This causes the sea to rise

On the Nordaustlandet of Svalbard we find the glacier Austfonna. Right now a part of this glacier - the Basin-3 Austfonna - surges for the first time in 140 years. Glaciolog Thorben Dunse from the Department of Geosciences, was interviewed on 16 May in Svalbardposten about the movement in the glacier.

Thorben Dunse in front of the Etonbreen, one of the glaciers arms of Austfonna. Photo: Private

When a glacier surge there is a periodic wave motion in the glacier resulting in a rapid movement forward of the front part of the glacier. For such a large glacier that Austfonna on Svalbard means this a lot of ice that will be released into the sea. The Basin-3 Austfonna will probably loose more ice into the ocean than any other glaciers in Svalbard combined.

Austfonna covers 8,102 km ² (8,492 km ² including Vegavonna) and is the largest glacier in Europe and the eighth largest in the world.

Surge in glaciers are common for glaciers in the Arctic region.

Read the article:

This causes the sea to rise. Svalbardposten. 16.05.2014

Publisert 20. mai 2014 13:00 - Sist endra 4. jan. 2023 05:17