Multidisciplinary investigations in the marine environment of the inner Kongsfiord, Svalbard islands (September 2000 and 2001)

Abstract

The processes occurring in the marine environment at the interface between sea and glaciers in Arctic fiords are often poorly investigated, mainly due to logistical reasons. Two multidisciplinary campaigns have been carried out in September 2000 and 2001 in the inner part of Kongsfiord to collect late-summer data on oceanographic processes at the peculiar environment close to glaciers front. Warmer oceanic waters enter the inner Kongsfiord across the southern passage of the moraine 20–25 m deep. Surface waters get colder and fresher flowing northward along the glaciers' front and exit across the recently opened passage of Blømstrand. The water column is well stratified with cold lenses of freshwater outflowing from the glaciers at the surface. Sedimentation sharply decreases with distance from the glaciers' front. The inter-moraine depression is the area where preferential sediment accumulation occurs (up to 1.8 g cm⁻² yr⁻¹), with a residence time of particles in the water column at around 5 days.

Keywords:

• Svalbard
• Oceanography
• Sedimentation
• Sea–glacier interface
• Tracers
• Radionuclides

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out with substantial contributions of Ny Ålesund-LSF, Bergen Marine-LSF, the CNR-POLARNET ‘Progetto Strategico Artico’, the EU-funded programmes ‘ARMARA’ and ‘REMOTRANS’, and the Italian Station ‘Dirigibile Italia’. S. Poli (Longyearbyen Svalbard) provided a valuable assistance in fieldwork.