Glacial recession 2001–2006 and its landscape effects in the Lindströmfjellet−Håbergnuten mountain ridge

• Main Authors: Nordenskiöld Land Spitsbergen, Wiesław Ziaja, Robert Pipała
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Håbergnuten; Lindströmfjellet; Nordenskiöld Land; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.578.5635; http://www.polish.polar.pan.pl/ppr28/PPR28-237.pdf

Abstract: The current climate warming results in a quick recession of glaciers on the north− ern slopes and valleys of the Lindströmfjellet−Håbergnuten mountain ridge in Nordenskiöld Land. The equilibrium line altitude has risen from c. 500–550 m in 1936 to 750 m in 2001 and c. 800 m in 2006. The slopes, almost completely glaciated during the Little Ice Age, and even in 1936, have mostly been abandoned by glaciers afterwards. The upper parts of the glaciers undergo a clear retreat diminishing their accumulative (firn) fields. The lower parts of the active glacial tongues have been transformed into marginal zones built of dead ice covered with morainic and glacifluvial deposits. The surfaces of the marginal zones are pro− gressively lowered due to ablation of dead ice. The state of the described glaciers is not bal− anced under the current climatic conditions. Thus, the landscape transformation of the mountain ridge will most certainly continue. Key words:Arctic, Spitsbergen, climate warming, glacial recession, landscape transfor− mation.