Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls
We present the first systematic inventory of surge-type glaciers for the whole of Greenland compiled from published datasets and multitemporal satellite images and digital elevation models. The inventory allows us to define the spatial and climatic distribution of surge-type glaciers and to analyse...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000618/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797730872711970816 |
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| author | Harold Lovell Jonathan L. Carrivick Owen King Jenna L. Sutherland Jacob C. Yde Clare M. Boston Jakub Małecki |
| author_facet | Harold Lovell Jonathan L. Carrivick Owen King Jenna L. Sutherland Jacob C. Yde Clare M. Boston Jakub Małecki |
| author_sort | Harold Lovell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present the first systematic inventory of surge-type glaciers for the whole of Greenland compiled from published datasets and multitemporal satellite images and digital elevation models. The inventory allows us to define the spatial and climatic distribution of surge-type glaciers and to analyse the timing of surges from 1985 to 2019. We identified 274 surge-type glaciers, an increase of 37% compared to previous work. Mapping surge-type glacier distribution by temperature and precipitation variables derived from ERA5-Land reanalysis data shows that the west and east clusters occur in well-defined climatic envelopes. Analysis of the timing of surge active phases during the periods ~1985 to 2000 (T1) and ~2000 to 2019 (T2) suggests that overall surge activity is similar in T1 and T2, but there appears to be a reduction in surging in the west cluster in T2. Our climate analysis shows a coincident increase in mean annual and mean winter air temperature between T1 and T2. We suggest that as glaciers thin under current warming, some surge-type glaciers in the west cluster may be being prevented from surging due to (1) their inability to build-up sufficient mass and (2) a switch from a polythermal to a largely cold-based thermal regime. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T11:50:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b3d34d7acfb4c619bfed1ac4639ba28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T11:50:30Z |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b3d34d7acfb4c619bfed1ac4639ba282023-08-31T08:05:06ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-565211810.1017/jog.2023.61Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controlsHarold Lovell0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9435-3178Jonathan L. Carrivick1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9286-5348Owen King2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1807-9821Jenna L. Sutherland3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0957-1523Jacob C. Yde4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6211-2601Clare M. Boston5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8973-5366Jakub Małecki6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1338-5232School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UKSchool of Geography and University of Leeds, Leeds, UKSchool of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UKSchool of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UKDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, NorwaySchool of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UKInstitute of Geoecology and Geoinformation, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, PolandWe present the first systematic inventory of surge-type glaciers for the whole of Greenland compiled from published datasets and multitemporal satellite images and digital elevation models. The inventory allows us to define the spatial and climatic distribution of surge-type glaciers and to analyse the timing of surges from 1985 to 2019. We identified 274 surge-type glaciers, an increase of 37% compared to previous work. Mapping surge-type glacier distribution by temperature and precipitation variables derived from ERA5-Land reanalysis data shows that the west and east clusters occur in well-defined climatic envelopes. Analysis of the timing of surge active phases during the periods ~1985 to 2000 (T1) and ~2000 to 2019 (T2) suggests that overall surge activity is similar in T1 and T2, but there appears to be a reduction in surging in the west cluster in T2. Our climate analysis shows a coincident increase in mean annual and mean winter air temperature between T1 and T2. We suggest that as glaciers thin under current warming, some surge-type glaciers in the west cluster may be being prevented from surging due to (1) their inability to build-up sufficient mass and (2) a switch from a polythermal to a largely cold-based thermal regime.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000618/type/journal_articleArctic glaciologyglacier surgeice dynamics |
| spellingShingle | Harold Lovell Jonathan L. Carrivick Owen King Jenna L. Sutherland Jacob C. Yde Clare M. Boston Jakub Małecki Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls Journal of Glaciology Arctic glaciology glacier surge ice dynamics |
| title | Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
| title_full | Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
| title_fullStr | Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
| title_short | Surge-type glaciers in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland): distribution, temporal patterns and climatic controls |
| title_sort | surge type glaciers in kalaallit nunaat greenland distribution temporal patterns and climatic controls |
| topic | Arctic glaciology glacier surge ice dynamics |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000618/type/journal_article |
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