The physical environment of Kongsfjorden?Krossfjorden, an Arctic fjord system in Svalbard

Abstract

Kongsfjorden‐Krossfjorden and the adjacent West Spitsbergen Shelf meet at the common mouth of the two fjord arms. This paper presents our most up‐to‐date information about the physical environment of this fjord system and identifies important gaps in knowledge. Particular attention is given to the steep physical gradients along the main fjord axis, as well as to seasonal environmental changes. Physical processes on different scales control the large‐scale circulation and small‐scale (irreversible) mixing of water and its constituents. It is shown that, in addition to the tide, run‐off (glacier ablation, snowmelt, summer rainfall and ice calving) and local winds are the main driving forces acting on the upper water masses in the fjord system. The tide is dominated by the semi‐diurnal component and the freshwater supply shows a marked seasonal variation pattern and also varies interannually. The wind conditions are characterized by prevailing katabatic winds, which at times are strengthened by the geostrophic wind field over Svalbard. Rotational dynamics have a considerable influence on the circulation patterns within the fjord system and give rise to a strong interaction between the fjord arms. Such dynamics are also the main reason why variations in the shelf water density field, caused by remote forces (tide and coastal winds), propagate as a Kelvin wave into the fjord system. This exchange affects mainly the intermediate and deep water, which is also affected by vertical convection processes driven by cooling of the surface and brine release during ice formation in the inner reaches of the fjord arms. Further aspects covered by this paper include the geological and geomorphological characteristics of the Kongsfjorden area, climate and meteorology, the influence of glaciers, freshwater supply, sea ice conditions, sedimentation processes as well as underwater radiation conditions. The fjord system is assumed to be vulnerable to possible climate changes, and thus is very suitable as a site for the demonstration and investigation of phenomena related to climate change.

Marine CDOM accumulation during a coastal Arctic mesocosm experiment: No response to elevated pCO2 levels

“…In summer, water mass structure in Kongsfjorden is to a large extent influenced by river runoff and glacial melt forming a surface brackish layer [Svendsen et al, 2002]. Vegetation is relatively poor on Svalbard, and therefore, organic matter (including CDOM) delivery from land is low [Johansen and Tømmervik, 2013], especially in comparison with large Arctic rivers [e.g., Stedmon et al, 2011].…”

Changes in Marine Prokaryote Composition with Season and Depth Over an Arctic Polar Year

“…The greater part of high latitude research has been carried out in the Arctic (predominantly due to the relative logistical ease of working in the region when compared with Antarctica) and the Svalbard archipelago in particular has become a key site for Arctic marine studies, particularly with regards to its being the confluence of both the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans (Hop et al, 2002(Hop et al, , 2006Svendsen et al, 2002). The ocean around the Western coastline of Svalbard is a sea iceassociated pelagic ecosystem (Svendsen et al, 2002) and as with other high latitude locations, seasonal variations in light (and thus in primary production) are more pronounced here than elsewhere.…”

Ecosystem Kongsfjorden: new views after more than a decade of research

“…The results of this workshop were published in two well-recognized reviews focused on the physical environment of KongsfjordenKrossfjorden (Svendsen et al 2002) and the ecosystem of Kongsfjorden (Hop et al 2002). Research performed in Kongsfjorden at the Koldewey Station (AWI) during 1991-2003 was presented in a scientific report entitled The coastal ecosystem of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (Wiencke 2004).…”