Glacier distribution and direction in Svalbard, Axel Heiberg Island and throughout the Arctic: General northward tendencies

Abstract

Arctic glaciers depend on supply of moisture, mostly from the Atlantic. The snowline is remarkably high in northeast Siberia, remote from this source. Because of dif− ferential solar radiation receipt, local glaciers have a northward−facing tendency throughout the Arctic. This is weaker than in dry mid−latitudes but low sun angles enhance the effects of shading, compensating for the broader range of aspects (i.e. slope directions) illuminated in summer. Statistics from the World Glacier Inventory and other sources show that mass bal− ance differences between slopes of different aspects give both more glaciers, and lower gla− ciers, facing the favoured direction: usually North. This is clear, for example, for local gla− ciers (and for all small glaciers) in central Spitsbergen and in Axel Heiberg Island. Wind ef− fects (drifting snow to leeward slopes) are much less important, except in northwest Europe from Norway to Novaya Zemlya which is under the strong influence of westerly winds, greatest in the Polar and Sub−polar Urals. A thorough analysis is provided of aspect data for local glaciers within and near the Arctic Circle, and of variation in glacier mid−altitude with aspect and position. There is consistency between mean glacier aspect (in terms of num− bers) and aspect with lowest glaciers, everywhere except in Wrangel Island.

Climatic controls on the equilibrium-line altitudes of Scandinavian cirque glaciers

“…Several previous studies have highlighted the influence of aspect on cirque glaciation. For example, Evans (2006b;2011) has demonstrated that in the northern hemisphere, and more specifically in Scandinavia, cirques favour formation in NE aspects. Here, winter accumulation could be accentuated through windblown deposition and melting is suppressed by reduced exposure to solar radiation over diurnal cycles, with the maximum sunlight occurring in the mornings when temperatures are cooler (Chueca and Julián, 2004;Barr and Spagnolo, 2015a).…”

Changes in area and geodetic mass balance of small glaciers, Polar Urals, Russia, 1950-2008

“…Paul and others, 2004;Granshaw and Fountain, 2006;Bolch and others, 2010). However, the strong links between the behaviour of very small glaciers and local topographic and climatic factors (Evans, 2011) make their response to climatic warming less certain (Kuhn and others, 1985; Hoffman and others, 2007; DeBeer and Sharp, 2009;Abermann and others, 2011). Assessments of responses of very small glaciers to climatic warming are hampered by a lack of data: such glaciers are often excluded from analyses due to difficulties in the application of satellite remote-sensing techniques and lack of mass-balance monitoring.…”

Controls on the altitude of Scandinavian cirques: What do they tell us about palaeoclimate?

“…Similar inland trends are found in other regions and are thought primarily to reflect a limit to favourable glacial conditions, imposed by a gradual inland reduction in precipitation (Peterson and Robinson, 1969;Nesje et al, 2008;Principato and Lee, 2014;Barr and Spagnolo 2015a;Barr et al, 2017;Ipsen et al, 2018;Wallick and Principato, 2020). In Scandinavia specifically, this logic implies that, exposure to moisture from the Norwegian Sea is a key factor controlling former sites of glacier initiation and modern glacier ELAs (Bakke et al, 2008;Nesje et al, 2008;Evans, 2011;Oien et al, 2020).…”