Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater
In the High Arctic, supra- and proglacial springs occur at Borup Fiord Pass, Ellesmere Island. Spring waters are sulfur bearing and isotope analysis suggests springs are fed by deeply circulating glacial meltwater. However, the mechanism maintaining spring flow is unclear in these areas of thick per...
Published in: | Geophysical Research Letters |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
2012
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/42223/ https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051445 |
id |
ftuniveastangl:oai:ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk:42223 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftuniveastangl:oai:ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk:42223 2023-05-15T14:23:43+02:00 Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater Scheidegger, J. M. Bense, V. F. Grasby, S. E. 2012-06-28 https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/42223/ https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051445 unknown Scheidegger, J. M., Bense, V. F. and Grasby, S. E. (2012) Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater. Geophysical Research Letters, 39 (12). ISSN 1944-8007 doi:10.1029/2012GL051445 Article PeerReviewed 2012 ftuniveastangl https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051445 2023-01-30T21:35:13Z In the High Arctic, supra- and proglacial springs occur at Borup Fiord Pass, Ellesmere Island. Spring waters are sulfur bearing and isotope analysis suggests springs are fed by deeply circulating glacial meltwater. However, the mechanism maintaining spring flow is unclear in these areas of thick permafrost which would hamper the discharge of deep groundwater to the surface. It has been hypothesized that fracture zones along faults focus groundwater which discharges initially underneath wet-based parts of the ice. With thinning ice, the spring head is exposed to surface temperatures, tens of degrees lower than temperatures of pressure melting, and permafrost starts to develop. Numerical modeling of coupled heat and fluid flow suggest that focused groundwater discharge should eventually be cut off by permafrost encroaching into the feeding channel of the spring. Nevertheless, our model simulations show that these springs can remain flowing for millennia depending on the initial flow rate and ambient surface temperature. These systems might provide a terrestrial analog for the possible occurrence of Martian springs recharged by polar ice caps. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Ellesmere Island Ice permafrost University of East Anglia: UEA Digital Repository Arctic Borup Fiord ENVELOPE(-83.415,-83.415,80.619,80.619) Ellesmere Island Geophysical Research Letters 39 12 n/a n/a |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of East Anglia: UEA Digital Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftuniveastangl |
language |
unknown |
description |
In the High Arctic, supra- and proglacial springs occur at Borup Fiord Pass, Ellesmere Island. Spring waters are sulfur bearing and isotope analysis suggests springs are fed by deeply circulating glacial meltwater. However, the mechanism maintaining spring flow is unclear in these areas of thick permafrost which would hamper the discharge of deep groundwater to the surface. It has been hypothesized that fracture zones along faults focus groundwater which discharges initially underneath wet-based parts of the ice. With thinning ice, the spring head is exposed to surface temperatures, tens of degrees lower than temperatures of pressure melting, and permafrost starts to develop. Numerical modeling of coupled heat and fluid flow suggest that focused groundwater discharge should eventually be cut off by permafrost encroaching into the feeding channel of the spring. Nevertheless, our model simulations show that these springs can remain flowing for millennia depending on the initial flow rate and ambient surface temperature. These systems might provide a terrestrial analog for the possible occurrence of Martian springs recharged by polar ice caps. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Scheidegger, J. M. Bense, V. F. Grasby, S. E. |
spellingShingle |
Scheidegger, J. M. Bense, V. F. Grasby, S. E. Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
author_facet |
Scheidegger, J. M. Bense, V. F. Grasby, S. E. |
author_sort |
Scheidegger, J. M. |
title |
Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
title_short |
Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
title_full |
Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
title_fullStr |
Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
title_full_unstemmed |
Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
title_sort |
transient nature of arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/42223/ https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051445 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-83.415,-83.415,80.619,80.619) |
geographic |
Arctic Borup Fiord Ellesmere Island |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Borup Fiord Ellesmere Island |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Ellesmere Island Ice permafrost |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ellesmere Island Ice permafrost |
op_relation |
Scheidegger, J. M., Bense, V. F. and Grasby, S. E. (2012) Transient nature of Arctic spring systems driven by subglacial meltwater. Geophysical Research Letters, 39 (12). ISSN 1944-8007 doi:10.1029/2012GL051445 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051445 |
container_title |
Geophysical Research Letters |
container_volume |
39 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
n/a |
op_container_end_page |
n/a |
_version_ |
1766296198290866176 |