Remote Sensing Study
Detecting Change in Ice Presence with Correlations to Climatic Variations in Svalbard, Norway
Preface
Humans are estimated to have caused approximately 1˚C of global warming above pre-industrial levels. Global warming is likely to reach 1.5˚C between 2030 and 2052 given its current rate of increase (IPCC, 2018). Some areas are more susceptible to the effects of climate change and many regions have already experienced warming at a greater rate than the global average (IPCC, 2018).
The high arctic is one such region. Due to its proximity to the north pole and multiple positive climate feedback effects (such as polar amplification, decreased surface albedo from melting snow/ice), it is particularly sensitive to climatic fluctuations and the effects of climate change can be studied here in real time. The arctic also offers a detailed history of paleoclimate and glacier activity preserved in the ice and the sediment records
Study Area
The Svalbard archipelago - of which approximately 60% is glaciated (Steel and Worsley, 1984)- is located in the high arctic between the latitudes of 74°N and 81°N and longitudes of 10°E and 35° E. The constituent islands are arranged around the large central island of Spitsbergen which has mountainous terrain and small valley glaciers. The study area, Kapp Linné (Fig 1.2), is located on the western coast of Spitsbergen where Isfjorden flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Fig. 1.1).
The second area of focus was Nathorstbreen (Fig 1.3) which is located in the south central area of Spitsbergen (Fig 1.1). It is of special significance due to its unusual surges in recent years.
