Coastal change in Svalbard – filling a knowledge gap in Arctic response to climate change

• Main Authors: Jensen, Maria, Hagen, R, Missana, A., Ottem, M.J.D, Rubensdotter, L., Skinner, L.R., Garestier, Franck, Besset, M
• Other Authors: The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim (NTNU), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière (M2C), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rouen Normandie (UNIROUEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2022
• Subjects: [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Arctic; Svalbard; Longyearbyen; Svalbard Archipelago; Norway; Climate change; glacier; Isfjord*; Isfjorden; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04410016

International audience The coastline of the Svalbard archipelago is highly dynamic with known consequences for erosion of modern infrastructure as well as cultural heritage. Focus from natural and local management has mostly been on coastal erosion, but our work also documents lateral movement and progradation on the order of up to tens of meters per year, which has implications for sediment and nutrient transport to the fjords, wetland dynamics and vegetation. Until recently large-scale geomorphological mapping of the coastal environment in Svalbard was lacking and studies carried out were typically site-specific or focused on a particular depositional system making it difficult to compare trends with regional and pan-Arctic patterns.Here we present the results of a decade of site-studies in a range of inner fjord environments combined with large-scale remote sensing based mapping of coastal geomorphology, mapping of coastal processes and responses and tool development for quantification of horizontal change. Under the DynaCoast project, we mapped the geomorphology of the coastal zone of Isfjorden from the shoreline to 500 m inland. A key result from the DynaCoast map is that most segments of the Svalbard coastline are dominated by a combination of physical processes with particular morphological results. Change in for example glacier front locations, sea ice presence and duration, run off, and wave action create specific morphological signatures and can be traced in the landscape. Here we present the first map of coastal process classifications for the Svalbard archipelago and discuss the implications for predicting sensitivity to change or planning mitigation strategies. Quantification of horizontal change in real time is approached through use of satellite imagery and compared to historic records through use of digital elevation models with potential to study transects acrossSvalbard or regional trends.