Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95
Abstract Kongsvegen is a 102 km 2 sub-polar (polythermal) surge-type glacier in northwest Spitsbergen, Svalbard. It surged just before 1948 and is currently in its quiescent phase. Measurements of surface geometry since 1966 show a retreat of the front and strong thinning of up to 75 m in the ablati...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1998
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000002720 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000002720 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000002720 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000002720 2024-03-03T08:44:34+00:00 Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 Melvold, Kjetil Ove Hagen, Jon 1998 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000002720 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000002720 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 44, issue 147, page 394-404 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1998 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000002720 2024-02-08T08:40:23Z Abstract Kongsvegen is a 102 km 2 sub-polar (polythermal) surge-type glacier in northwest Spitsbergen, Svalbard. It surged just before 1948 and is currently in its quiescent phase. Measurements of surface geometry since 1966 show a retreat of the front and strong thinning of up to 75 m in the ablation area, and a build-up of up to 32 m in the accumulation area. Present-day annual velocities along the glacier are low, from 1.4 up to 3.6 m a -1 . The measured mean net balance for the period 1987-94 and the balance reconstructed back to 1967 show a weak positive balance of about 0.1 m w.e. The measured actual ice flux is low and the mass transfer down-glacier at the ELA is only about 3-20% of that required for steady state. Thus, the glacier is building up towards a new surge. The total thickening rate on Kongsvegen is somewhat higher than in other cases from Svalbard, but it is small compared with other well-studied surge-type glaciers in Alaska and the Pamirs. This relatively low rate of change is a function of the low accumulation rate and the relatively cold climate compared to other areas and is common for surge-type glaciers in Svalbard. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier glacier glaciers Journal of Glaciology Svalbard Alaska Spitsbergen Cambridge University Press Svalbard Ela ENVELOPE(9.642,9.642,63.170,63.170) Kongsvegen ENVELOPE(12.657,12.657,78.854,78.854) Journal of Glaciology 44 147 394 404 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes Melvold, Kjetil Ove Hagen, Jon Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract Kongsvegen is a 102 km 2 sub-polar (polythermal) surge-type glacier in northwest Spitsbergen, Svalbard. It surged just before 1948 and is currently in its quiescent phase. Measurements of surface geometry since 1966 show a retreat of the front and strong thinning of up to 75 m in the ablation area, and a build-up of up to 32 m in the accumulation area. Present-day annual velocities along the glacier are low, from 1.4 up to 3.6 m a -1 . The measured mean net balance for the period 1987-94 and the balance reconstructed back to 1967 show a weak positive balance of about 0.1 m w.e. The measured actual ice flux is low and the mass transfer down-glacier at the ELA is only about 3-20% of that required for steady state. Thus, the glacier is building up towards a new surge. The total thickening rate on Kongsvegen is somewhat higher than in other cases from Svalbard, but it is small compared with other well-studied surge-type glaciers in Alaska and the Pamirs. This relatively low rate of change is a function of the low accumulation rate and the relatively cold climate compared to other areas and is common for surge-type glaciers in Svalbard. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Melvold, Kjetil Ove Hagen, Jon |
author_facet |
Melvold, Kjetil Ove Hagen, Jon |
author_sort |
Melvold, Kjetil |
title |
Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
title_short |
Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
title_full |
Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
title_fullStr |
Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Evolution of a Surge-Type Glacier in its Quiescent Phase: Kongsvegen, Spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
title_sort |
evolution of a surge-type glacier in its quiescent phase: kongsvegen, spitsbergen, 1964–95 |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000002720 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000002720 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(9.642,9.642,63.170,63.170) ENVELOPE(12.657,12.657,78.854,78.854) |
geographic |
Svalbard Ela Kongsvegen |
geographic_facet |
Svalbard Ela Kongsvegen |
genre |
glacier glacier glaciers Journal of Glaciology Svalbard Alaska Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
glacier glacier glaciers Journal of Glaciology Svalbard Alaska Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 44, issue 147, page 394-404 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000002720 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
147 |
container_start_page |
394 |
op_container_end_page |
404 |
_version_ |
1792500063175442432 |