Glacio-meteorological investigations on Storbreen, Norway.

• Main Author: Heidarsdóttir, Helga Maria
• Other Authors: Liss Marie, Andreassen og Jon Ove, Hagen
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: Norwegian Bokmål
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: VDP::450; Norway; Storbreen; glacier
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10852/12678; http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-32122

Glacio-meteorological investigations were conducted on Storbreen glacier, as an attempt to assess the relationship between meteorological conditions at the glacier surface and its mass balance. Primary focus was set on the mass balance year 2010/11 and in situ investigation conducted over the summer 2011, with the main aim of evaluating the spatio-temporal variations in ablation and albedo over the glacier. A discharge curve was constructed from water level measurements in Storbreagroven; a glacier river running from Storbreen. The surface energy balance was calculated from measurements obtained by an automatic weather station on the glacier. On average the contribution from net radiation and turbulent fluxes was 60% and 40%, respectively. The energy balance results were very sensitive to the chosen turbulent exchange coefficient which was used for the whole investigation period. Melt rates obtained from the energy balance calculations were compared to measurements from ablation stakes and discharge series from Storbreagroven; the overall match was fairly good.