Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen
Landscape changes of the Gåsbreen glacier and its vicinity since 1899 are described. Maps at 1:50 000 scale of changes of the glacier’s elevation and extent for the periods 1938–1961, 1961–1990, 1990–2010, and 1938–2010 are analyzed in comparison with results of the authors’ field work in the summer...
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Polish Academy of Sciences
2016
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:7a90687933134161a7c6eb4cd7d4ac75 2023-05-15T15:11:22+02:00 Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen Ziaja Wiesław Dudek Justyna Ostafin Krzysztof 2016-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1515/popore-2016-0010 https://doaj.org/article/7a90687933134161a7c6eb4cd7d4ac75 EN eng Polish Academy of Sciences http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/popore.2016.37.issue-2/popore-2016-0010/popore-2016-0010.xml?format=INT https://doaj.org/toc/2081-8262 2081-8262 doi:10.1515/popore-2016-0010 https://doaj.org/article/7a90687933134161a7c6eb4cd7d4ac75 Polish Polar Research, Vol 37, Iss 2, Pp 155-172 (2016) Arctic Svalbard landscape transformation glacier recession climate warming Geology QE1-996.5 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1515/popore-2016-0010 2022-12-31T12:21:30Z Landscape changes of the Gåsbreen glacier and its vicinity since 1899 are described. Maps at 1:50 000 scale of changes of the glacier’s elevation and extent for the periods 1938–1961, 1961–1990, 1990–2010, and 1938–2010 are analyzed in comparison with results of the authors’ field work in the summer seasons 1983, 1984, 2000, 2005 and 2008. During all the 20th century, the progressive recession of the glacier revealed in a dramatic decrease in the thickness of its lower part, with a small reduction of its area and length. However, further shrinkage produced significant shortening and reduction in area which resulted in final decline of the Goësvatnet glacial dammed lake in 2002. Hence, the lowest (and very thick, up to 150–160 m) part of the former glacier tongue and dammed lake were transformed into a new terraced river valley south of the glacier and a typical marginal zone with glacial landforms north of the glacier. Since 1961, the equilibrium line altitude of the Gåsbreen glacier has risen from ca 350 to ca 500 m a.s.l. and now is located below the very steep rocky walls of the Mehesten mountain ridge, 1378 m a.s.l. Hence, the glacier is being fed by snow avalanches from these rocky walls and much more snow melts during the warmer summer seasons, stimulating a quicker recession of the lowest part of the glacier. This recession may be stopped only by significant climate cooling or increase in snow. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic glacier Polar Research Svalbard Spitsbergen Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Svalbard Dammed Lake ENVELOPE(-68.258,-68.258,68.496,68.496) Gåsbreen ENVELOPE(15.946,15.946,76.913,76.913) Goësvatnet ENVELOPE(15.909,15.909,76.895,76.895) Mehesten ENVELOPE(16.158,16.158,76.900,76.900) Polish Polar Research 37 2 155 172 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic Svalbard landscape transformation glacier recession climate warming Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Arctic Svalbard landscape transformation glacier recession climate warming Geology QE1-996.5 Ziaja Wiesław Dudek Justyna Ostafin Krzysztof Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen |
topic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard landscape transformation glacier recession climate warming Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Landscape changes of the Gåsbreen glacier and its vicinity since 1899 are described. Maps at 1:50 000 scale of changes of the glacier’s elevation and extent for the periods 1938–1961, 1961–1990, 1990–2010, and 1938–2010 are analyzed in comparison with results of the authors’ field work in the summer seasons 1983, 1984, 2000, 2005 and 2008. During all the 20th century, the progressive recession of the glacier revealed in a dramatic decrease in the thickness of its lower part, with a small reduction of its area and length. However, further shrinkage produced significant shortening and reduction in area which resulted in final decline of the Goësvatnet glacial dammed lake in 2002. Hence, the lowest (and very thick, up to 150–160 m) part of the former glacier tongue and dammed lake were transformed into a new terraced river valley south of the glacier and a typical marginal zone with glacial landforms north of the glacier. Since 1961, the equilibrium line altitude of the Gåsbreen glacier has risen from ca 350 to ca 500 m a.s.l. and now is located below the very steep rocky walls of the Mehesten mountain ridge, 1378 m a.s.l. Hence, the glacier is being fed by snow avalanches from these rocky walls and much more snow melts during the warmer summer seasons, stimulating a quicker recession of the lowest part of the glacier. This recession may be stopped only by significant climate cooling or increase in snow. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ziaja Wiesław Dudek Justyna Ostafin Krzysztof |
author_facet |
Ziaja Wiesław Dudek Justyna Ostafin Krzysztof |
author_sort |
Ziaja Wiesław |
title |
Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen |
title_short |
Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen |
title_full |
Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen |
title_fullStr |
Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen |
title_full_unstemmed |
Landscape transformation under the Gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern Spitsbergen |
title_sort |
landscape transformation under the gåsbreen glacier recession since 1899, southwestern spitsbergen |
publisher |
Polish Academy of Sciences |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1515/popore-2016-0010 https://doaj.org/article/7a90687933134161a7c6eb4cd7d4ac75 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-68.258,-68.258,68.496,68.496) ENVELOPE(15.946,15.946,76.913,76.913) ENVELOPE(15.909,15.909,76.895,76.895) ENVELOPE(16.158,16.158,76.900,76.900) |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Dammed Lake Gåsbreen Goësvatnet Mehesten |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Dammed Lake Gåsbreen Goësvatnet Mehesten |
genre |
Arctic glacier Polar Research Svalbard Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic glacier Polar Research Svalbard Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Polish Polar Research, Vol 37, Iss 2, Pp 155-172 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/popore.2016.37.issue-2/popore-2016-0010/popore-2016-0010.xml?format=INT https://doaj.org/toc/2081-8262 2081-8262 doi:10.1515/popore-2016-0010 https://doaj.org/article/7a90687933134161a7c6eb4cd7d4ac75 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1515/popore-2016-0010 |
container_title |
Polish Polar Research |
container_volume |
37 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
155 |
op_container_end_page |
172 |
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1766342225683283968 |