Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change

Aldegondabreen is a relatively small (5.3 km2) land-terminating glacier located in Nordeskiöld Land of Svalbard, ~10 km southwest of Barentsburg. Cumulative mass balance during 2002–20 equalled −21.79 m w.e., which corresponds to 37% of the total mass loss. The annual mass balance (Ba) varied from −...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anton Terekhov, Uliana Prokhorova, Sergey Verkulich, Vasiliy Demidov, Olga Sidorova, Mikhail Anisimov, Kseniia Romashova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2023-09-01
Series:Annals of Glaciology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S026030552300040X/type/journal_article
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850146941854285824
author Anton Terekhov
Uliana Prokhorova
Sergey Verkulich
Vasiliy Demidov
Olga Sidorova
Mikhail Anisimov
Kseniia Romashova
author_facet Anton Terekhov
Uliana Prokhorova
Sergey Verkulich
Vasiliy Demidov
Olga Sidorova
Mikhail Anisimov
Kseniia Romashova
author_sort Anton Terekhov
collection DOAJ
description Aldegondabreen is a relatively small (5.3 km2) land-terminating glacier located in Nordeskiöld Land of Svalbard, ~10 km southwest of Barentsburg. Cumulative mass balance during 2002–20 equalled −21.79 m w.e., which corresponds to 37% of the total mass loss. The annual mass balance (Ba) varied from −0.24 to −2.19 m w.e., while the winter mass balance (Bw) ranged between 0.36 and 0.85 m w.e. Ba and Bw were strongly correlated with the positive degree-day sums and solid precipitation amounts, respectively, measured at the Barentsburg weather station. There was also a strong correlation (r = 0.76) between Ba and Bw, which shows that winter accumulation amplifies the consecutive summer ice melt by changing the surface albedo. The trend in both observational series is not detectable because the period from 2005 to 2013 was characterized by relatively high Bw and not very negative Ba values. This was also observed on the other Svalbard glaciers, and was related to prevailing north-westerly flows over Svalbard during the summer. Therefore, the decadal periodicity of the Aldegondabreen mass balance follows general archipelago patterns that are determined by regional-scale factors. Thus, the surface mass-balance time series, which is now the longest one in the central part of the Spitsbergen Island, is representative for the archipelago.
format Article
id doaj-art-8671abc5a8bf4bd182df4797fd98fda4
institution OA Journals
issn 0260-3055
1727-5644
language English
publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Annals of Glaciology
spelling doaj-art-8671abc5a8bf4bd182df4797fd98fda42025-08-20T02:27:42ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442023-09-016422523510.1017/aog.2023.40Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate changeAnton Terekhov0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8300-6883Uliana Prokhorova1Sergey Verkulich2Vasiliy Demidov3Olga Sidorova4Mikhail Anisimov5Kseniia Romashova6Geography of Polar Regions Department, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaOcean–Atmosphere Interaction Department, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaGeography of Polar Regions Department, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaGeography of Polar Regions Department, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaLaboratory of the Experimental Climatology of the Arctic, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaGeography of Polar Regions Department, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaHydrology of River Deltas and Water Resources Department, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, RussiaAldegondabreen is a relatively small (5.3 km2) land-terminating glacier located in Nordeskiöld Land of Svalbard, ~10 km southwest of Barentsburg. Cumulative mass balance during 2002–20 equalled −21.79 m w.e., which corresponds to 37% of the total mass loss. The annual mass balance (Ba) varied from −0.24 to −2.19 m w.e., while the winter mass balance (Bw) ranged between 0.36 and 0.85 m w.e. Ba and Bw were strongly correlated with the positive degree-day sums and solid precipitation amounts, respectively, measured at the Barentsburg weather station. There was also a strong correlation (r = 0.76) between Ba and Bw, which shows that winter accumulation amplifies the consecutive summer ice melt by changing the surface albedo. The trend in both observational series is not detectable because the period from 2005 to 2013 was characterized by relatively high Bw and not very negative Ba values. This was also observed on the other Svalbard glaciers, and was related to prevailing north-westerly flows over Svalbard during the summer. Therefore, the decadal periodicity of the Aldegondabreen mass balance follows general archipelago patterns that are determined by regional-scale factors. Thus, the surface mass-balance time series, which is now the longest one in the central part of the Spitsbergen Island, is representative for the archipelago.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S026030552300040X/type/journal_articleArctic glaciologyclimate changeglacier mass balanceglacier monitoringice/atmosphere interactions
spellingShingle Anton Terekhov
Uliana Prokhorova
Sergey Verkulich
Vasiliy Demidov
Olga Sidorova
Mikhail Anisimov
Kseniia Romashova
Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
Annals of Glaciology
Arctic glaciology
climate change
glacier mass balance
glacier monitoring
ice/atmosphere interactions
title Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
title_full Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
title_fullStr Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
title_full_unstemmed Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
title_short Two decades of mass-balance observations on Aldegondabreen, Spitsbergen: interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
title_sort two decades of mass balance observations on aldegondabreen spitsbergen interannual variability and sensitivity to climate change
topic Arctic glaciology
climate change
glacier mass balance
glacier monitoring
ice/atmosphere interactions
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S026030552300040X/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT antonterekhov twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange
AT ulianaprokhorova twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange
AT sergeyverkulich twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange
AT vasiliydemidov twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange
AT olgasidorova twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange
AT mikhailanisimov twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange
AT kseniiaromashova twodecadesofmassbalanceobservationsonaldegondabreenspitsbergeninterannualvariabilityandsensitivitytoclimatechange