The field studies were part of the research programmes of the University of Silesia, conducted in co-operation with the Institute of Geophysics PAS.

Permafrost

One group has conducted geophysical research focused on the permafrost active layer characteristics and extend in different landforms. The team was working near the Polish Polar Station , Hornsund, where electrical soundings as well as shallow seismic profiles were made made by the hammer-impact method. Together with indirect survey two strings of thermistors were implemented into ground to the maximum depth 1.7m.

The studies were carried out in the following locations:

• on the scree slope of the Fugleberget foothill
• on the 6m high marine terrace, close to the shore
• on the Hansbreen forefield moraine system.

First analysis of the obtained results shows that there are some places, where permafrost is evident (eg in the form of buried glacier ice on the glacier forefield), but in other locations geophysical methods were affected by the ground water table (on the raised marine terrace), which caused significant drop in the resistivity values. Therefore geophysical characteristics of permafrost in the area is not uniform and depth of the active layer is not known in details in each location.

Glaciers

The second research group focused on glaciological studies including GPR and geodetic measurements, hydrology and hydrochemistry of proglacial waters in collaboration with other teams. Glaciological investigation were conducted on Hansbreen and Werenskioldbreen. Both glaciers are located close to the Polish Polar Station . They include glacier mass balance measurements, maintenance of digital time lapse cameras taking stereoscopic pictures of the frontal part of Hansbreen. Distance meter system to measure short term fluctuations of calving ice-cliff face during the polar night has been mounted. Innovative laser scanning survey (by the RIEGL device) of the frontal part of Hans glacier were made by the group from the Faculty of Geodesy and Carthography, Warsaw University of Technology with assistance of scientists from the University of Silesia.

Inglacial drainage & ice caves

Following the invitation of the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the University of Silesia glaciological group had an opportunity to work with Valenti Turu (Andora) who conducted measurements of water content in the glacier ice by means of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) probe that utilizes the natural terrestrial magnetic field. This is new geophysical methods for studies of hydro-thermal structure of glaciers tested in the first time on Svalbard glacier (Hansbreen).

In the beginning of fall, GPR survey of englacier and subglacier drainage conduits in cooperation of the speleological group from UNIS (lead by Doug Benn and Jason Gulley) were done. Radar measurements of the ice caves system were made simultanously as the caves were explored and mapped by the speleological team.

Environment

In collaboration with the University of Luxemburg (Olivier Hengesch) new prototype of instrument to record chemistry, temperature and radon content in waters at the central outflow from Werenhskiold Glacier were installed and maintained during 3 weeks. First results of the record are very promising.

The fieldwork was part of several national and international projects: IPY GLACIODYN, 7FP “ice2sea” and Border Conditions and "Spatio-Temporal Changes in Permafrost Occurrence of Mountainous Periglacial Environment of the Selected Areas in Tatra mts, Abisko Area, Northern Sweden and Hornsund area, Spitsbergen".

Contact: Jacek Jania (jjania@us.edu.pl), Wojtek Dobiński (dobin@wnoz.us.edu.pl), Dariusz Ignatiuk (dignatiuk@gmail.com), University of Silesia, Poland

Source: Dariusz Ignatiuk (dignatiuk@gmail.com), University of Silesia
 

<< Return

Measurements of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (photo: Jacek Jania, US)

New system to measure movement of calving face during the polar night (photo: Dariusz Ignatiuk,US)

Hydrochemical instrument on icing field, Werenskioldbreen (photo: Dariusz Ignatiuk, US)