Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland
Observations remain sparse for peripheral glaciers and ice caps in Greenland. Here, we present the results of a multi-frequency radar survey of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap in West Greenland conducted in April 2017. Radar measurements show thick ice of up to ~120 m in subglacial valleys associated with th...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000898/type/journal_article |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846127772141879296 |
|---|---|
| author | Mette Kusk Gillespie Jacob Clement Yde Marit Svarstad Andresen Michele Citterio Mark Andrew Kusk Gillespie |
| author_facet | Mette Kusk Gillespie Jacob Clement Yde Marit Svarstad Andresen Michele Citterio Mark Andrew Kusk Gillespie |
| author_sort | Mette Kusk Gillespie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Observations remain sparse for peripheral glaciers and ice caps in Greenland. Here, we present the results of a multi-frequency radar survey of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap in West Greenland conducted in April 2017. Radar measurements show thick ice of up to ~120 m in subglacial valleys associated with the largest outlet glaciers, while relatively thin ice cover the upper plateau ice divides, suggesting future vulnerability to ice cap fragmentation. At the time of the radar survey, Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap had a total volume of 0.82 ± 0.1 km3. Measurements show a 1.5–2 m thick end-of-winter snowpack, and that firn is largely absent, signifying a prolonged period of negative mass balance for most of the ice cap. The thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap is investigated through analysis of scattering observed along radar profiles. Results show that the ice cap is largely below the pressure melting point, but that temperate ice exists both in deep basal pockets and in shallow zones that some places extend from ~15 m depth and to the ice base. The distribution of shallow temperate ice appears unrelated to variations in ice thickness; instead we find a strong correlation to the presence of nearby surface crevasses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d4c6cd9ebff0424c83ac7b88baaaa474 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d4c6cd9ebff0424c83ac7b88baaaa4742024-12-11T10:15:39ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-12-01692126213810.1017/jog.2023.89Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West GreenlandMette Kusk Gillespie0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2201-9901Jacob Clement Yde1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6211-2601Marit Svarstad Andresen2Michele Citterio3Mark Andrew Kusk Gillespie4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9808-4836Department of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, NorwayDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, NorwayDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, NorwayDepartment of Glaciology and Climate, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, NorwayObservations remain sparse for peripheral glaciers and ice caps in Greenland. Here, we present the results of a multi-frequency radar survey of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap in West Greenland conducted in April 2017. Radar measurements show thick ice of up to ~120 m in subglacial valleys associated with the largest outlet glaciers, while relatively thin ice cover the upper plateau ice divides, suggesting future vulnerability to ice cap fragmentation. At the time of the radar survey, Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap had a total volume of 0.82 ± 0.1 km3. Measurements show a 1.5–2 m thick end-of-winter snowpack, and that firn is largely absent, signifying a prolonged period of negative mass balance for most of the ice cap. The thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap is investigated through analysis of scattering observed along radar profiles. Results show that the ice cap is largely below the pressure melting point, but that temperate ice exists both in deep basal pockets and in shallow zones that some places extend from ~15 m depth and to the ice base. The distribution of shallow temperate ice appears unrelated to variations in ice thickness; instead we find a strong correlation to the presence of nearby surface crevasses.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000898/type/journal_articleGlacier volumeGround-penetrating radarIce temperatureIce thickness measurementsRadio-echo sounding |
| spellingShingle | Mette Kusk Gillespie Jacob Clement Yde Marit Svarstad Andresen Michele Citterio Mark Andrew Kusk Gillespie Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland Journal of Glaciology Glacier volume Ground-penetrating radar Ice temperature Ice thickness measurements Radio-echo sounding |
| title | Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland |
| title_full | Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland |
| title_fullStr | Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland |
| title_short | Ice geometry and thermal regime of Lyngmarksbræen Ice Cap, West Greenland |
| title_sort | ice geometry and thermal regime of lyngmarksbraeen ice cap west greenland |
| topic | Glacier volume Ground-penetrating radar Ice temperature Ice thickness measurements Radio-echo sounding |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000898/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mettekuskgillespie icegeometryandthermalregimeoflyngmarksbræenicecapwestgreenland AT jacobclementyde icegeometryandthermalregimeoflyngmarksbræenicecapwestgreenland AT maritsvarstadandresen icegeometryandthermalregimeoflyngmarksbræenicecapwestgreenland AT michelecitterio icegeometryandthermalregimeoflyngmarksbræenicecapwestgreenland AT markandrewkuskgillespie icegeometryandthermalregimeoflyngmarksbræenicecapwestgreenland |