Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls
Abstract We present the first systematic inventory of surge-type glaciers for the whole of Greenland compiled from published datasets and multitemporal satellite images and digital elevation models. The inventory allows us to define the spatial and climatic distribution of surge-type glaciers and to...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2023
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.61 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143023000618 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jog.2023.61 2024-03-03T08:44:37+00:00 Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls Lovell, Harold Carrivick, Jonathan L. King, Owen Sutherland, Jenna L. Yde, Jacob C. Boston, Clare M. Małecki, Jakub 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.61 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143023000618 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of Glaciology page 1-18 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 2023 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.61 2024-02-08T08:37:18Z Abstract We present the first systematic inventory of surge-type glaciers for the whole of Greenland compiled from published datasets and multitemporal satellite images and digital elevation models. The inventory allows us to define the spatial and climatic distribution of surge-type glaciers and to analyse the timing of surges from 1985 to 2019. We identified 274 surge-type glaciers, an increase of 37% compared to previous work. Mapping surge-type glacier distribution by temperature and precipitation variables derived from ERA5-Land reanalysis data shows that the west and east clusters occur in well-defined climatic envelopes. Analysis of the timing of surge active phases during the periods ~1985 to 2000 (T1) and ~2000 to 2019 (T2) suggests that overall surge activity is similar in T1 and T2, but there appears to be a reduction in surging in the west cluster in T2. Our climate analysis shows a coincident increase in mean annual and mean winter air temperature between T1 and T2. We suggest that as glaciers thin under current warming, some surge-type glaciers in the west cluster may be being prevented from surging due to (1) their inability to build-up sufficient mass and (2) a switch from a polythermal to a largely cold-based thermal regime. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier Greenland Journal of Glaciology kalaallit Kalaallit Nunaat Cambridge University Press Greenland Journal of Glaciology 1 18 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes Lovell, Harold Carrivick, Jonathan L. King, Owen Sutherland, Jenna L. Yde, Jacob C. Boston, Clare M. Małecki, Jakub Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract We present the first systematic inventory of surge-type glaciers for the whole of Greenland compiled from published datasets and multitemporal satellite images and digital elevation models. The inventory allows us to define the spatial and climatic distribution of surge-type glaciers and to analyse the timing of surges from 1985 to 2019. We identified 274 surge-type glaciers, an increase of 37% compared to previous work. Mapping surge-type glacier distribution by temperature and precipitation variables derived from ERA5-Land reanalysis data shows that the west and east clusters occur in well-defined climatic envelopes. Analysis of the timing of surge active phases during the periods ~1985 to 2000 (T1) and ~2000 to 2019 (T2) suggests that overall surge activity is similar in T1 and T2, but there appears to be a reduction in surging in the west cluster in T2. Our climate analysis shows a coincident increase in mean annual and mean winter air temperature between T1 and T2. We suggest that as glaciers thin under current warming, some surge-type glaciers in the west cluster may be being prevented from surging due to (1) their inability to build-up sufficient mass and (2) a switch from a polythermal to a largely cold-based thermal regime. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lovell, Harold Carrivick, Jonathan L. King, Owen Sutherland, Jenna L. Yde, Jacob C. Boston, Clare M. Małecki, Jakub |
author_facet |
Lovell, Harold Carrivick, Jonathan L. King, Owen Sutherland, Jenna L. Yde, Jacob C. Boston, Clare M. Małecki, Jakub |
author_sort |
Lovell, Harold |
title |
Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
title_short |
Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
title_full |
Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
title_fullStr |
Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
title_full_unstemmed |
Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
title_sort |
surge-type glaciers in kalaallit nunaat (greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.61 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143023000618 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
glacier Greenland Journal of Glaciology kalaallit Kalaallit Nunaat |
genre_facet |
glacier Greenland Journal of Glaciology kalaallit Kalaallit Nunaat |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology page 1-18 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.61 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
18 |
_version_ |
1792500100836098048 |