Climatic influence on the composition of snow cover at Austre Okstindbreen, Norway, 1989 and 1990

• Main Authors: He Yuanqing, Unknown, Theakstone, W. H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1994
• Subjects: austre Okstindbreen; Norway; Okstindbreen; Annals of Glaciology; glacier; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/48f11637-7670-4272-bb50-5a48adff1ece

Winter snow cover at Austre Okstindbreen is influenced strongly by patterns of atmospheric circulation, and by air temperatures during precipitation. Differences of circulation over the North Atlantic and Scandinavia during the winters of 1988-89 and 1989-90 were reflected in the ionic and isotopic composition of snow that accumulated at the glacier. Early summer ablation did not remove, or smooth out, all the initial stratigraphic differences. The ablation season began earlier in 1990 than in 1989, and summer winds and rain supplied more impurities to the snowpack surface. -Authors