Studying Glacier-Ocean Interactions in Svalbard – A New Project at the Department of Polar and Marine Research
The project "Investigating glacier-ocean interactions using the natural laboratory of Hornsund Fjord, Svalbard", funded under the National Science Centre (NCN) competition, will be carried out at the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. The research aims to analyze calving processes, submarine melting of marine-terminating glaciers, and their impact on the ocean environment. The project will enhance our understanding of glacier disintegration mechanisms and their implications for the global climate by employing state-of-the-art measurement techniques, including underwater acoustics.
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, leading to the rapid melting of ice sheets. This phenomenon not only contributes to sea level rise but also affects global weather patterns and the Earth's hydrological cycle. The interactions between marine-terminating glaciers and the warming ocean remain one of the least understood yet critical aspects of climate change. These processes occur in extreme environments—far from civilization, in harsh Arctic conditions, and in complete darkness for several months of the year.
Hornsund Fjord in Svalbard serves as an ideal "natural laboratory" for studying these interactions. The Polish Polar Station, located in the region, provides essential logistical support and long-term monitoring of glacial, oceanic, and atmospheric processes. The project will focus on several glacier bays within Hornsund, which—despite their proximity—exhibit significant environmental differences. This will allow for a detailed investigation of calving and submarine melting under diverse oceanographic conditions.
One of the project's key components is the long-term monitoring of underwater sounds, generated by calving events and melting beneath the ocean surface. These acoustic signals will provide valuable data on the rate and mechanisms of glacier mass loss.
Project Objectives:
- Investigate the dynamics of glacier-ocean interactions across different glacier bays in Hornsund Fjord and identify their causes and effects.
- Examine changes at the glacier-ocean boundary during the polar night.
- Analyze the interdependencies between calving, submarine melting, and oceanographic conditions, as well as their impact on glacier mass balance.
Project Duration:
March 1, 2025 – TBD
Total Budget: 3,497,862 PLN
Principal Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Oskar Głowacki
Total Budget: 3,497,862 PLN
Principal Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Oskar Głowacki
Expected Outcomes:
- Development of novel methods for monitoring calving processes using underwater acoustics.
- Improved understanding of glacier-ocean interactions, allowing for better predictions of glacier retreat.
- Enhanced knowledge of climate change effects in polar regions and their global environmental impact.
- The findings of this project will contribute to a better understanding, monitoring, and forecasting of glacier retreat worldwide, which is crucial for assessing the implications of climate change on a global scale.
