Glacier surge in Svalbard with examples from Usherbreen

Abstract

In Svalbard most glaciers are subpolar and of surge type. Both small inland valley glaciers and large tidewater glaciers have been observed in surge. Surges have been dated for more than 80 glaciers and some of them have been studied in detail. At Usherbreen, a glacier of 30 km² on the east coast of Spitsbergen, about 20% of the total glacier volume was transported down the glacier from higher to lower parts during the surge. The front advanced 1.5 km and was further out than in any previous surge. Parts of the old ridge system in front of the glacier were pushed 200m forward.