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An arctic groundwater system and its dependence upon climatic change: an example from Svalbard
Author(s) -
Haldorsen S.,
Heim M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
permafrost and periglacial processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-1530
pISSN - 1045-6740
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1530(199904/06)10:2<137::aid-ppp316>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - permafrost , arctic , geology , groundwater , climate change , physical geography , hydrology (agriculture) , geomorphology , earth science , climatology , geotechnical engineering , oceanography , geography
Arctic groundwater systems are climatically controlled. On Svalbard, the permafrost forms a 100–400 m thick and fairly continuous aquitard, and groundwater recharge is mainly restricted to the temperate basal zones of the glaciers. The climate changed quite quickly and became milder when the Little Ice Age ended at the end of the last century. Studies of two groundwater systems in Ny‐Ålesund show how climatic change and groundwater discharge are related. The groundwater discharge has decreased since the Little Ice Age, as a result of decreasing recharge. Decreased recharge is related to the decrease in the glaciers' accumulation zone and a decreased melting rate as the glaciers approach a climatic equilibrium. For one groundwater spring, the discharge has decreased roughly 50% since the 1920s. The terrestrial groundwater discharge of this spring may become quite limited or even cease in the relatively near future. The groundwater discharge channel through the permafrost zone may freeze as a result of decreased groundwater fluxes and therefore lower transfer of geothermal heat. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.