Slope processes in the High Arctic: a 30‐year‐long record from Spitsbergen

Abstract

Ten monitoring sites were established in 1986 near the Scottbreen and Renardbreen glaciers (Bellsund, Spitsbergen) in order to determine the rates of gelifluction on raised marine terraces and on talus cones, accumulation on talus cones, and movement of the protalus rampart. The measurements were performed in 1987, 2007 and 2016. The results obtained revealed a very slow rate of changes on the surface of the analysed area. During 30 years, only one out of 84 points where the gelifluction rate was measured was displaced by 15 cm down‐slope. The maximal annual and average gelifluction rates were calculated at 0.5 cm and 0.18 cm a−1, respectively. Several measurement points did not change their position over the observation period. As shown by the observations, the gelifluction rate largely does not depend on slope inclination. Studies of talus cones allowed the level of cone increment to be determined as 314.3 kg of scree per square metre. Analysis of factors influencing the rate of mass movement allowed for correlation of the small‐scale gelifluction movement at the analysed sites with the general trends of climate warming. In this part of the Arctic, these trends are manifested by soil desiccation. It appears that slope processes depend on very local topoclimatic factors. Analysis of the obtained data with regard to palaeogeographical and climatic investigations suggests that the ice segregation forms on raised marine terraces developed during the last Holocene cooling, i.e. the Little Ice Age.