Mass balance of two High Arctic plateau ice caps

• Main Authors: S. Bradley, Mark C. Serreze
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1987
• Subjects: Arctic; Ellesmere Island; Hattersley-Smith
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.430.1186; http://www.igsoc.org/journal/33/113/igs_journal_vol33_issue113_pg123-128.pdf

ABSTRACT. Mass-balance measurements have been renewed on two small ice caps on north-eastern Ellesmere Island. Original stake networks were established in 1972 and 1976. Since then, both ice caps have experienced significant mass losses averaging-70 to-140 kg m- 2 a-l. They have also decreased in area. The equilibrium line in this area has averaged around 1150 m for the last decade or so. ' The ice caps are remnants of former climatic conditions and are out of equilibrium with contemporary climate. By 20-21 August there was "partial cover of winter snow all around the ice margin for at least a kilometer" (Hattersley-Smith and Serson, 1973). A network of eight