Change in geometry of a high Arctic glacier from 1948 to 2013 (Austre Lovénbreen, Svalbard)

Abstract

The change of Austre Lovénbreen, a 4.5 km 2 land-based glacier along the west coast of Spitsbergen, is investigated using geodetic methods and mass balance measurements over 1948 . For 2008, annual mass balances computed on 36-stake measurements were obtained, in addition to annual mass balances reconstructed from the neighbouring glaciers, Midtre Lovénbreen (1968Lovénbreen ( −2007 and Austre Brøggerbreen (1963Brøggerbreen ( −1967. The mean rate of glacier retreat for 1948-2013 is −16.7 ± 0.3 m a −1 . Fluctuations in area (1948-2013 mean, −0.027 ± 0.002 km 2 a −1 ) showed a slowing as the glacier recedes within its valley from 1990 to 1995. For 1962-2013, the average volume loss calculated by digital elevation model subtraction of −0.441 ± 0.062 m w.e. a −1 (or−0.54 ± 0.07% a −1 ) is similar to the average annual mass balance (−0.451 ± 0.007 m w.e. a −1 ), demonstrating a good agreement between the loss rates computed by both methods over 1962−2013. When divided in two periods (1962−1995 and 1995−2013), an increase in the rate of ice mass loss is statistically significant for the glacier volume change. The 0°C isotherm elevation (based on mean May-September air temperatures) is estimated to have risen by about 250 m up to the upper parts of the glacier between 1948 and 2013. The glacier area exposed to melting during May to September almost increased by 1.8-fold while the area reduced by a third since 1948. Within a few years, the glacier area exposed to melting will decrease, leading the upper glacier parts under the 0°C isotherm while the snout will keep on retreating.

How long will an Arctic mountain glacier survive? A case study of Austre Lovénbreen, Svalbard

“…Wang et al analysis of glacier terrain, another study showed that the Pedersenbreen glacier, which is near AL, had experienced a marked retreat in 1936, 1990(Ai et al 2013). Similar to nearby studied glaciers in the area, AL experienced a pronounced retreat from 1948 to 2013: the total retreat was 1064 ± 20 m in length and 1.82 ± 0.28 km 2 in area (Marlin et al 2017). GPS observations indicated that the maximum ice-flow velocity along the glacier centre line of AL was 3.8 m a -1 from 2005 to 2010 and that the mean velocity of all observed stakes was 2.4 m a −1 during this period (Ai, .…”

“…Estimating the impact of each and every factor is extremely difficult, so we used a backtracking simulation to verify modelling results with measured values. Using the historical meteorological records ( Førland et al 2011), together with the data of past glacier terrain (Marlin et al 2017), a backtracking simulation from 1962 to 2009 was performed to verify the feasibility of the model. In this simulation, the model parameters (b = 0.05, E = 0.865) and the bedrock terrain were assumed to be unchanged in the past 50 years.…”

“…GPS observations indicated that the maximum ice-flow velocity along the glacier centre line of AL was 3.8 m a -1 from 2005 to 2010 and that the mean velocity of all observed stakes was 2.4 m a −1 during this period (Ai, . AL has been the subject of numerous studies that have examined the glacier's mass balance (Xu et al 2010;Marlin et al 2017), topography (Ai, Wang, E, Pang et al 2012;Saintenoy et al 2013), temperature changes (Sun et al 2016) and motion (Bernard et al 2011;. However, little research has been done on the future evolution of AL, and no scholar has used numerical simulation methods to predict the evolution and features of the glacier in the future.…”

Assessment of periglacial response to increased runoff: An Arctic hydrosystem bears witness

“…Besides these geomorphological processes, the gradual disappearance of the glacier front is highly visible and is clearly a trigger of downstream dynamics. The strongest values reach around −28 m of height loss since 1995, which is consistent with glacier mass balance measurements (Friedt et al, ; Marlin et al, ). This wide vacuum created by the melting is actually a new area where both outflows and runoff are in reconfiguration.…”

“…The aim of this research deals with short-term climatic events that have been identified as typical response mechanisms of contemporary rapid climate variations (Dyurgerov & Meier, 2000;Marlin et al, 2017;Nowak & Hodson, 2013;Oerlemans, 2005). More precisely, the goal is to investigate dynamics at the interface between the glacier front and the proglacial moraine.…”