Report on the Field Work of the Polish Spitsbergen Expedition, Summer 1970

Abstract

With the support of the Commission of Geophysical Expeditions of the Polish Academy of Sciences and in collaboration with the Geophysical Department of the Polish Academy of Sciences the Geographical Institute of the University of Wroclaw organized in 1970 a scientific summer expedition to Spitsbergen. It operated in the Hornsund Fiord region where previous Polish investigations (1957-1962) had been carried out. The expedition's principal aims were to make detailed glaciological and geomorphological studies in the Hornsund region in connection with previous research. At the same time the expedition members carried out repairs and maintenance work of the installation and equipment within the premises of the Polish Station in Hornsund. ... The main part of the expedition research was concerned with glaciological, geomorphological and to some extent geophysical work performed on the Werenskiold Glacier (which terminates on land) and on the Hans Glacier (which flows into the fiord) and in their immediate vicinity. ... The work included: climatological and glacio-meteorological research, glaciological investigations, hydrological and hydrographical measurements and observations, and glaciomorphological and geomorphological research. The principal purpose of the climatological and glacio-meteorological investigations was to establish how climatic conditions arise on the periglacial tundra in the Hornsund Base vicinity, and on the Werenskiold Glacier and vicinity. ... Because of the close link between the process of glacier ablation and the energetic processes in the atmosphere, special attention was given to the study of the course of the parameters of radiation and heat balances in the ground air layer. ... The quickly retreating Werenskiold Glacier snout creates particularly favourable conditions for glacio-morphological and geomorphological studies mainly because of the abundance of the freshly uncovered forms and due to a great diversity of geomorphic problems. The main aim of these investigations in the 1970 season was to mark the character of changes on the map of the marginal zone of the Werenskiold Glacier in the scale 1:7,500. ... At the Arie Glacier forefield detailed geomorphological and geological studies were undertaken which resulted in constructing a map of the region in the scale 1:10,000. Besides making several pits and exposures, ten rock and morainic samples were taken from the region for laboratory examination. The process of dead ice ablation under the morainic cover and without it and the process of melting-out and translocation of the rock surface material on the distal slopes of the Hans Glacier lateral moraine underwent careful observation and measurements. For comparison the ablation of the active part of the Hans Glacier near its end was measured. Five samples were taken for further analysis in Poland. Observations and measurements regarding the development and distribution of the block covers on the ridges of the Fugleberget. Ariekammen, Skodefjellet and Rotjesfiellet mountains were also made as well as observations of rock forms on raised sea beaches in the vicinity of the Hornsund Base. The geophysical investigations concerned glaciological problems to a considerable degree. The natural tremors of the Hans Glacier were studied on the basis of microseismographic recordings taken with the help of a vertical seismograph. ... Since this summary report was written, the Geographical Institute of the University of Wroclaw sent another expedition to Spitsbergen, in the summer of 1971. The report on that expedition with some preliminary results of the work done during the two summers will appear in a future issue of Arctic. ...