Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard)
Glacier naledi are extrusive ice masses that appear in front of glaciers as a consequence of refreezing of meltwater seepage during the accumulation season. These structures provide a unique opportunity to understand subglacial drainage activity during the accumulation season; however, only few deta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Annals of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305516000094/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811157295559606272 |
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| author | Łukasz Stachnik Jacob C. Yde Marta Kondracka Dariusz Ignatiuk Magdalena Grzesik |
| author_facet | Łukasz Stachnik Jacob C. Yde Marta Kondracka Dariusz Ignatiuk Magdalena Grzesik |
| author_sort | Łukasz Stachnik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glacier naledi are extrusive ice masses that appear in front of glaciers as a consequence of refreezing of meltwater seepage during the accumulation season. These structures provide a unique opportunity to understand subglacial drainage activity during the accumulation season; however, only few detailed studies have previously focused on their characteristics. Here, we investigated glacier-derived naled assemblages in the proglacial zone of the polythermal glacier Werenskioldbreen (27.4 km2) in SW Svalbard. We determined the spatial distribution of naledi using ground penetrating radar surveys. The main subglacial drainage pattern was related to a channel under the medial moraine, and three sources are linked to a distributed subglacial drainage network. The relation between atmospherically-corrected (Ca2+ + Mg2+) and (SO4
2−) in sub-naled waters was closely related to sulphide oxidation coupled with carbonate dissolution (r = 0.99; slope = 1.6). This is consistent with the local lithology, which is dominated by schist containing carbonates. We also found high carbonate saturation indices in pale white ice layers within the naled. We conclude that sulphide oxidation coupled with carbonate dissolution is the dominant chemical weathering process in the subglacial drainage system of Werenskioldbreen during the accumulation season. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:04:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84acce16f1fc4dbda983ec4f4fda2b59 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:04:54Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-84acce16f1fc4dbda983ec4f4fda2b592023-03-09T12:27:29ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442016-07-0157193010.1017/aog.2016.9Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard)Łukasz Stachnik0Jacob C. Yde1Marta Kondracka2Dariusz Ignatiuk3Magdalena Grzesik4Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland E-mail: Sogn og Fjordane University College, Sogndal, NorwaySogn og Fjordane University College, Sogndal, NorwayInstitute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Poland – Centre for Polar Studies KNOW (Leading National Research Centre), Sosnowiec, PolandInstitute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Poland – Centre for Polar Studies KNOW (Leading National Research Centre), Sosnowiec, PolandInstitute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, PolandGlacier naledi are extrusive ice masses that appear in front of glaciers as a consequence of refreezing of meltwater seepage during the accumulation season. These structures provide a unique opportunity to understand subglacial drainage activity during the accumulation season; however, only few detailed studies have previously focused on their characteristics. Here, we investigated glacier-derived naled assemblages in the proglacial zone of the polythermal glacier Werenskioldbreen (27.4 km2) in SW Svalbard. We determined the spatial distribution of naledi using ground penetrating radar surveys. The main subglacial drainage pattern was related to a channel under the medial moraine, and three sources are linked to a distributed subglacial drainage network. The relation between atmospherically-corrected (Ca2+ + Mg2+) and (SO4 2−) in sub-naled waters was closely related to sulphide oxidation coupled with carbonate dissolution (r = 0.99; slope = 1.6). This is consistent with the local lithology, which is dominated by schist containing carbonates. We also found high carbonate saturation indices in pale white ice layers within the naled. We conclude that sulphide oxidation coupled with carbonate dissolution is the dominant chemical weathering process in the subglacial drainage system of Werenskioldbreen during the accumulation season.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305516000094/type/journal_articleglacier chemistryglacier hydrochemistryground-penetrating radarice chemistrymeltwater chemistry |
| spellingShingle | Łukasz Stachnik Jacob C. Yde Marta Kondracka Dariusz Ignatiuk Magdalena Grzesik Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard) Annals of Glaciology glacier chemistry glacier hydrochemistry ground-penetrating radar ice chemistry meltwater chemistry |
| title | Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard) |
| title_full | Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard) |
| title_fullStr | Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard) |
| title_short | Glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and GPR surveys (Werenskioldbreen, SW Svalbard) |
| title_sort | glacier naled evolution and relation to the subglacial drainage system based on water chemistry and gpr surveys werenskioldbreen sw svalbard |
| topic | glacier chemistry glacier hydrochemistry ground-penetrating radar ice chemistry meltwater chemistry |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305516000094/type/journal_article |
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