A surge of the glaciers Skobreen–Paulabreen, Svalbard, observed by time-lapse photographs and remote sensing data

Abstract

We present observations of a surge of the glaciers Skobreen–Paulabreen, Svalbard, during 2003–05, including a time-lapse movie of the frontal advance during 2005, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission (ASTER) imagery and oblique aerial photographs. The surge initiated in Skobreen, and then propagated downglacier into the lower parts of Paulabreen. ASTER satellite images from different stages of the surge are used to evaluate the surge progression. Features on the glacier surface advanced 2800 m over 2.4 yr, averaging 3.2 m/day, while the front advanced less (ca. 1300 m) due to contemporaneous calving. The surge resulted in a lateral displacement of the medial moraines of Paulabreen of ca. 600 m at the glacier front. The time-lapse movie captured the advance of the frontal part of the glacier, and dramatically illustrates glacier dynamic processes in an accessible way. The movie documents a range of processes such as a plug-like flow of the glacier, proglacial thrusting, incorporation of old, dead ice at the margin, and calving into the fjord. The movie provides a useful resource for researchers, educators seeking to teach and inspire students, and those wishing to communicate the fascination of glacier science to a wider public.

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• Glacier surge
• time-lapse movie
• Skobreen
• Paulabreen
• Svalbard

Acknowledgements

We kindly acknowledge the following people and institutions: Svalbard Villmarkssenter, a local tour company that drew our attention to the surge of Paulabreen. Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani who funded the camera and provided logistical support. The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) provided funding and logistical support, and Lars Grande helped secure funding for the camera system. Anne-Marie LeBlanc, Alex Wolfe, Ole Humlum, Ruth Mottram, Lars Grande, Fabrice Caline and various student groups at UNIS helped in the field. The photographs in Fig. 5 were kindly provided by Tavi Murray. The ASTER images were obtained from the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Centre of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The 1990 aerial photograph (Fig. 3) is used with permission from the Norwegian Polar Institute.