A simplified method to estimate the run-off in Periglacial Creeks: a case study of King George Islands, Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract

Although the relationship between surface air temperature and glacial discharge has been studied in the Northern Hemisphere for at least a century, similar studies for Antarctica remain scarce and only for the past four decades. This data scarcity is due to the extreme meteorological conditions and terrain inaccessibility. As a result, the contribution of glacial discharge in Antarctica to global sea-level rise is still attached with great uncertainties, especially from partly glaciated hydrological basins as can be found in the Antarctic Peninsula. In this paper, we propose a simplified model based on the Monte Carlo method and Fourier analysis for estimating discharge in partly glaciated and periglacial hydrological catchments with a summer melt period. Our model offers the advantage of scarce data requirements and quick recognition of periglacial environments. Discharge was found to be highly correlated with surface air temperature for the partially glaciated hydrological catchments on Potter Peninsula, King George Island (Isla 25 Mayo). The model is simple to implement and requires few variables to make most versatile simulations. We have obtained a monthly simulated maximum flow estimates between 0.74 and 1.07 m s for two creeks (South and North Potter) with a very good fit to field observations. The glacial mean monthly discharge during summer months was estimated to 0.44±0.02 m s for South Potter Creek and 0.55±0.02 m s for North Potter Creek.This article is part of the theme issue 'The marine system of the West Antarctic Peninsula: status and strategy for progress in a region of rapid change'.

Benthic meltwater fjord habitats formed by rapid glacier recession on King George Island, Antarctica

“…The SPM limits light availability, particularly during the summer melt season, and causes increased sediment accumulation on the sea floor close to the glacier. In coastal areas such as Potter Cove, the meltwater that discharges as groundwater from land to sea [24] also shapes the geochemistry of the soft sediments [25,26] with consequences for the redox state, solubility and bioavailability of important micronutrients in pore waters [25,26]. The immediate ecological effects of this sediment release comprise impacts on the local biodiversity [27,28], animal energetics and growth rates [14,29,30] and on benthic community composition and community distribution [27,31,32] within the cove.…”

Glacial melt disturbance shifts community metabolism of an Antarctic seafloor ecosystem from net autotrophy to heterotrophy

“…An important and difficult task is to define the capture zone of subglacial and glacial run-off. The Potter Creek river basins were defined based on the topography and drainage networks survey 60 . It is difficult to generalize observations of magnitude and frequency of hydrological flow events because there is a lack of long-term data.…”

“…The groundwater flow was estimated to Q obs = 1.21 hm 3 month −1 for the summer months January and February. A simple calculation allows to determine that a total mixed discharge (run-off and groundwater discharge) is Q obs = 3.77 hm 3 month −1 , of which 70% corresponds to the discharge run-off and 30% to groundwater discharge 60 . The glaciological model simulations carried out by Falk et al 30 are well in agreement with the total meltwater discharge estimated by hydrological observations and a simplified hydrological model 30 .…”

Default versus Configured-Geostatistical Modeling of Suspended Particulate Matter in Potter Cove, West Antarctic Peninsula

“…The Fourcade Glacier surrounds the fjord in the North and the East. Like neighboring ice sheets off King George Island, a fast retreat of Fourcade Glacier has been observed by comparing satellite records going back into the 1950s [6,49,50]. Wölfl et al [51] described the glacial retreats and advances through bedforms at the bottom of the fjord, identified as moraine formations.…”