Seasonal Weather Trends in Relation to Fluctuations of the Jan Mayen Glaciers Since 1920

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Sheard, J. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1965
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Jan Mayen; Beerenberg; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000018864; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000018864

Abstract The meteorological records for Jan Mayen have been examined on a seasonal basis in order to obtain a clearer understanding of the fluctuations of the Beerenberg glaciers from 1920 to the present day. Summer and winter have been arbitrarily defined as including those months with mean monthly temperatures, at sea-level, above and below 0°C., respectively. The results indicate that the retreat of Sørbreen prior to 1940 was associated with high summer temperatures and high summer precipitation, and relatively low winter precipitation. A rapid rise in winter precipitation followed, which culminated about 1950. The advance of Sørbreen since about 1954 is thought to have been caused by this rapid rise of precipitation and has also been associated with a slight drop in summer temperature, which is considered to be of secondary importance. The most recent trends of rising summer temperature since 1956 and falling winter precipitation since 1958, if they continue, must lead to a renewed retreat of the glaciers. Studies on Sørbreen in the summer of 1963, which show that the recent advance has ceased, support this view.