A DECADE OF CHANGING CLIMATE ON VESTRE BROGGERBREEN GLACIER, NY-ÅLESUND, SVALBARD, ARCTIC=ДЕСЯТИЛІТНІ ЗМІНИ КЛІМАТУ НА ЛЬОДОВИКУ ВЕСТРЕ-БРОГГЕРБРІН, НЬЮ-ЙОЛЕСУНД, ШПІЦБЕРДЕН, АРКТИКА

Abstract

Deglaciation in high mountain areas is occurring at an alarming rate, particularly in the arctic region. The soaring rates of deglaciation concern climate scientists worldwide. During the recent past, changes in glaciers are the most sensitive proxy for global climatic variations. It is crucial to understand how northern polar ice masses respond to climate change with more than 60 percent of the Svalbard archipelago covered by glaciers and icecaps. In the last couple of decades, several Svalbard glaciers have been measured annually for mass balance. (Hagen et al., 2005) reported a negative mean net balance overall. Vestre Broggerbreen Glacier (VB), Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Arctic, has been monitored by Geological Survey of India since 2008. The observations carried out during the last decade are presented in this paper. VB is approximately 10 km west of Ny-Ålesund.