Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes
The routing and storage of meltwater and the configuration of drainage systems in glaciers exert a profound influence on glacier behaviour. However, little is known about the hydrological systems of cold glaciers, which form a significant proportion of the total glacier population in the climate sen...
Published in: | Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2014
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Online Access: | https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/dendritic-subglacial-drainage-systems-in-cold-glaciers-formed-by-cutandclosure-processes(935e3efc-3e18-4794-aa06-0149bb241ccc).html https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 |
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ftunstandrewcris:oai:research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/935e3efc-3e18-4794-aa06-0149bb241ccc 2024-06-23T07:50:34+00:00 Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes Naegeli, K. Lovell, H. Zemp, M. Benn, D.I. 2014-12-01 https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/dendritic-subglacial-drainage-systems-in-cold-glaciers-formed-by-cutandclosure-processes(935e3efc-3e18-4794-aa06-0149bb241ccc).html https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 eng eng https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/dendritic-subglacial-drainage-systems-in-cold-glaciers-formed-by-cutandclosure-processes(935e3efc-3e18-4794-aa06-0149bb241ccc).html info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Naegeli , K , Lovell , H , Zemp , M & Benn , D I 2014 , ' Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes ' , Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography , vol. 96 , no. 4 , pp. 591-608 . https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 Cold glaciers Englacial/subglacial conduit Glacier hydrology Glacio-speleology Icings Svalbard article 2014 ftunstandrewcris https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 2024-06-13T00:44:41Z The routing and storage of meltwater and the configuration of drainage systems in glaciers exert a profound influence on glacier behaviour. However, little is known about the hydrological systems of cold glaciers, which form a significant proportion of the total glacier population in the climate sensitive region of the High Arctic. Using glacio-speleological techniques, we obtained direct access to explore and survey three conduit systems and one moulin within the tongue area of Tellbreen, a small cold-based valley glacier in central Spitsbergen. More than 600m of conduits were surveyed and mapped in plan, profile and cross-section view to analyse the configuration of the drainage system. The investigations revealed that cold-based glaciers can exhibit a dendritic drainage network with supra-, en- and subglacial components formed most likely by cut-and-closure processes as well as surface-to-bed drainage via moulins. Furthermore, we observed that water is stored within the glacier and released gradually via subglacial conduits during the winter months, forming a large and active icing in the proglacial area. The presence of supra-, en- and subglacial components, the surface-to-bed moulin and the dendritic subglacial drainage network suggest that existing models and understanding of the hydrology of cold glaciers needs to be re-evaluated, mostly concerning the different possible pathways and processes that form the hydrological system. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic glacier Svalbard Spitsbergen University of St Andrews: Research Portal Arctic Svalbard Tellbreen ENVELOPE(16.217,16.217,78.250,78.250) Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography n/a n/a |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftunstandrewcris |
language |
English |
topic |
Cold glaciers Englacial/subglacial conduit Glacier hydrology Glacio-speleology Icings Svalbard |
spellingShingle |
Cold glaciers Englacial/subglacial conduit Glacier hydrology Glacio-speleology Icings Svalbard Naegeli, K. Lovell, H. Zemp, M. Benn, D.I. Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
topic_facet |
Cold glaciers Englacial/subglacial conduit Glacier hydrology Glacio-speleology Icings Svalbard |
description |
The routing and storage of meltwater and the configuration of drainage systems in glaciers exert a profound influence on glacier behaviour. However, little is known about the hydrological systems of cold glaciers, which form a significant proportion of the total glacier population in the climate sensitive region of the High Arctic. Using glacio-speleological techniques, we obtained direct access to explore and survey three conduit systems and one moulin within the tongue area of Tellbreen, a small cold-based valley glacier in central Spitsbergen. More than 600m of conduits were surveyed and mapped in plan, profile and cross-section view to analyse the configuration of the drainage system. The investigations revealed that cold-based glaciers can exhibit a dendritic drainage network with supra-, en- and subglacial components formed most likely by cut-and-closure processes as well as surface-to-bed drainage via moulins. Furthermore, we observed that water is stored within the glacier and released gradually via subglacial conduits during the winter months, forming a large and active icing in the proglacial area. The presence of supra-, en- and subglacial components, the surface-to-bed moulin and the dendritic subglacial drainage network suggest that existing models and understanding of the hydrology of cold glaciers needs to be re-evaluated, mostly concerning the different possible pathways and processes that form the hydrological system. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Naegeli, K. Lovell, H. Zemp, M. Benn, D.I. |
author_facet |
Naegeli, K. Lovell, H. Zemp, M. Benn, D.I. |
author_sort |
Naegeli, K. |
title |
Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
title_short |
Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
title_full |
Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
title_fullStr |
Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
title_full_unstemmed |
Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
title_sort |
dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/dendritic-subglacial-drainage-systems-in-cold-glaciers-formed-by-cutandclosure-processes(935e3efc-3e18-4794-aa06-0149bb241ccc).html https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(16.217,16.217,78.250,78.250) |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Tellbreen |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Tellbreen |
genre |
Arctic glacier Svalbard Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic glacier Svalbard Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Naegeli , K , Lovell , H , Zemp , M & Benn , D I 2014 , ' Dendritic subglacial drainage systems in cold glaciers formed by cut-and-closure processes ' , Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography , vol. 96 , no. 4 , pp. 591-608 . https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 |
op_relation |
https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/dendritic-subglacial-drainage-systems-in-cold-glaciers-formed-by-cutandclosure-processes(935e3efc-3e18-4794-aa06-0149bb241ccc).html |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12059 |
container_title |
Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography |
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op_container_end_page |
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1802641477333942272 |