Polish Polar Research

The paper presents results of investigations of bottom sediments in Hornsund, Wijdefjorden and Isfjorden as well as of the shelf around the Bjornoya. carried out in 1982—1985 by a continuous seismic profiling. Geophysic structures and bottom sediments on the bedrock to a depth of 170 ms have been recognized, particularly in the Hornsund region. The following seismoacoustic units have been distinguished: unit A — bedrock, unit В — till and/or compacted glaciogenic deposit, unit С — glaciomarine ice-front deposit, unit D — glaciomarine mud. These results allowed to present a model of glaciomarine sedimentation in a fiord, fed by warm tidewater glaciers.

Ground temperature measurement results in main ecotopes of the Kaffiöyra coastal plain (Oscar II Land, northwestern Spitsbergen): sea beach, tundra and morainic plateau, are presented and discussed in the paper. The spatial distribution of thermal conditions is discussed with particular regard to temperature of the active surface and vertical gradients of temperature dependent on daytime and weather conditions.

Great ablation of the Werenskiold Glacier created the need of recording the changes particularly superficial ones, after melting of its icingsGround stereophotogrammetric photos done during the Polar Expedition of the Polish Academy of Sciences in 1983 enabled to prepare a map in the scale of 1:10,000 covering by its two sheets the whole glacier, a system of open crevasses inclusive. The map presents the actual state of the glacier and enables a comparison with earlier photogrammetric measurements carried out several times since 1957.

Results of measurements of temperature and salinity of surface waters of the Hornsund (South Spitsbergen) carried out at a coastal point of the Isbjornhamna Bay during the winter expedition 1979/80 of the Polish Academy of Sciences are discussed. Courses of both parameters, their variability, mean values and distributions are analyzed.

A high content of fluorine was found in ornithogenic soils around penguin rookeries on King George Island. South Shetland Islands. Fluorine is inherent in 0.11% in krill (Euphausia superba). eaten by penguins. Fluorine content in penguins excreta increased approximately to 0.43%. and after decomposition and leaching to 1.03%. The concentration grew during mineralization of organic matter in guano (up to 2.2%). In a surface layer of guano fluorine occurred in apatite. A phosphatization was noted in a subsurface zone as the result of a reaction between guano leachates and weathered volcanic rocks. In the upper part of this zone near the large rookeries a fluorine occurred in minyulite (aluminium phosphate containing potassium and fluorine) and fluorine content here reached 3.5%. Sometimes fluorine was also bound with amorphous aluminium phosphate (up. to 2.0%). formed as a result of incongruently dissolving of minyulite in pure water.

The analysis of speed and direction distribution of upper wind in the layer up to 3500 m was carried out on the basis of pibal ascents performed over the Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetland Islands).