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The Ice‐Free Topography of Svalbard
Author(s) -
Fürst Johannes J.,
Navarro Francisco,
GilletChaulet Fabien,
Huss Matthias,
Moholdt Geir,
Fettweis Xavier,
Lang Charlotte,
Seehaus Thorsten,
Ai Songtao,
Benham Toby J.,
Benn Douglas I.,
Björnsson Helgi,
Dowdeswell Julian A.,
Grabiec Mariusz,
Kohler Jack,
Lavrentiev Ivan,
Lindbäck Katrin,
Melvold Kjetil,
Pettersson Rickard,
Rippin David,
Saintenoy Albane,
SánchezGámez Pablo,
Schuler Thomas V.,
Sevestre Heïdi,
Vasilenko Evgeny,
Braun Matthias H.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2018gl079734
Subject(s) - geology , glacier , iceberg , sea ice , range (aeronautics) , archipelago , ice calving , ice stream , ice sheet , climatology , geodesy , geomorphology , physical geography , cryosphere , oceanography , geography , pregnancy , materials science , lactation , biology , composite material , genetics
We present a first version of the Svalbard ice‐free topography (SVIFT1.0) using a mass conserving approach for mapping glacier ice thickness. SVIFT1.0 is informed by more than 1 million point measurements, totalling more than 8,700 km of thickness profiles. SVIFT1.0 is publicly available and represents the geometric state around the year 2010. Our estimate for the total ice volume is 6,199 km 3 , equivalent to 1.5‐cm sea level rise. The thickness map suggests that 13% of the glacierized area is grounded below sea level. A complementary map of error estimates comprises uncertainties in the thickness surveys as well as in other input variables. Aggregated error estimates are used to define a likely ice‐volume range of 5,200–7,300 km 3 . The ice front thickness of marine‐terminating glaciers is a key quantity for ice loss attribution because it controls the potential ice discharge by iceberg calving into the ocean. We find a mean ice front thickness of 135 m for the archipelago (likely range 123–158 m).