A sea floor investigation was performed in the fiord of Hornsund by means of the seismoacoustic profiling, echosounding and core sampling. The main seismoacoustic sea floor units were recognized (the methods used according to Kowalewski et al. 1987a) and characterized on the basis of their relations to geomorphology and geological evolution. The bathymetrical sketch and the resulting geomorphological description of the bottom were prepared. The surface of the sea bottom and the surface of the bedrock displayed an irregular high relief with large sills dividing the fiord sea floor into several basins. Four main types of the sills were distinguished: burried sills, accumulative sills, rock sills and rock-accumulative sills. Within the internal Basins I and II there were thick (up to 170 m) covers of the glaciomarine ice-front deposit with changing thin ( 1 -5 m) blanket of the glaciomarine muds at the bottom surface. The Basin III had a cover of the glacial and glaciomarine deposits of variable lithology, genesis and age. The most external Basin IV had a cover o f glaciomarine muds up to 4 0 - 5 0 m thick, deposited on the tills. Four main glacial episodes were recognized, most probably referring to the stadials of Lisbetdalen, Slaklidalen, Revdalen and to the Little Ice Age.
The purpose of this study was to present the current state of avifauna in the vicinity of Polish Polar Station, at Hornsund (SW Spitsbergen). During four seasons (2003-2006) ten bird species were recorded as breeding there. Among them colonial little auk and Arctic tern were most abundant. Six additional species were noted during the breeding season but none of them bred there and their visits in the study plots were a consequence of their nesting nearby study area. Remaining 11 species were recorded during migration. The most pronounced changes over the last 35 years has been a considerable increase in number of barnacle geese exploiting the tundra as their foraging and resting area.
The differentiation of the isotopic composition of glacial water in some Hornsund glaciers was found to depend on its position with respect to the firn line, situation in the circulation system and on seasonal variations of air temperature. Intensive ice thawing in the ablation zone is marked by decreased values of the tritium content in the discharge of the glacier, whereas water from thawing snow nad firn increases these values. The isotopic differentiation which occures in waters in the main flow systems indicates the magnitude of the shares of water from thawed ice firn and snow in the total drainage of the glacier.
Sphagnum riparium (Bryophyta) is recorded and described from the Wedel Jarlsberg Land on Spitsbergen, the Arctic Svalbard Archipelago. It is the northernmost known population of the species in the Northern Hemisphere. The distribution of the two known Sphagnum species in the Hornsund area, viz. S. riparium and S. squarrosum is mapped and described.
Certain chemical parameters such pH, specific electric conductivity (SpC) and concentrations of chloride ions (Cl-) have been analysed in samples of precipitation collected close to the Polish Polar Station at Hornsund (PPS), SW Spitsbergen. On the basis of seasonal data from years 1993-1994 and 1998-1999, some differences are apparent from the two sets. There is also a marked difference in the seasonal results, especially with respects to pH values; summer precipitation (pH of which can be as low as 3.78) is much more acidic than winter. This was particularly notable in respect of the summer of 1993, and was presumably the result of a relatively unusual atmospheric circulation and a high influx of airborne contaminants from Europe. The wide variation in specific electrical conductivity measurements is considered to be related to variations in wind direction and speed. That precipitation the highest total dissolved salts, of 11.7 mm w.e. (water equivalent), (November 1993), provided 10.7 g of salt per square metre of tundra near the Polish Polar Station. The proximity of the sea, consequently the development of marine aerosols, largely determines the chemical nature of the precipitation. Thus, variations in the chloride ion concentrations during the study periods more or less reflect the variations in the marine aerosol influences on the nature of the polluted precipitation. An analysis of the atmospheric circulation reveals that the most acid precipitation occurs most frequently in the C-8 type of circulation (cyclonic S + SW) and also, less so, for type C-3 (anticyclonic S + SW).
Research on the chemistry of atmospheric precipitation in the Hornsund region of Svalbard has been extended by analysis of the organic contents. In rainfall samples collected in September 2003, the organics were separated by solid phase extraction (SPE), eluted and analysed on gas chromatograph coupled to a mass selective detector (GC/MS). Rainfall pH was in the range 4.72–5.45, the low values suggesting possible pollution. Concentrations of inorganic ions, expressed as total dissolved salts (TDS), were 5.40–13.18 mg L–1. Non-sea-salt (nss) sulphates were in the range 5–11 μeq L–1. In all samples, long-chain alkanes with chain length up to C36, and their methyl derivatives were detected. Among aromatic compounds biphenyl, dibenzofuran and its methyl derivatives were found. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were represented by naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, acenaphthene, fluoranthene and pyrene. There were no PAHs with higher numbers of rings. The synoptic meteorological conditions in September 2003 indicate that all organic and inorganic pollutants were of local origin.
Measurements of CO2 concentrations in soil air were taken in the summer seasons of 1998 and 2001 in SW Spitsbergen. The measurements were carried out in three small non-glaciated catchments in the Hornsund region close to the Polish Polar Station. The preliminary measurements were made using a Dräger's pump and ampules which contained an alkaline absorbent (1998). Later (2001), a new more accurate apparatus which uses a gravimetric method was tested. A variety of different geographical situations was chosen for the CO2 measurements. These included areas which differed in respect of the local hydrology, terrain relief, exposure to solar radiation, distance from the sea and quantity of seabird excrements in the soil. The measured concentrations of soil CO2 varied between 0.05 and 0.3% (with one exceptionally high value close to 0.5%). Owing to the local conditions, the differences between CO2 concentrations seem closely to relate to the specific properties of each catchment. Much of the biogenic CO2 present in water that circulates in tundra catchments which have a limestone foundation becomes involved in the dissolution of that limestone. In July 2001, about 40% of the CO2 was used in the dissolution of the carbonate rocks (30.3 kg/km2 month), the “free” CO2 being transported to the sea at Isbjřrnhamna Bay (40.4 kg/km2 month). In contrast, the water flowing through acidic rocks are rich in “free” CO2. The concentrations of dissolved and transported HCO3– ions from the polar catchments are closely correlated with variations in the daily production of biogenic CO2.
Studies of the Quaternary evolution of the Hornsund Region in Spitsbergen focused in nine key areas, in which detailed fieldworks with mapping and sampling to radiocarbon and thermoluminescence analyses have been done. Glacial history of the Hornsund Region is known from the Torellkjegla (Holsteinian) Interglacial up to the recent times. The Wedel Jarlsberg Land (Saalian) Glaciation was the most widespread in this part of Spitsbergen and consisted of two stades(?). It was followed by considerable glacier retreat during the Bogstranda (Eemian) Interglacial, the latter being represented by development of soils. Four glacier advances (the two younger ones are the Lisbetdalen and the Slaklidalen stages) occurred during the Sörkapp Land (Vistulian) Glaciation. Three glacier advances (Gronfjorden and Revdalen stages, followed by the Little Ice Age) were recognized for the Holocene. The oldest and highest (although somewhat questionable) raised marine beaches come presumably from the Wedel Jarlsberg Land Glaciation. The beaches 80-100 m a.s.l. were formed during the Bogstranda (Eemian) Interglacial. The beaches 20-60 m a.s.l. are correlated with the Sórkapp Land Glaciation. All the lower marine beaches were formed during the Holocene.
The Hornsund region is characterised by a topoclimatic variation, which results principally from the local orography, the vicinity of open sea and the two contrasting environments: non-glaciated and glaciated. The specific types of atmospheric circulation determine the local thermal differences. The west coast is characterised by the most favourable thermal conditions, where air temperature is largely determined by foehn processes. The temperature at the Baranowski Station is 0.8°C higher on average than that of the Polish Polar Station on the northern shore of Hornsund . The temperature in the northern shore of the fjord happens to be higher than that on the west coast, which is attributed to the NW cyclonic inflow of cool Arctic air masses. During intermediate weather, when ground frost-thaw takes place, the northern shore of Hornsund is warmer by 0.5°C ; whereas, during moderately frosty weather, it is warmer by 0.2°C than the west coast. The differences result from the effect of the warmer fjord waters on the surrounding air temperature. During moderately warm weather, more favourable conditions occur near the Baranowski Station, expressed by the mean temperature difference of 0.9°C. The greatest temperature difference of 1.5°C on average is normally recorded during warm weather.
Works connected with execution of geodesic and photogrammetric surveys and with setting up maps in the scale of 1:5000 of environs of the Polish Polar Station on the Isbjörnhamna Bay and in the scale of 1:500 of the area covered with buildings of the Station are discussed.
Intertidal zone of four gravel beaches in Hornsund Fjord (West Spitsbergen) were investigated in order to study macrofaunal distribution and diversity in these poor habitats. A total of 12 macrofaunal taxa were found in the collected material. The most frequent and the most abundant taxon was Lumbricillus sp. (Oligochaeta). The next most numerous group were juvenile Gammarus spp. juv. The fauna included also polychaetes, molluscs and other crustaceans. The diversity measured with Shannon-Weaver index was low and varied from 0 to 1.4. The analysis revealed that there were no statistically important differences in macrofaunal distribution among stations in fjord. However there were significant differences among various tidal mark zones and high patchiness in animals abundance at each station. Also species composition, density and biomass were diversified along the tide level profile.
Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, concentrations of uric acid in the surface waters of two non-glaciated catchments (Fugle and Dynamisk) on Spitsbergen were measured. Measurements of specific conductivity enabled us to perform tests on the dissolution of the carbonate rocks present in both catchments in both natural and aqueous solutions of uric acid. Samples of calcium urate were made and its water solubility determined. Given a knowledge of concentrations of uric acid, calcium ions and calcium urate solubility product, an estimate of the role of uric acid in the dissolution of carbonate rocks was possible. Uric acid increases the dissolution of carbonate rocks by c. 12.5% in case of the Fugle catchment and 7% in Dynamisk.
The succesive fifth whole-year research expedition stayed at the polar station of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, in the Hornsund fiord from July 1982 to August 1973. Continuous observations as well as sejsmologic, magnetic and meteorological records, constituting continuation of the investigations started in summer 1978. were carried out by the wintering group of 8 men. Also separate research programmes: physics of atmosphere and ionosphere, sedimcntologo-oceanological, geomorphological and medical investigations, including observations of white bears, were realized. Many technical works, repairs and adaptations were carried out as well.