Morphogenesis of new straits and islands originated in the European Arctic since the 1980s

• Published in: Geosciences
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: zmiany klimatu; recesja lodowców; transformacja krajobrazu wybrzeży; nowe wyspy i cieśniny w Arktyce; Arktyka europejska; climate change; glacial recession; coastal landscape transformation; new Arctic islands and straits; European Arctic; Arctic; Franz Josef Land; Climate change
• Online Access: https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/xmlui/handle/item/88184; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9110476; https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/9/11/476

Several new islands and many islets have appeared in the European Arctic since the end of the 20th century due to glacial recession under climate warming. The specificity of the formation of each individual strait and island is shown in the paper (apart from its location and timing of its origin). Analysis of available maps and satellite images of all three European Arctic archipelagos, from di erent times since 1909-1910, was the main research method. There are three pathways of the morphogenesis of the new islands: (1) simultaneous recession of glaciers from both sides of a depression in bedrock being a potential strait (typical in Franz Josef Land), (2) uncovering a rocky hill (which protrudes from a depression in bedrock) from under a receding glacier, (3) recession of one glacier which had reached a rocky fragment of a coastline (e.g., headland or peninsula), being a potential new island, during a maximum extent of this glacier during the Little Ice Age (in the beginning of the 20th century). Additional straits and islands are currently at the stage of formation and will continue to form in the European Arctic in the case of further warming or stabilization of the current climate conditions. Pod koniec XX wieku w europejskiej Arktyce pojawiło się kilka nowych wysp i wiele wysepek z powodu recesji lodowców pod wpływem ocieplenia klimatu. W artykule pokazano specyfikę formowania każdej z tych wysp i cieśnin uwzględniając także miejsce i czas powstania. Główną metodą badań była analiza dostępnych map i zdjęć satelitarnych trzech europejskich archipelagów arktycznych: Ziemi Franciszka Józefa, Nowej Ziemi i Svalbardu.