The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change
Kongsfjorden, a fjord in north-western Svalbard, is characterized by large envi-ronmental gradients driven by meltwater processes along the margins of tidewater glaciers and the inflow of relatively warm Atlantic Water, the main heat source for the European Arctic. These factors make Kongsfjorden a...
Published in: | Polar Research |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Other Authors: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hal.science/hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323/document https://hal.science/hal-04306323/file/Husumetal2019.pdf https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 |
id |
ftccsdartic:oai:HAL:hal-04306323v1 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftccsdartic:oai:HAL:hal-04306323v1 2023-12-31T10:03:11+01:00 The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change Husum, Katrine Howe, John Forwick, Matthias Jensen, Maria Jernas, Patrycja Korsun, Sergei Miettinen, Arto Mohan, Rahul Morigi, Caterina Myhre, Per Inge Prins, Maarten Skirbekk, Kari Sternal, Beata Boos, Michel Dijkstra, Noortje Troelstra, Simon Baltzer, Agnès Nantes Université (Nantes Univ) 2018-09-25 https://hal.science/hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323/document https://hal.science/hal-04306323/file/Husumetal2019.pdf https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 en eng HAL CCSD Co-Action Publishing info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323/document https://hal.science/hal-04306323/file/Husumetal2019.pdf doi:10.33265/polar.v38.3380 http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/licences/copyright/ info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess ISSN: 0800-0395 EISSN: 1751-8369 Polar Research https://hal.science/hal-04306323 Polar Research, 2018, 29, pp.4173 - 4185. ⟨10.33265/polar.v38.3380⟩ Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen [SDE]Environmental Sciences info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal articles 2018 ftccsdartic https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 2023-12-02T23:35:19Z Kongsfjorden, a fjord in north-western Svalbard, is characterized by large envi-ronmental gradients driven by meltwater processes along the margins of tidewater glaciers and the inflow of relatively warm Atlantic Water, the main heat source for the European Arctic. These factors make Kongsfjorden a key area to investigate changes in the polar climate–ocean–glacier system and to examine the resulting effects on the marine environment. The aim of this paper is to synthesize knowl-edge about the marine sedimentary environment in Kongsfjorden since the last deglaciation. Fjords act as natural sedimentary traps, archiving information about past and present environmental conditions and changes. Geological studies of Kongsfjorden have demonstrated a good potential for reconstructing palaeoenvi-ronments and establishing baselines values for the natural climate changes in the Arctic. Palaeoceanographic reconstructions reveal rising water temperatures similar to modern temperatures ca. 12 000 years ago. The extent of warm Atlantic Water entering the fjords influences processes at, and the stability of, the margins of the tidewater glaciers. Enhanced inflow may cause accelerated glacial melting that, in consequence, leads to an increase in the sediment flux from the glacial catchments into the fjord, as observed ca. 12 000 years ago and at present. However, responses of sediment flux to modern environmental changes remain poorly understood, hence long-term and monitoring studies are needed to quantify and model the effects of climate warming on the sedimentary environment of Kongsfjorden. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic glacier Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Polar Research Svalbard Tidewater Spitsbergen Archive ouverte HAL (Hyper Article en Ligne, CCSD - Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) Polar Research 38 0 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Archive ouverte HAL (Hyper Article en Ligne, CCSD - Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) |
op_collection_id |
ftccsdartic |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen [SDE]Environmental Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen [SDE]Environmental Sciences Husum, Katrine Howe, John Forwick, Matthias Jensen, Maria Jernas, Patrycja Korsun, Sergei Miettinen, Arto Mohan, Rahul Morigi, Caterina Myhre, Per Inge Prins, Maarten Skirbekk, Kari Sternal, Beata Boos, Michel Dijkstra, Noortje Troelstra, Simon Baltzer, Agnès The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
topic_facet |
Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen Arctic coastal geomorphology global change paraglacial Spitsbergen [SDE]Environmental Sciences |
description |
Kongsfjorden, a fjord in north-western Svalbard, is characterized by large envi-ronmental gradients driven by meltwater processes along the margins of tidewater glaciers and the inflow of relatively warm Atlantic Water, the main heat source for the European Arctic. These factors make Kongsfjorden a key area to investigate changes in the polar climate–ocean–glacier system and to examine the resulting effects on the marine environment. The aim of this paper is to synthesize knowl-edge about the marine sedimentary environment in Kongsfjorden since the last deglaciation. Fjords act as natural sedimentary traps, archiving information about past and present environmental conditions and changes. Geological studies of Kongsfjorden have demonstrated a good potential for reconstructing palaeoenvi-ronments and establishing baselines values for the natural climate changes in the Arctic. Palaeoceanographic reconstructions reveal rising water temperatures similar to modern temperatures ca. 12 000 years ago. The extent of warm Atlantic Water entering the fjords influences processes at, and the stability of, the margins of the tidewater glaciers. Enhanced inflow may cause accelerated glacial melting that, in consequence, leads to an increase in the sediment flux from the glacial catchments into the fjord, as observed ca. 12 000 years ago and at present. However, responses of sediment flux to modern environmental changes remain poorly understood, hence long-term and monitoring studies are needed to quantify and model the effects of climate warming on the sedimentary environment of Kongsfjorden. |
author2 |
Nantes Université (Nantes Univ) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Husum, Katrine Howe, John Forwick, Matthias Jensen, Maria Jernas, Patrycja Korsun, Sergei Miettinen, Arto Mohan, Rahul Morigi, Caterina Myhre, Per Inge Prins, Maarten Skirbekk, Kari Sternal, Beata Boos, Michel Dijkstra, Noortje Troelstra, Simon Baltzer, Agnès |
author_facet |
Husum, Katrine Howe, John Forwick, Matthias Jensen, Maria Jernas, Patrycja Korsun, Sergei Miettinen, Arto Mohan, Rahul Morigi, Caterina Myhre, Per Inge Prins, Maarten Skirbekk, Kari Sternal, Beata Boos, Michel Dijkstra, Noortje Troelstra, Simon Baltzer, Agnès |
author_sort |
Husum, Katrine |
title |
The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
title_short |
The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
title_full |
The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
title_fullStr |
The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
title_full_unstemmed |
The marine sedimentary environments of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
title_sort |
marine sedimentary environments of kongsfjorden, svalbard: an archive of polar environmental change |
publisher |
HAL CCSD |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://hal.science/hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323/document https://hal.science/hal-04306323/file/Husumetal2019.pdf https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 |
genre |
Arctic glacier Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Polar Research Svalbard Tidewater Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic glacier Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Polar Research Svalbard Tidewater Spitsbergen |
op_source |
ISSN: 0800-0395 EISSN: 1751-8369 Polar Research https://hal.science/hal-04306323 Polar Research, 2018, 29, pp.4173 - 4185. ⟨10.33265/polar.v38.3380⟩ |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323 https://hal.science/hal-04306323/document https://hal.science/hal-04306323/file/Husumetal2019.pdf doi:10.33265/polar.v38.3380 |
op_rights |
http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/licences/copyright/ info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3380 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
38 |
container_issue |
0 |
_version_ |
1786818850238496768 |