Cold shores in warming times - current state and future challenges in High Arctic coastal geomorphological studies

Abstract

Cold shores in warming times - current state and future challenges in High Arctic coastal geomorphological studiesMany of the existing intellectual paradigms regarding the functioning of the polar coastal zone are now out-dated, based on descriptive geomorphology and a limited process-based understanding. Currently, among many components of Arctic landscape adjusting to global warming, the coastal zone is probably the most critical one both in terms of rapidity of environmental change as well as importance for human communities living in circumpolar regions. This issue was often raised during the 4th International Polar Year 2007-2008 and encouraged the scientific community to focus on the state of cold region coasts in more detail. In this paper I summarize the most recent developments in Arctic coastal geomorphology with a particular focus on the Svalbard Archipelago and draw attention to the research challenges awaiting further investigation. This paper highlights the need for a greater understanding of the controls on High Arctic coastal geoecosystems, especially given the potential for accelerated warming and sea-level rise in the coming decades and centuries. Many of presented views benefited from discussions with Professor Andrzej Kostrzewski - to whom this volume is dedicated.

Recent Progress Regarding Permafrost Coasts

“…The permafrost coasts of the Svalbard archipelago have not been studied extensively since their early exploration. Norwegian, French and Polish research groups previously examined coastal dynamics but there are few recent papers, except for the contributions of Strzelecki (, ). Strzelecki () provides an overview of rock resistance along a section of the Svalbard coastline, with data collected using a Schmidt hammer.…”

Terrestrial processes affecting unlithified coastal erosion disparities in central fjords of Svalbard

“…Wind waves and ocean swell are commonly found breaking along the beach and can be up to 1 m in height for a one-year return period and up to 1.8 m for a 100-year return period (Lothe & Finseth 2012). Fast sea ice is not common at this site, however an ice foot, defined here as, a fringe of ice of varied width at the edge of the shores in cold regions which forms during the winter and either melts out in place or detaches as an ice floe in the spring/ summer (Caline 2010;Strzelecki 2011a) is usually present. There is often drift ice that can become beached.…”

“…The annual transport agent is suggested to be plucking, as parts of the ice foot containing frozen in beach sediments, detach and float away (Eicken et al 1997;Are et al 2008;Strzelecki 2011a;Irvine 2013). This is supported by the presence of an ice foot at all study sites during each winter throughout the observation period.…”

Challenges and perspectivesfor human activity in Arctic coastal environments – a review of selected interactions and problems

“…Over the last 30 years, the Arctic climate has changed significantly, with the observed increase in temperature being twice the global average (Notz & Stroeve 2018;Lewkowicz & Way 2019).Warming in the Arctic has accelerated and intensified geomorphological processes that directly affect human safety (IPCC 2014; IPCC 2019). The Arctic Coast Report highlights the role of the coastal zone as an area where serious environmental changes have a direct impact on Arctic communities (Forbes 2011;Strzelecki 2011;Overduin et al 2014). Contemporary Arctic coastal landscapes have been greatly modified by the following factors: the accelerated degradation of permafrost, the thawing of which threatens existing infrastructure (…”