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  3. Glaciomarine sediment flux and transportation mechanisms, Kronebreen/Kongsvegan, Kongsfjorden, Svalbard
Title

Glaciomarine sediment flux and transportation mechanisms, Kronebreen/Kongsvegan, Kongsfjorden, Svalbard

    Item Description
    Limited Access
    The author(s) chose to restrict access to this thesis to current Whitman students, faculty, and staff. Please log in to view it.
    Linked Agent
    Creator (cre): Barnhart, Theodore B.
    Advisor (adv): Carson, Bob
    Advisor (adv): Bader, Nick
    Department (dpt): Whitman College. Geology - Environmental Studies
    Date
    May 12, 2010
    Graduation Year
    2010
    Abstract

    Arctic tidewater glaciers are likely to respond rapidly to changes in climate, due to a variety of climate forcing mechanisms. This study is designed to assess how these glaciers are now responding to these changes. We collected marine sediment samples near Kronebreen/Kongsvegan, a polythermal subpolar tidewater glacier in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, over the summer melt season of 2009. CTD/OBS and meteorological data were also collected to characterize this dynamic Arctic system. One-to-three-day modern sediment records were collected near the top, the middle, and the bottom of the fjord water column with mooring locations ranging in depth from 20 to 120 m below sea level. Accumulation rates from the bottommost sediment traps of 380, 220, and 160 kg/m²/yr were found at 0.45, 0.75, and 1.00 km, respectively, from the ice-marginal delta on the southern edge of Kronebreen/Kongsvegan. Sedimentation rates appear to decrease logarithmically away from the ice-marginal delta. Couplets of coarse and ne sediment were found in sediment traps from the meltwater sediment plume indicating a diurnal meltwater discharge pattern. The couplets may be due more to solar incidence than to temperature and precipitation. Tidal current velocity may play a role in differentiating coarse and fine particles as they are released from the meltwater sediment plume, but there is not sufficient evidence to test for this fully.

    Subject
    Svalbard (Norway) -- Geography
    Sedimentology
    Glaciers -- Norway -- Spitsbergen Island
    Glaciers -- Research
    Climatic changes
    Sedimentation and deposition -- Norway -- Spitsbergen Island
    Meltwater -- Analysis
    Science
    Environmental sciences
    Academic theses
    Whitman College 2010 -- Dissertation collection -- Geology-Environmental Studies
    Geographic Subject
    Europe
    Norway
    Spitsbergen Island (Norway)
    Svalbard (Norway)
    Kings Bay (Norway)
    Genre
    Theses
    Extent
    37 pages
    Permanent URL
    http://works.whitman.edu/56
    Rights
    http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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