Abstract
Since the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA), Svalbard glaciers have undergone a net retreat in response to changing meteorological conditions. Located between 76°N and 80°N, western Spitsbergen has seen a climatic transition from a glacial to a paraglacial system. On the northern shore of the Brøgger Peninsula (northwest Spitsbergen), the average temperature increased by 3 °C between 1965 and 2015, and cold-based valley glaciers have retreated more than 1 km from their LIA limits. This rapid deglaciation has exposed large areas of glacigenic sediments being easily reworked by runoff. This has led to the formation of extensive glacier-river delta systems and coastal progradation. Post-LIA coastal progradation and formation of new landforms in Kongsfjorden have been controlled predominantly by substantial availability of glacial sediment. A combination of aerial photographic and field data has been employed to estimate the post-LIA evolution of coastal sandur deltas and their submarine parts (named here “prodeltas”). The data set reveals that delta shoreline advance could have reached around 5 m/year. between 1966 and 1990 for the most energetic delta of Austre Lovenbreen, and around 4 m/year between 2011 and 2014 for the most energetic delta of Midtre Lovenbreen. The prodeltas registered a net growth from 2009 to 2012: the biggest, located in the prolongation of deltas of Austre Lovenbreen, measured 1033 m in length in 2009 and 1180 m in length in 2012. This substantial amount of sediment supplied in the fjord has an impact on the fjord ecology, especially on the benthic ecosystem.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ballantyne CK (2002) Paraglacial geomorphology. Quat Sci Rev 21:1935–2017
Byrne ML, Dionne JC (2002) Typical aspects of cold region shorelines. In: Hewitt K, Byrne ML, English M, Young G (eds) Landscape in transition. Landform assemblages and transformations in cold regions. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 141–158
Church M, Ryder JM (1972) Paraglacial sedimentation: a consideration of fluvial processes conditioned by glaciation. Geol Soc Am Bull 83:3059–3072
Etienne S, Mercier D, Voldoire O (2008) Temporal scales and deglaciation rhythms in a polar glacier margin, Baronbreen, Svalbard. Nor J Geogr 62:102–114
Etzelmüller B (2000) Quantification of thermo-erosion in pro-glacial areas—examples from Svalbard. Z Geomorphol 3:343–361
Etzelmüller B, Odegard RS, Vatne G, Mysterud RS, Tonning T, Sollid JL (2000) Glacier characteristics and sediment transfer system of Longyearbreen and Larsbreen, western Spitsbergen. Nor J Geogr 54:157–168
Forbes DL (ed) (2011) State of the Arctic Coast 2010—scientific review and outlook. International Arctic Science Committee, Land–Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, International Permafrost Association. Helmholtz-Zentrum, Geesthacht 178 p
Forbes DL, Syvitski JPM (1994) Paraglacial coasts. In: Carter RWG, Woodroffe CD (eds) Coastal evolution. Late quaternary shoreline morphodynamics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 373–424
Forland EJ, Hanssen-Bauer I (2000) Increased precipitation in the Norwegian Arctic: true or false? Clim Change 46:485–509
French HM (2000) Does Lozinski’s periglacial realm exist today? A discussion relevant to the usage of the term “periglacial”. Permafr Periglac Process 11:35–42
French HM, Thorn C (2006) The changing nature of periglacial geomorphology. Géomorphol Relief process Environn 3:1–33
Geoffray H (1968) Étude du bilan hydrologique et de l’érosion sur un bassin partiellement englacé, Spitsberg, Baie du Roi, 79° Lat. Nord, thesis, University of Rennes, 68 p
Griselin M (1982) Les modalités de l’écoulement liquide et solide sur les marges polaires, thesis, University of Nancy II, 500 p
Hagen JO, Melvold K, Pinglot JF, Dowdesweel JA (2003) On the net mass balance of the glaciers and ice caps in Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic. Arct Antarct Alp Res 35(2):264–270
Haldorsen S, Heim M (1999) An arctic groundwater system and its dependence upon climatic change: an example from Svalbard. Permafr Periglac Process 10:137–149
Hansen S (1999) A photogrammetrical, climate-statistical and geomorphological approach to the post Little Ice Age changes of the Midtre Lovenbreen glacier, Svalbard, Unpublished Masters theses, University of Copenhagen- The University Courses on Svalbard (UNIS)—University of Tromso, 103 p
Héquette A (1986) Morpho-sédimentologie et évolution de littoraux meubles en milieu arctique, Péninsule de Brögger, Spitsberg nord-occidental, thesis, University of Brest, 397 p
Héquette A, Ruz MH (1990) Sédimentation littorale en bordure de plaines d’épandage fluvio-glaciaires au Spitsberg Nord-occidental. Géog Phys Quat. 44(1):77–88
Holte B, Gulliksen B (1998) Common macrofaunal dominant species in the sediments of some north Norwegian and Svalbard glacial fjords. Polar Biol 19:375–382
Holte B, Dahle S, Gulliksen B, Naes K (1996) Some macrofaunal effects of local pollution and glacier-induced sedimentation, with indicative chemical analyses, in the sediments of two Arctic fjords. Polar Biol 16:549–557
Hop H, Pearson T, Hegseth EN, Kovacs KM, Wiencke C, Kwasniewski S, Eiane K, Mehlum F, Gulliksen B, Wlodarska-Kowalczuk M, Lydersen C, Weslawski JM, Cochrane S, Gabrielsen GW, Leakey RJG, Lonne OJ, Zajaczkowsk M, Falk-Petersen S, Kendall M, Wängberg SA, Bischof K, Voronkov AY, Kovaltchouk NA, Wiktor Jozef, Poltermann M, Prisco G, Papucci C, Gerland S (2002) The marine ecosystem of Kongsfjorden,Svalbard. Polar Res 21(1):167–208
Humlum O (2002) Modelling late 20th-century precipitation in Nordenskiöld Land, Svalbard, by geomorphic means. Nor Geogr Tidsskr 56:96–103
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007: The physical science basis, Cambridge University Press, IPCC fourth assessment report. Solomon S, Qin D, Manning M, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor M, Miller HL (eds) Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013: the physical science basis, Cambridge University Press, IPCC fourth assessment report. Stocker TF, Qin D, Plattner G.-K, Tignor M, Allen SK, Boshung J, Nauels A, Xia Y, Bex V, Midgley PM (eds) Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA
Joly D (1994) Ambiances climatiques instantanées au Spitsberg, pour une approche méthodique par niveaux d’échelle, thesis, EHESS, Paris, no 529, 404 p
Lantuit H, Overduin P, Solomon S, Mercier D (2010) Coastline dynamics in polar systems using remote sensing. In: Maanan M, Robin M (eds) Geomatic solutions for coastal environments. Nova Science Publishers, New York, pp 163–174
Lefauconnier B, Hagen JO, Orbaek JB, Melvold K, Isaksson E (1999) Glacier balance trends in the Kongsfjorden area, western Spitsbergen, Svalbard, in relation to the climate. Polar Res 18:580–596
Mercier D (2001) Le monde polaire face aux changements climatiques. Presses Universitaires Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand 278 p
Mercier D, Laffly D (2005) Actual paraglacial progradation of the coastal zone in the Kongsfjorden area, western Spitsbergen (Svalbard). Cryospheric Systems, Glaciers and Permafrost. Ed. C. Harris and J. B. Murton. Geol Soc 242:111–117
Nesje A, Dahl SO (2000) Glaciers and environnemental change. Arnold, London 203 p
Overduin PP, Strzelecki MC, Grigoriev MN, Couture N, Lantuit H, St-Hilaire-Gravel D, Günther F, Wetterich S (2014) Coastal changes in the Arctic. In: Martini IP, Wanless HR (eds) Sedimentary coastal zones from high to low latitudes: similarities and differences. Geological Society, London, Special Publication 388: 103–129
Quenet M (2014) Le rôle des eaux sous-terraine dans l’hydrologie d’un bassin-versant glaciaire sous condition de pergélisol continu au Spitsberg (Austre Lovenbreen, 79°N). Thesis, University Paris Sud, 380 p
Rachlewicz G, Szczucinski W, Ewertowski M (2007) Post- « Little Ice Age » retreat rates of glaciers around Billefjorden in central Spitsbergen, Svalbard. Pol Polar Res 28(3):159–186
Rippin D, Willis I, Arnold N, Hodson A, Moore J, Kohler J, Björnsson H (2003) Changes in geometry and subglacial drainage of Midtre Lovenbreen, Svalbard, determined from digital elevation models. Earth Surf Proc Land 28:273–298
Roussel E (2005) L’évolution morphologique récente du réseau hydrographique sur les marges des glaciers Lovén, presqu’île de Brögger (Spitsberg, 79 N). Norois 194:85–96
Strzelecki MC, Long AJ, Lloyd JM (2015a) Post-little ice age development of a high Arctic paraglacial beach complex. Permafr Periglac Process. doi:10.002/ppp.1879
Strzelecki MC, Malecki J, Zagorski P (2015a) The influence of recent deglaciation and associated sediment flux on the functioning of polar coastal zone—Northern Petuniabukta, Svalbard. In: Maanan M, Robin M (eds) Sediment fluxes on coastal areas. Coastal Research Library 10, Springer. pp 23–45
Svendsen H, Beszczynska-Møller A, Hagen JO, Lefauconnier B, Tverberg V, Gerland S, Orbaek JB, Bischof K, Papucci C, Zajaczkowski M, Azzolini R, Bruland O, Wiencke C, Winther JG, Dallmann W (2002) The physical environment of Kongsfjorden-Krossfjorden, an Arctic fjord system in Svalbard. Polar Res 21(1):133–166
SWIPA (2011) Snow, Water, ice and permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA): climate change and the cryosphere, Arctic monitoring and assessment programme (AMAP) (ed) Oslo, Norway
Zagorski P (2011) Shoreline dynamics of Calypsostranda (NW Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Svalbard) during the last century. Pol Polar Res 32(1):67–99
Zagorski P, Rodzik J, Strzelecki MC (2013) Coastal Geomorphology. In: Zagorski P, Harasimuik M, Rodzik J (eds) The geographical environment of NW part of Wedel Jarlsberg lan (Spitsbergen, Svalbard). University Marie Curie-Slodowska Press 2013, Lublin, pp 2012–247
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank IPEV for logistical support during the field work campaigns (mission Spitsbay realised in 2009 and mission Seispitz realised in 2012), Damien Isambert, captain of the sailing boat “Je rêve donc tu vis” and UNIS (logistic support) for the field work campaign (Sonny mission 2011). This fieldwork was carried out within the collaborative framework between the LETG-Nantes-Géolittomer (UMR 6554) laboratory of Nantes University and the Institut National des Sciences et des Techniques de la Mer of Cherbourg.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article belongs to the special issue on the “Kongsfjorden ecosystem—new views after more than a decade of research”, coordinated by Christian Wiencke and Haakon Hop”.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bourriquen, M., Baltzer, A., Mercier, D. et al. Coastal evolution and sedimentary mobility of Brøgger Peninsula, northwest Spitsbergen. Polar Biol 39, 1689–1698 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-1930-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-1930-1