Abstract
Abstract. Svalbard tidewater glaciers are retreating, which will affect fjord circulation and ecosystems when glacier fronts become land-terminating. Knowledge of the subglacial topography and bathymetry under retreating glaciers is important to modelling future scenarios of fjord circulation and glacier dynamics. We present high-resolution (150 m gridded) digital elevation models of subglacial topography, ice thickness, and ice surface elevation of five tidewater glaciers in Kongsfjorden (1100 km2), northwestern Spitsbergen, based on ∼1700 km airborne and ground-based ice-penetrating radar profiles. The digital elevation models (DEMs) cover the tidewater glaciers Blomstrandbreen, Conwaybreen, Kongsbreen, Kronebreen, and Kongsvegen and are merged with bathymetric and land DEMs for the non-glaciated areas. The large-scale subglacial topography of the study area is characterized by a series of troughs and highs. The minimum subglacial elevation is −180 m above sea level (a.s.l.), the maximum subglacial elevation is 1400 m a.s.l., and the maximum ice thickness is 740 m. Three of the glaciers, Kongsbreen, Kronebreen, and Kongsvegen, have the potential to retreat by ∼10 km before they become land-terminating. The compiled data set covers one of the most studied regions in Svalbard and is valuable for future studies of glacier dynamics, geology, hydrology, and fjord circulation. The data set is freely available at the Norwegian Polar Data Centre (https://doi.org/10.21334/npolar.2017.702ca4a7).
Highlights
Ocean waters around Svalbard are warming, which in combination with the overall atmospheric warming has made Svalbard’s tidewater glaciers vulnerable to climate change (Nuth et al, 2013)
The large-scale subglacial topography of the study area is characterized by a series of troughs and highs
We present digital elevation models (DEMs) of subglacial topography (Fig. 5a), ice thickness (Fig. 5b), and ice surface elevation (Fig. 5c) of a 1100 km2 area of Svalbard on a 150 m grid
Summary
Ocean waters around Svalbard are warming, which in combination with the overall atmospheric warming has made Svalbard’s tidewater glaciers vulnerable to climate change (Nuth et al, 2013). When the tidewater glaciers retreat so much that they become land-terminating, outflow into the fjord will only occur via surface drainage, just as with any un-glaciated fjord, with a cap of fresh river water flowing over the denser ocean water. Earlier campaigns (1988 to 2005) covered the upper parts of the glaciers, but the airborne radar failed to detect the bed in the lower reaches This was caused by a toohigh radar frequency (dictated by limitations on antenna size on an airplane) and too-high travel speed with respect to the data acquisition rate, as well as radar clutter from the rough surface, crevasses, and water within the glacier (Hagen and Sætrang, 1991).
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