Ward J. J. van Pelt

Dynamic perennial firn aquifer on an Arctic glacier

Ice-penetrating radar and GPS observations reveal a perennial firn aquifer (PFA) on a Svalbard ice field, similar to those recently discovered in southeastern Greenland. A bright, widespread radar reflector separates relatively dry and water-saturated firn. This surface, the phreatic firn water table, is deeper beneath local surface elevation maxima, shallower in surface lows, and steeper where the surface is steep. The reflector crosscuts snow stratigraphy; we use the apparent deflection of accumulation layers due to the higher dielectric permittivity below the water table to infer that the firn pore space becomes progressively more saturated as depth increases. Our observations indicate that PFAs respond rapidly (subannually) to surface forcing, and are capable of providing significant input to the englacial hydrology system.

The Changing Impact of Snow Conditions and Refreezing on the Mass Balance of an Idealized Svalbard Glacier

Glacier surface melt and runoff depend strongly on seasonal and perennial snow (firn) conditions. Not only does the presence of snow and firn directly affect melt rates by reflecting solar radiation, it may also act as a buffer against mass loss by storing melt water in refrozen or liquid form. In Svalbard, ongoing and projected amplified climate change with respect to the global mean change has severe implications for the state of snow and firn and its impact on glacier mass loss. Model experiments with a coupled surface energy balance - firn model were done to investigate the surface mass balance and the changing role of snow and firn conditions for an idealized Svalbard glacier. A climate forcing for the past, present and future (1984-2104) is constructed, based on observational data from Svalbard Airport and a seasonally dependent projection scenario. Results illustrate ongoing and future firn degradation in response to an elevational retreat of the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of 31 m decade−1. The temperate firn zone is found to retreat and expand, while cold ice in the ablation zone warms considerably. In response to pronounced winter warming and an associated increase in winter rainfall, the current prevalence of refreezing during the melt season gradually shifts to the winter season in a future climate. Sensitivity tests reveal that in a present and future climate the density and thermodynamic structure of Svalbard glaciers are heavily influenced by refreezing. Refreezing acts as a net buffer against mass loss. However, the net mass balance change after refreezing is substantially smaller than the amount of refreezing itself, which can be ascribed to melt-enhancing effects after refreezing, which partly offset the primary mass-retaining effect of refreezing.

Dynamic Response of a High Arctic Glacier to Melt and Runoff Variations

The dynamic response of High Arctic glaciers to increased runoff in a warming climate remains poorly understood. We analyze a 10-year record of continuous velocity data collected at multiple sites on Nordenskioldbreen, Svalbard, and study the connection between ice flow and runoff within and between seasons. During the melt season, the sensitivity of ice motion to runoff at sites in the ablation and lower accumulation zone drops by a factor of 3 when cumulative runoff exceeds a local threshold, which is likely associated with a transition from inefficient (distributed) to efficient (channelized) drainage. Average summer (June-August) velocities are found to increase with summer ablation, while subsequent fall (September-November) velocities decrease. Spring (March-May) velocities are largely insensitive to summer ablation, which suggests a short-lived impact of summer melt on ice flow during the cold season. The net impact of summer ablation on annual velocities is found to be insignificant.