Characterization of a small high-Arctic glacier system via historical observations and numerical modelling

• Main Author: Vainio, Tomi
• Other Authors: Helsingin yliopisto, Matemaattis-luonnontieteellinen tiedekunta, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Science, Helsingfors universitet, Matematisk-naturvetenskapliga fakulteten
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Helsingin yliopisto 2022
• Subjects: jäätikkö; numeerinen mallinnus; elmer ice; jää; svalbard; huippuvuoret; foxfonna; Ilmakehätieteiden maisteriohjelma (Atmospheric Sciences); Master's Programme in Atmospheric Sciences; Magisterprogrammet i atmosfärsvetenskaper; Hydrosfäärin geofysiikka; Geophysics of the Hydrosphere; Hydrosfärens geofysik; Arctic; Svalbard; Foxfonna; glacier; Ice cap
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/342367

Small arctic glaciers have in general been consistently neglected with respect to the collection of long time-series observations. Available data is often a product of multiple independent and separate studies, thus gaps in the data sets are common. Numerical modelling provides one solution to alleviate existing gaps in knowledge, while historical observations can be used to assess model accuracy. The Foxfonna ice cap and associated glacier were investigated with the aid of the numerical modelling software, Elmer/Ice. The goal was to reproduce core glaciological characteristics of the entire glacier system from a 3D simulation based on multiple digital elevation models (DEMs) between the years 1961-2021. The methods proved capable of providing additional information on the glaciological characteristics of a small glacier system, such as Foxfonna. Issues primarily arose from the steady state assumption and the difficulty of producing simulations for a dynamically varying glacier system.