandstone comprised of quartz crystals showing mild undulose extinction (ue) and grainsize reduction along the subvertical, east-dipping fault in the gully under the coal mine in Pyramiden (see Figure 2 for the location of the fault). Brittle cracks incorporate clasts of quartz, and a matrix of quartz, calcite and brownish, iron-rich clay minerals. 2 S2: Uninterpreted seismic sections in Sassenfjorden–Tempelfjorden (a–f) and Reindalspasset (g). See Figure 1b for location. 3 S3: Field photograph of steeply east-dipping, partly overturned Lower Devonian dark sandstone near the bottom of the gully below the mine entrance. 4 S4: Uninterpreted field photograph of Figure 3b in Pyramiden. 5 S5: (a) Interpreted and (b) uninterpreted field photograph along the northern shore of Sassenfjorden showing uppermost Pennsylvanian–lower Permian strata of the Wordiekammen and Gipshuken formations thrusted and folded top-west by a low-angle Eurekan thrust.
    [Show full text]