The Extent of Frozen Ground Under the Sea Bottom and Glacier Beds

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Werenskiold, W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1953
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000025715; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000025715

Abstract The ground in Spitsbergen is frozen to a depth of about 320 m., as can be seen from observations in the collieries. At a mean surface temperature of −8° C. this corresponds to a geothermal gradient of 1°/40 m. The temperature of the sea water is almost 0° C. Along the coast the land lies very little above the sea level, and here the sea is shallow. One assumes that the land as well as the sea bed is horizontal. Thus the temperature on the land is –8° C., in the sea 0° C. On the coast the temperature must suddenly change. One must also take into account the fact that the temperature rises with depth. A simple calculation leads to the conclusion that the frozen ground below the sea bed must extend about 100 m. from the coast. Investigations near a Swedish colliery have shown this to be the case. This result also applies to the conditions underneath a glacier. On the same assumptions one can conclude that if the glacier is less than 400 m. wide the frozen ground underneath forms one coherent layer and that this is not the case if the glacier is wider. The same applies to a shallow fjord.