Open AccessSome comments on the flow velocity and thinning of Svenbreen, Dickson Land, Svalbard
Author(s) -
Jakub Małecki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
czech polar reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.226
H-Index - 7
eISSN - 1805-0697
pISSN - 1805-0689
DOI - 10.5817/cpr2014-1-1
Subject(s) - glacier , geology , thinning , landform , front (military) , altitude (triangle) , moraine , geodesy , glacier mass balance , elevation (ballistics) , geomorphology , physical geography , geometry , geography , oceanography , mathematics , forestry
In this study a differential GPS survey of flow velocity and surface elevation change of a small glacier Svenbreen, central Svalbard, is presented and discussed. The maximum measured velocity was 3.21 m a-1 at 463 m a.s.l., close the theoretical steady-state equilibrium line altitude. After decades of thinning known from earlier research, the glacier surface has been continuing to lower over the analysed time span 2010-2012 by 1.82 m a-1 at the front at 185 m a.s.l. and 0.08 m a-1 at 541 m a.s.l. Since the glacier dynamics is very low, the study concludes that negative mass balance is the main driver of negative geometry changes and that no new distinct landforms will be formed in the near-future in the glacier forefield.