Impact of Extreme Weather Events on the Surface Energy Balance of the Low-Elevation Svalbard Glacier Aldegondabreen
2025
Uliana V. Prokhorova | Anton V. Terekhov | Vasiliy E. Demidov | Kseniia V. Romashova | Kirill V. Barskov | Dmitry G. Chechin | Igor I. Vasilevich | Mikhail V. Tretiakov | Boris V. Ivanov | Irina A. Repina | Sergey R. Verkulich
The summer of 2022 was notable for the Svalbard archipelago due to the occurrence of several longstanding heatwaves, making it one of the warmest summers on the regional record. This study used an energy balance model forced with in situ weather observations to investigate the influence of extreme weather events on the surface energy balance of the low-elevation Aldegondabreen glacier (5.2 km2), located near Barentsburg town, with a focus on the turbulent heat exchange. The annual mass balance for 2022 (&minus:2.13 m w.e.) was one of the most negative on record for Aldegondabreen since 2002/2003 when glaciological monitoring was first initiated. We identified four heatwaves that lasted from 9 to 19 days, the most prominent of which were observed in May and in September&ndash:October, which resulted in an anomalously prolonged melt season. In addition, several shorter, 1- to 3-day extreme melt events were identified, representing up to 75 mm w.e. day&minus:1 of glacier-averaged melt. These events were well correlated (r = 0.87, p <: 0.01), with discharge from a stream originating from the glacier terminus, and all cases were associated with significant increases in mean daily wind speeds (up to 10.3 m s&minus:1).
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