ABSTRACT
In this article, the results of an investigation into the air temperature conditions on Svalbard in the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 are presented. For this period, parallel ...temperature measurements have been made as many as in 30 sites. On the basis of this unique set of data it was possible to study, in detail, the spatial distribution of different thermal characteristics mean temperature, diurnal temperature range (DTR), day‐to‐day variability, degree of climate continentality, etc. in Svalbard. Such knowledge of the whole of Svalbard was not previously available with sufficient accuracy for all areas. High resolution maps showing the spatial distribution of all studied thermal characteristics were also produced and analysed.
Analysis of surface temperature data shows that the markedly coldest area throughout the whole year was northern Svalbard, and in particular its eastern side (Nordaustlandet). On the other hand, the highest temperatures were recorded in western part of Spitsbergen. The greatest spatial decreasing rate of temperature in Svalbard throughout the whole year was observed in a southwest (SW)–northeast (NE) direction. The distribution of mean seasonal and annual temperature reduced to sea level on Svalbard differs from the distribution based on surface temperatures. Spring, and in particular winter, saw the greatest DTRs (4–7 and 6–9 °C, respectively), while the lowest were observed in summer (3.0–3.5 °C). In all seasons, the highest DTR were mainly noted in the NE part of Svalbard, while the lowest were in its SW part. The lowest continentality of climate (30%) is clearly seen in the south‐western part of Svalbard, while the highest values (above 43%) stretch from the western part of Nordaustlandet to the area of Sveagruva in the central‐eastern part of Spitsbergen. The NORA10 hindcast temperature data differ significantly from measured data for some seasons and areas and need bias corrections when used in climatology.
We present ground-penetrating radar (GPR)—based volume calculations, with associated error estimates, for eight glaciers on Wedel Jarlsberg Land, southwestern Spitsbergen, Svalbard, and compare them ...with those obtained from volume-area scaling relationships. The volume estimates are based upon GPR ice-thickness data collected during the period 2004–2013. The total area and volume of the ensemble are 502.91 ± 18.60 km2 and 91.91 ± 3.12 km3, respectively. The individual areas, volumes, and average ice thickness lie within 0.37–140.99 km2, 0.01–31.98 km3, and 28–227 m, respectively, with a maximum recorded ice thickness of 619 ± 13 m on Austre Torellbreen. To estimate the ice volume of unsurveyed tributary glaciers, we combine polynomial cross-sections with a function providing the best fit to the measured ice thickness along the center line of a collection of 22 surveyed tributaries. For the time-to-depth conversion of GPR data, we test the use of a glacierwide constant radio-wave velocity chosen on the basis of local or regional common midpoint measurements, versus the use of distinct velocities for the firn, cold ice, and temperate ice layers, concluding that the corresponding volume calculations agree with each other within their error bounds.
Monitoring changes in glacial dynamics is essential for understanding the environmental response to accelerated climate warming in the Arctic. However, geodetic surveys in polar regions continue to ...present considerable challenges because of the harsh environmental conditions and the polar night. This study records a 14-year-long time series (2006–2019) of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) surveys of the positions of 16 ablation stakes distributed across Hansbreen, a tidewater glacier in southern Svalbard. The measurements were conducted with an exceptionally high temporal resolution, from about 1 week to about 1 month, and covering altitudes ranging from 20 to 490 m a.s.l. The position of one stake was surveyed every day. The primary data products consist of the stake coordinates and velocities. Time series of annual and seasonal velocities are also provided. This dataset may be a subject of further studies of glacier dynamics in relation to the long-term and seasonal impact of climate change on ice flow in the region. It also offers unique material for tuning numerical models of glacier dynamics and for validating satellite-derived products such as velocity and digital elevation models. The dataset described here has been made publicly available through the Zenodo repository: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8289380 (Błaszczyk et al., 2023).
Ariebreen is a small (0.37 km
2
)-valley glacier located in southern Spitsbergen. Our ground-penetrating radar surveys of the glacier show that it is less than 30 m thick on average, with a maximum ...thickness of 82 m, and it appears to be entirely cold. By analysing digital terrain models of the ice surface from different dates, we determine the area and volume changes during two periods, 1936-1990 and 1990-2007. The total ice volume of the glacier has decreased by 73% during the entire period 1936-2007, which is equivalent to a mean mass balance rate of −0.61±0.17 m y
−1
w.eq. The glacier thinning rate has increased markedly between the first and second periods, from −0.50±0.22 to −0.95±0.17 m y
−1
w.eq.
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This study was conducted to obtain an overview of transition metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb and Zn) in the soils of the sub-Mediterranean winegrowing region in Slovenia. Twenty-four soil sampling ...sites (22 vineyards, 2 forests) were selected to obtain a reliable set of data and possibly find differences in metal content. The sites differ in soil properties, vineyard age, landform and soil depth. Soil depth and vineyard landform were found to have no significant influence on soil characteristics. Statistically significant differences in CEC (cmol kg
−
1
), pH and loss on ignition were found between vineyard and forest soils. Vineyard soils with average metal content of Cd (1.4 mg kg
−
1
), Co (23 mg kg
−
1
), Cu (7 mg kg
−
1
), Mn (1251 mg kg
−
1
), Mo (1.7 mg kg
−
1
), Pb (22 mg kg
−
1
) and Zn (101 mg kg
−
1
) can be classified as less polluted, even though the content levels of Cd, Co and Cu are higher than the limited values as defined by the Slovenian Directive. The contents of Cd and Co in forest soil were also higher than the limit values, which can only be explained by the parental material influence. The highest contents of Zn, Pb, Cu and Mn were detected in topsoil layers, although the differences according to soil sampling depth were insignificant. In view of vineyard landform, the significantly highest contents of Pb (26 mg kg
−
1
), Co (24 mg kg
−
1
), Mo (1.9 mg kg
−
1
), Cd (1.8 mg kg
−
1
) and Mn (1271 mg kg
−
1
), but not for Zn and Cu, were determined on planes. The content of Cu significantly increases with a vineyard's age. The study confirmed that the main source of transition metal pollutant in the region is intensive viticulture practice, especially the use of copper substances.
The ablation of glaciers is an important factor in energy exchange between the atmosphere and land ice masses. The dynamics of ablation closely reflects climate changes and is important for the ...estimation of the outflow of meltwater, which, having penetrated a glacier to bedrock, stimulates its velocity by increasing basal sliding. More detailed studies using automatic weather stations (AWS) and the calculation of the energy budget are rarely conducted on small glaciers. The mass balance of the Hans Glacier has been monitored since 1989. Its intensified monitoring using AWS began in 2003. The results show that ablation depends more evidently on the daily mean and maximum air temperature and wind speed than on total and net radiation. Ablation, both that controlled by sonic height ranger and that measured manually on stakes, was compared with the values calculated on the basis of energy flux formulas applied by Oerlemans (2000). The statistical results allowed us to construct empirical equations, which in turn enabled us to compute the course and total ablation during the summer seasons. It can be described on the basis of two primary meteorological elements (air temperature and wind speed), as recorded in the station representing the regional area (Hornsund) or measured in situ on the glacier. Standard measurements of ablation from the years 1989-2004 were used to verify empirical model. The computed mean value of summer ablation for 1989-2004 was calculated at 1.35 m, differing from real measurements by only 10% (with SD = 0.18). The results obtained illustrate that an empirical equation can be applied in time series analyses. A regional ablation model enables us to investigate the mass-balance history of glaciers on the basis of meteorological data.
The objective of this study was to assess concentrations of selected markers of coagulation in children with relapse of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome during a 6-week therapy. Study groups: 22 ...subjects (32 relapses)--14 males, 8 females (mean age 7.15 +/- 1.5 y.) with no thrombotic complications were included into the study. All children were clinically steroid-sensitive.
Coagulation markers (platelet count, thrombin time, APTT, INR, fibrinogen 1 + 2 fragments (F1 + 2), thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT), serum levels of D-dimer (DD), fibrin monomers (FM) and antithrombin activity (ATIII)) were measured three times: on admission, after 2 and 6 weeks. The control group consisted of 13 healthy children.
Serum concentration of TAT or F1 + 2 did not differ between 3 stages (p > 0.05). However, values at 0 and 2 weeks were significantly higher than in control group (p < 0.05). We found no correlation between TAT or F1 + 2 and FBG, ALB, TCH, TG levels. table: see text
The coagulation cascade in relapse of NS was activated during first 6 weeks of therapy whereas metabolic disturbances (low ALB, high FGB, TCH, TG, high platelets) normalized. It is speculative whether it was caused by active immunological process but definitely it resulted in "prothrombotic state" in INS patients.
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