Science and earth science

Polish Polar Research

Content

Polish Polar Research | 2023 | vol. 44 | No 2 : Special Issue to celebrate 50 years anniversary of Stanislaw Baranowski Polar Station in Spitsbergen: Part 1

Authors and Affiliations

Mateusz C. Strzelecki
1
ORCID: ORCID
Marek Kasprzak
1
ORCID: ORCID
Piotr Owczarek
1
ORCID: ORCID
Łukasz Stachnik
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Alfred Jahn Cold Regions Research Centre, Institute of Geography and Regional Development, University of Wroclaw, pl. Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wroclaw, Poland
Download PDF Download RIS Download Bibtex

Abstract

An analysis of a suite of climatological indices was undertaken on the basis of long-term (1979–2019) climatological data from the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund, SW Spitsbergen. It was followed by an attempt to assess the scale of their impact on the local environment. The temperature and precipitation indices were based on percentiles of the variables calculated for a population of daily values from the climate normals for 1981–2010. A greater share of both cyclonic and anticyclonic circulations from the S and SW sectors, forcing the advection of warm air masses from the south, was decisive for the trends of change in comparison with the long-term mean. Both extreme precipitation and drought events depend on the 500 hPa geopotential height and precipitable water anomalies, determined by the baric field over the North Atlantic. Climate changes impact on the dynamics of local geoecosystems by causing faster glacier ablation and retreat, permafrost degradation, intensification of the hydrological cycle in glaciated and unglaciated catchments, and changes in the condition and growth of tundra vegetation.
Go to article

Authors and Affiliations

Krzysztof Migała
1
ORCID: ORCID
Elżbieta Łepkowska
2
ORCID: ORCID
Marzena Osuch
3
ORCID: ORCID
Łukasz Stachnik
1
ORCID: ORCID
Tomasz Wawrzyniak
3
ORCID: ORCID
Dariusz Ignatiuk
2
ORCID: ORCID
Piotr Owczarek
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Institute of Geography and Regional Development, University of Wroclaw, Plac Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wroclaw, Poland
  2. Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, ul. Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
  3. Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Księcia Janusza 6 , 01-452 Warszawa, Poland
Download PDF Download RIS Download Bibtex

Abstract

Studying the reaction of glaciers to climate warming and the interactions of ice masses with the atmosphere is cognitively highly significant and contributes to understanding the climate change. The results from the modelling of glacier surface ablation by the temperature–index and energy balance models as well as the results of meteorological and glaciological studies on Werenskioldbreen (south Spitsbergen, Svalbard) in 2011 have been analysed to improve the understanding of the glacier system’s functioning in the High Arctic. The energy balance modelling results showed that the radiation balance (58%) and sensible heat (42%) are the main factors influencing surface ablation on the glacier. The energy balance model offers a better fit to the measured ablation than the temperature–index model. These models have to be validated and calibrated with data from automatic weather stations, which provide the relevant gradient and calibration and validation. Presented models are highly suited for calculating ablation in Svalbard and other areas of the Arctic.
Go to article

Authors and Affiliations

Dariusz Ignatiuk
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 12, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Download PDF Download RIS Download Bibtex

Abstract

In the 2008 ablation season, subglacial springs discharge, flow rate and profiling of the proglacial river, physical-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity) and chemical composition (HCO3−, SO42−, Cl−, NO3−, NO2−, PO43−, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Fetot, Mn2+, Al3+, Zn2+, Pb2+ and SiO2) of water in the Werenskiold Glacier forefield were measured. Chemical composition of groundwater as well as water of lakes, the main watercourse, subglacial outflows and water representing direct meltwater recharge were studied to determine their origin, the depth of circulation and recharge systems. The results indicate that the main source of water in the glacial river were the subglacial outflows in the central part of the glacier. They generated 77% of the total amount of water in the glacier forefield. Direct inflow of groundwater from glacier moraine to proglacial river was marginally low and the water circulation system was shallow, fast and variable. There were no evidences for an important role of deeper than suprapermafrost water circulation systems. The water temperature, especially in the lakes, exceeding the mean daily air temperature during the ablation period, is due to the heating of the ground moraine rocks. A clear difference between groundwater chemical composition and surface water as well as subglacial runoff in terms of major ions, together with the homogeneity of chemical composition of the proglacial river from spring to mouth confirmed the marginal role of groundwater runoff in the drainage of the catchment area. It was confirmed that the chemical composition of groundwater and moraine lakes in the glacier forefield was shaped by geological factors, i.e., mainly chemical weathering of sulphides, carbonates and secondary sulphates. The possibility of secondary iron hydroxide precipitation and a high probability of complex aluminosilicate transformations were also demonstrated.
Go to article

Authors and Affiliations

Magdalena Modelska
1
Sebastian Buczyński
1

  1. University of Wrocław, Institute of Geological Sciences, Plac M. Borna 9, 50-204 Wrocław, Poland
Download PDF Download RIS Download Bibtex

Abstract

The objective of this work is to demonstrate for the first time the results of hydrogeochmical studies carried out in the Steinvik River catchment, in order to provide detailed information regarding the chemical composition of groundwater in the Hornsund region, SW Spitsbergen. The water chemistry in the non-glaciated Steinvik River catchment is largely controlled by hydrological processes related to thaw of the near surface permafrost. Groundwater runoff is generated from the fast flow through well-permeable active layer. Recharge from melting snow, permafrost and rain, together with short residence time of groundwater, favors the forming of low-mineralized water, reaching 41 and 50 μS/cm for surface and groundwater, respectively, with the dominance of HCO3−, Cl−, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Na+ ions. In some water samples, increased concentrations of aluminum (up to 268 μg/L ) were found. The highest concentrations of phosphate, nitrite and ammonium in water seem to be related to the presence of bird colonies. Groundwater of active layer in the studied catchment belongs to young meteoric water with the age limited to one summer season.
Go to article

Authors and Affiliations

Michał Rysiukiewicz
1
ORCID: ORCID
Henryk Marszałek
1
ORCID: ORCID
Mirosław Wąsik
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Department of Applied Hydrogeology, Institute of Geological Sciences, Wrocław University, Pl. Maksa Borna 9, 50-204 Wrocław, Poland
Download PDF Download RIS Download Bibtex

Abstract

This paper presents the permeability of the permafrost active layer determined in the Brattegg River catchment (SW Spitsbergen) for the 6-years interval of 2005–2010. The field permeability measurements technique of weathered rocks on various geomorphological forms allows to assess the value of their hydraulic conductivity ( k). High variability of k values, ranging from 6.37 10 −9 to 4.0 10 −3 m s −1, indicates the permeability of rocks from very low in clay to very high in gravel-rock rubble. Among the geomorphological forms, the best permeability was observed in boulder covers and rock debris, and the lowest one in patterned ground. The obtained results were used to determine the groundwater runoff ( q), assuming the unit thickness of the active layer aquifer. The q value from the Brattegg River catchment was calculated at 130 L s−1, which is from 15% to 47% of the average surface runoff.
Go to article

Authors and Affiliations

Mirosław Wąsik
1
ORCID: ORCID
Henryk Marszałek
1
ORCID: ORCID
Michał Rysiukiewicz
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. Institute of Geological Sciences, Department of Applied Hydrogeology, Wrocław University, Plac M. Borna 9, 50-204 Wrocław, Poland

Instructions for authors


The quarterly Polish Polar Research invites original scientific papers dealing with all aspects of polar research. The journal aims to provide a forum for publication of high-quality research papers, which are of international interest.

We warmly welcome review papers and proposals for thematic Special Issues.

Articles must be written in English. Authors are requested to have their manuscript read by a person fluent in English before submission. They should not be longer than 30 typescript pages, including tables, figures and references. However, upon request, longer manuscripts may be considered for publication. All papers are peer-reviewed. With a submitted manuscript, authors should provide e-mail addresses of at least three suggested reviewers.


Submission of the manuscript should be supported with a declaration that the work described has not been published previously nor is under consideration by another journal.

For text submission, Word file format is preferred. Please use the PPRes style template when preparing the final version of your paper. Pay special attention to writing correctly the list of references with doi. Manuscripts which are not prepared in line with the template will be returned to the authors. Please submit your manuscripts using our online submission system.

The journal does not have article processing charges (APCs) nor article submission charges. No honorarium will be paid to authors for publishing papers.





This page uses 'cookies'. Learn more