Jan LESZKIEWICZ* Jacek PIASECKI** Marian PULINA* •Faculty of Earth Sciences University of Silesia Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec POLAND "Department of Meteorology and Climatology Geographical Institute Wrocław University Kosiby 8, 51-670 Wroclaw POLAND

HYDROLOGY OF THE WERENSKIOLD GLACIER CATCHMENT AREA (SOUTH SPITSBERGEN) IN SUMMER 1998

HYDROLOGIA BASENU LODOWCA WERENSKIOLDA (POŁUDNIOWY SPITSBERGEN) W SEZONIE LETNIM 1998

ABSTRACT

Hydrological problems of the catchment area of the Werenskiold Glacier (South Spitsbergen) in summer 1998 are presented in the paper. Higher, than the perennial average, air temperature and ac-companying foehn effect were the factors increasing discharge from the catchment area by approxima-tely 80% when compared to the average in the seventies and the eighties.

INTRODUCTION

Hydrological investigations were carried out in the Werenskiold Glacier catch-ment area during the hydrologically active season 1998. Observations and recor-ding of water discharged from the glacier (water levels and flows) were carried out. The main observations were carried out in a typical hydrometrie profile within the range of the frontal moraine ridge (Fig. 1). From 8 August till 16 September continuous analogue observations of water levels were carried out in that profile (water level gauge). Water levels were marked everyday and several water flows were measured. The obtained discharge curve enabled the calculation of hourly flow values in the Glacier River.

There was a meteorological station located in a traditional place on the frontal moraine, which worked from 13 July till 18 September. The following meteorolo-gical data were used for this paper: air temperature, precipitation, humidity and

POLISH POLAR STUDIES XXVI Polar Symposium

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154 Jan Leszkiewicz, Jacek Piasecki, Marian Pulina

Fig. 1. Basin of the Werenskiold Glacier (SW Spitsbergen): 1 - boundaries of the basin, 2 - slopes of mountain massifs, 3 - supraglacial and proglacial rivers, 4 - springs, 5 - water reservoirs, 6 - hydrome-trie gauging stations, 7 - moraines, 8 - glacier front extent in 1998, 9 - horizontal caves, 10 - glacier shafts (numbers indicates depth), 11 - meteorological stations, 12 - Stanisław Baranowski Glaciologi-

cal Station of Wroclaw University

air pressure. Some data collected in Polish Polar Station in Hornsund were also employed.

Meteorological observations helped to distinguish several types of weather, main-ly the periods of foehn winds. The foehn winds accompanied by increase of tem-perature supplied large amounts of energy to the surface of the glacier (turbulence exchange of heat), increasing glacier ablation and in further consequence the fo-ehn rise of the water level in the Glacier River.

REMARKS ON THE CATCHMENT AREA OF THE WERENSKIOLD GLACIER

The catchment area of the Werenskiold Glacier (<p = 77°04' N, К = 15°20' E) is the most thoroughly investigated area in Spitsbergen as far as hydrology in con-cerned. In the years 1957-1961, 1970-1975, 1978-1983, 1986, 1988, 1998, mem-bers of Polish and Czech polar expeditions carried out detailed investigations there,

Hydrology of the Werenskiold Glacier catchment area (South Spitsbergen).. 155

especially in such fields as meteorology, climatology, glaciology and hydrology (Kosiba 1960; Baranowski 1973; Pulina 1974; Baranowski 1975; Baranowski, Gło-wicki 1975; Baranowski 1977; Czajkowski 1981; Szczepankiewicz-Szmyrka 1981; Jania, Kolondra 1982; Pereyma 1983; Pereyma, Piasecki 1983; Krawczyk Pulina, 1983; Głowacki 1983; Kropka, Leszkiewicz 1987; Rehäk et al., 1990, Krawczyk, Le-szkiewicz 1995, Rehäk Sen., Rehäk Jun. 1995). The results of investigations cove-ring the whole year carried out in the years 1957-1958 (Kosiba 1960) and in 1979-1980 (Pulina et al. 1985) are the most important for a thorough investigation of the hydrological cycle.

The catchment area, which is closed by a hydrometrie profile in the gorge of the Glacier River in the frontal moraine, covers the Werenskiold Glacier (25 km2), unglaciated forefield of the glacier (9 km2) and unglaciated slopes and mountain ridges (10 km2). The total area of the catchment area is equal to 44 km2 .

The thickness of the Werenskiold Glacier was measured by means of geophysi-cal methods at the end of the seventies and nineties. The average thickness in the seventies was equal to 100 m (Czajkowski 1982) or 88 m according to Russian gla-ciologists (Matcheret, Zhuravlev 1982), currently the thickness has decreased and is equal to approximately 70 m (Głowacki*). Maximum thickness is equal to 250, 320 m respectively. Intensive recession of the glacier is proved by the decrease of its area. During the last three years, the area of the glacier has decreased by 3 km2 . The threefold structure is a characteristic feature of the glacier. Separate glaciers flow from three cirques and join in the glacier valley forming one but not in the least non-homogeneous glacial tongue. Its particular parts are separated by medial mo-raine ridges and each of them have their own drainage systems which are connec-ted with the main outlets in the glacier front. The internal system of the glacial drainage and the system of (rivers) proglacial streams in the forefield have inten-sively changed in consecutive hydrological years.

Two streams flow from the glacier into the Sea-gull Lake (Jezioro Mewie) loca-ted in the marginal zone, and only one stream flows out of the lake, forming a tri-butary of the Glacier River.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CATCHMENT AREA DISCHARGE ON A BACKGROUND OF METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENTS

The data concerning meteorological conditions in the whole active hydrological season were based on the results of measurements taken at the Polish Polar Sta-tion in Hornsund (Fig. 2, 3). Meteorological data from the S. Baranowski Station located in the forefield of the Werenskiold Glacier were also used. The Station in Hornsund is representative for low areas affected by an intensive blowout of snow. Hence, it is difficult to estimate the thickness of snow cover at higher altitu-

* The paper presented during Speleological School in Lądek Zdrój on 9 February 1999.

Hydrology of the Werenskiold Glacier catchment area (South Spitsbergen). 157

perennial average (approximately 65 cm) and the water equivalent of snow was equal to 245 mm. The period of snow melting was long, approximately one month from 30 May till the end of June.

Tab. 1. Selected meteorological and hydrological elements in South Spitsbergen in summer 1998 on the background of perennial average values

Meteorogical and hydrologi-cal elements

Units Meteorological

and hydrological stations

Periods May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.

Air temperature °C Hornsund 1983-1995 -2.7 1.9 4.4 3.8 1.0 -3.9

Air temperature °C Hornsund

1998 -4.5 1.7 5.3 5.1 1.0 -2.0 Air temperature °C Baranowski St. 1998 *6.8 6.4 •1.4

Precipitation mm Hornsund 1978-1995 20.1 35.5 38.0 46.8 49.4 44.6

Precipitation mm Hornsund

1998 21.0 0.7 1.5 31.0 40.3 59.4 Precipitation mm Baranowski St. 1998 *0 19.4 >46.3

Discharge m3/s Werenskiold Glacier River

1972-1988** *0.3 *3.2 8.8 6.9 2.9 0.6 Discharge m3/s Werenskiold

Glacier River 1998 •16.4 12.5 *7.4

* Approximate values; ** Precisely - hydrological years: 1972-1974, 1979-1980, 1983, 1985-1986, 1988.

The flow rate in the Werenskiold Glacier River, as well as discharge from the catchment area in the investigated period in summer 1998 were approximately 80% higher than the perennial average (Tab. 1). Such high water discharge was the result of two main factors occurring in the same time which increased the ab-lation of the glacier. The temperature was 1.5°C higher than the perennial average in summer months and foehn winds were much more frequent. The low summer precipitation had no hydrological importance (the total precipitation from July to 22 August was only 6.4 mm in Hornsund). The statistical connection between air temperature and glacier ablation and in further consequence with ablation di-scharge is well known in glacial hydrology. However, the foehn effect results in a significantly higher increase of discharge than the increase caused by a high temperature accompanying the foehn (Leszkiewicz 1982, 1987). Ablation, foehn floods are similar to rain floods. There were three ablation, foehn floods in the in-vestigated period (12 July-16 July, 20 July-22 July, and 15 Aug.-19 Aug.) and two ablation, foehn, floods accompanied by rain (24 Aug.-27 Aug. and 30 Aug.-l Sept.).

The next flood 2-5 Sept. was caused by rain. When it finished gradual decrease of the discharge from the catchment area began and lasted two consecutive hy-drological seasons: autumn (6 Sept.-23 Sept.), and early winter (24 Sept.-29 Oct.).

The statistical relation between selected meteorological and hydrological ele-ments in the Hornsund region in the summer period 1998 (Tab. 2) was investiga-ted. Significant correlation coefficients between air temperature (at Baranowski Station and in Hornsund) and water flow in the Werenskiold Glacier River (r = 0.70-0.74 N=70) were obtained. The results will be employed for further statistical modelling.

158 Jan Leszkiewicz, Jacek Piasecki, Marian Pulina

Q [m /s]

3 0 1

Fig. 3. Discharge of the Werenskiold Glacier River in the period 8 July-16 Sept. 1998; Smooth line -average 24 hour values, Sharp line - one hour values, F - ablation, foehn floods, R - rain floods

Tab. 2. Values of correlation coefficients between selected meteorological and hydrological elements in the Hornsund region (South Spitsbergen) in summer 1998. Important correlation coefficients are shaded

Q C25 TaB6 FB6 PBt TaH6 FH TaHav PHt APH

Q 1.000 -0.555 0.702 -0.151 0.074 0.743 -0.098 0.762 -0.110 0.093 C25 -0.555 1.000 -0.648 -0.128 -0.052 -0.669 -0.352 -0.740 -0.038 -0.060 ТаВб 0.702 -0.648 1.000 -0.485 -0.038 0.791 -0.101 0.870 0.019 0.066 FB6 -0.151 -0.128 -0.485 1.000 0.116 -0.260 0.739 -0.286 0.165 0.045 PBt 0.074 -0.052 -0.038 0.116 1.000 0.018 0.234 -0.055 0.054 -0.056

TaH6 0.743 -0.669 0.791 -0.260 0.018 1.000 -0.211 0.904 -0.008 -0.015 FH -0.098 -0.352 -0.101 0.739 0.234 -0.211 1.000 -0.093 0.236 0.154

TaHav 0.762 -0.740 0.870 -0.286 -0.055 0.904 -0.093 1.000 0.003 0.035 PHt -0.110 -0.038 0.019 0.165 0.054 -0.008 0.236 0.003 1.000 0.088 APH 0.093 -0.060 0.066 0.045 -0.056 -0.015 0.154 0.035 0.088 1.000

Q - discharge of the Werenskiold Glacier River, C25 - conductivity (the Werenskiold Glacier River); TaB6 - air temperature at Baranowski Station (6 a.m.); FB6 - relative humidity of air at Baranowski Station (6 a.m.); PB - precipitation at Baranowski Station (24 hours total); TaH6 - air temperature in Hornsund (6 a.m.); FH - relative air humidity in Hornsund (24 hours average); TaHav-air temperatu-re in Hornsund (24 hours average); PHt - precipitation in Hornsund (24 hours total); APH - atmos-pheric pressure in Hornsund (24 hours average).

Hydrology of the Werenskiold Glacier catchment area (South Spitsbergen). 159

CONCLUSIONS

The catchment area of the Werenskiold Glacier is the most thoroughly investi-gated area in Spitsbergen as far as hydrology in concerned. Hydrological measure-ments in the profile closing the catchment area were carried out in 9 seasons. Hy-drological data in connection wi th meteorological data (from the Station in Horn-sund and Baranowski Station in the forefield of the glacier) form a base to elabo-rate a statistical course at the t ime w h e n hydrological phenomena occur.

The 1998 summer, in south Spitsbergen, was warmer than the average: air temperature in Hornsund was higher by 1.5°C than the perennial average. Apart from that , warm foehn winds occurred. The above factors caused a high discharge from the ca tchment area of the Werenskiold Glacier which was more than 80% higher than the perennial average.

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STRESZCZENIE

Praca przedstawia zagadnienia hydrologiczne zlewni Lodowca Werenskiolda (Południowy Spitsber-gen) latem 1998. Basen ten należy do najlepiej rozpoznanych pod względem hydrologicznym obszarów Spitsbergenu. W latach 1957-1961, 1970-1975, 1978-1983, 1986, 1988, 1998 uczestnicy polskich i czes-kich wypraw polarnych przeprowadzili tam szczegółowe studia m.in. z zakresu meteorologii i klimato-logii oraz glacjologii i hydrologii.

Istotna korelacja danych hydrologicznych (Rzeka Lodowcowa Werenskiolda) i meteorologicznych (ze stacji w Hornsundzie i Stacji Baranowskiego na przedpolu Lodowca Werenskiolda) daje podstawy do opracowania w przyszłych pracach modelu statystycznego przebiegu w czasie zjawisk hydrologicz-nych.

Lato 1998 r. było na południowym Spitsbergenie cieplejsze niż zwykłe - temperatura powietrza w Hornsundzie była wyższa o 1.5°C od średniej z okresu wieloletniego. Ponadto wystąpiły ciepłe wiatry fenowe, które spowodowały wystąpienie trzech wezbrań ablacyjnych, fenowych. Wysoki odpływ ze zlewni wywołany przez wymienione czynniki był wyższy o około 80% od średniej z wielolecia.

* This paper was written as a part of a scientific programme No P13-1021-P04/96/10 financed by the Committee of Scientific Research.