Surface ablation variability of mountain glaciers of West Spitsbergen

Abstract

Measurements of surface ablation in 2016–2018 on the neighboring glaciers Aldegondabreen, Austre and Vestre Grønfjordbreen (West Spitsbergen) revealed significant differences in its magnitude both within the same altitude zones for one year, and on an interannual scale. Comparison of the region’s common variations in climatic conditions (air temperature, rainfall) and ablation data showed a significant contribution of the following additional factors of melting: aspect, size, altitude range, surface slope, the rocky bordering of glaciers. The maximum ablation were measured on the Aldegondabreen (with the smallest area and altitude range), which has a northeastern aspect; the average value over three years of observations was 1947 mm w.e. Austre Grønfjordbreen and Vestre Grønfjordbreen had in 2016–2018 average ablation values 1512 and 1385 mm w.e., respectively. The largest Vestre Grønfjordbreen has the lowest values of average ablation also because it lies higher then neighboring glaciers. Interannual variations of mean ablation in the same altitudinal zones show: the minimum scatter of values for the Aldegondabreen (130–370 mm w.e.); higher scatter of values for the Austre Grønfjordbreen (200–450 mm w.e.); the maximum scatter of values for the Vestre Grønfjordbreen (from 400–600 mm w.e. in most altitude zones to 1000 mm w.e. at altitudes of 250–350 m). Due to the influence of additional factors, the maximum average ablation was observed on the Aldegondabreen in 2016, on the Vestre Grønfjordbreen in 2017, and on the Austre Grønfjordbreen in 2017 and 2018. The results of the study indicate the need to take into account the contribution of these factors to the ablation parameters of the region’s glaciers in model calculations, as well as the relevance of a detailed study of the distribution of solar radiation on glaciers.