We present new glacier mass-balance field data from Glaciar Bahía del Diablo, Vega Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. The results provided here represent glacier mass-balance data over a 10 year period (2001–11) obtained by the glaciological and geodetic methods relying on field measurements. Glacier surface digital elevation models (DEMs) were obtained in 2001 and 2011 from a kinematic GPS field survey with high horizontal and vertical accuracies. In situ mass-balance data were collected from yearly stake measurements. The results attained by the two methods agree, which may be considered a measure of their accuracy. A cumulative mass change of –1.90 ± 0.31 m w.e. over the 10 year period was obtained from the annual mass-balance field surveys. The total mass change derived from DEM differencing was –2.16 ± 0.23 m w.e.

Given the pronounced atmospheric warming recorded in recent decades on the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), knowledge of glacier mass balance in this region is especially important for assessing the impact of climatic warming on ice masses. ‘Glaciar Bahía del Diablo’ (GBD) on Vega Island, northeastern AP, is a glacier that terminates on land, so its mass balance is directly linked to climate. GBD is a polythermal outlet glacier, 14.3 km2 in area with an accumulation–area ratio of 0.39. Increased ablation rates and glacier thinning motivated us to select GBD as a test site for mass-balance studies within the region. Calculations based on the stratigraphic annual method yielded a mean annual loss of 0.32 mw.e. a–1 for the annual net mass balance (bn) between 1999 and 2003. A strong correlation was observed between bn and mean summer temperatures, confirming that GBD is highly sensitive to climate. The study of GBD aims at establishing a suitable reference database for ice–climate studies in a region of dramatic changes in Antarctica.

ABSTRACT. The work presented deals with detailed mapping of permafrost in Devil Bay,Vega Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Mapping of landforms and permafrost features within a periglacial plain was performed using high resolution visible satellite images and aerial photography. Two maps of permafrost were produced: one based on analysis and interpretation of visible satellite imagery and another on low-altitude aerial photography, both yielding similar results. The principles of morphogenesis were applied to map production, distinguishing both the syncryogenic and epicryogenic formations and each constitutive cryofacies. The interpretation of remote-sensing data allowed areas of occurrence of particular cryogenic processes to be defined. Remote sensing was found to be useful for permafrost mapping at both medium and large scales, and applicable for future extension to other regions in Antarctica.

Seymour (Marambio) and Vega Islands occur within the continuous permafrost zone of the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Results are presented of investigations on the occurrence, distribution, morphology and genesis of ground ice, a key aspect of permafrost research in this region. According to its morphology, ice content, buried ice type and possible upper Quaternary conditions, permafrost is divided into two cryoformations: epigenetic and syngenetic. Based on field and remote-sensing data, 76.6 km2 of Seymour Island and 81.0 km2 of Vega Island are characterized by permafrost, with estimated ice contents of 0.06 and 1.41 km3, respectively. Different genetic ground-ice types are distinguished and a regional morphogenetic classification of ground ice is proposed.