Mass balance observations at Mittivakkat Gletscher, Southeast Greenland 1995–2002

Abstract

During the period 1995–2002 mass balance observations were made at Mittivakkat Gletscher, Southeast Greenland. The results comprise observations of winter, summer and net balance. The means of measured winter, summer and net balance were 1.25 m, 1.91 m and −0.66 m water, respectively. Mass balance changes are related to meteorological observations at the weather station in the nearby coastal village of Tasiilaq, about 20 km south of the glacier. The results establish a significant linear correlation between accumulation and measured precipitation during the winters 1995/96–2001/02 and a poor relation between summer balance and temperature during the summers 1996–2002. During the period of mass balance measurements the glacier lost about 4% of the ice volume determined in 1994.