Earth’s Cryosphere, 2019, Vol. XXIII, No. 5, p. 62-69
DEGRADATION OF THE MOUNTAIN GLACIATION OF PRINS KARLS FORLAND (SVALBARD)
R.A. Chernov1, A.Ya. Muraviev1, A.N. Topoleva2
1Institute of Geography, RAS, 29, Staromonetniy per., Moscow, 119017, Russia; rob31@mail.ru
2Moscow State University, 1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia
The results of the field research carried out on the glaciers of Prins Karls Forland in 2016 revealed signs of significant degradation. Comparison of topographic maps of the last century and of satellite images indicates that over the past 80 years the area of the glaciers of the island has decreased threefold. In the first half of the twentieth century, the rate of glacial reductions had increased to reach its peak at the end of the century. The smallest mountain glaciers located below 500 meters a.s.l. had decreased most of all, as they had been deprived of the feeding area due to the rise of the snow line. Large glaciers, located in the northern and most elevated part of the island, retreated to a lesser extent, as they had preserved areas of alimentation. Since 1936, the area of the glaciers of Prins Karls Forland has decreased by approximately 58 km2, in 2017 their area was (56.01 ± 3) km2. Reduction of the area of glaciers in 2008–2017 was on average 1.23 km2 per year, or 2 % of the total glaciation area of the island. Over the last century, the glaciers of Prins Karls Forland revealed the maximum rate of decline in comparison with the other areas of Svalbard.