The Role of the Foehn Effect in the Glacier Melting in Grønfjorden (Spitsbergen): A Case Study of 4–5 August 2025


https://doi.org/10.7868/S2412376526010066

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Abstract

This study examines the influence of the foehn effect on a heat budget of glaciers in Grønfjord Bay on Spitsbergen. Observations on the Vestre Grønfjordbreen (West Grønfjord Glacier) revealed a sharp increase in the turbulent flux of an apparent heat during a foehn occurred on August 4–5, 2025. According to calculations using aerodynamic formulas, the foehn also increased the flux of a latent heat. As a result, the total contribution of the turbulent heat exchange was several times larger than the contribution of the radiation balance. The estimated ice melting rate reached 11 mm/h, while the calculated melting layer was equal to 10.6 cm per day with the foehn. In addition, to study the effect of mesoscale circulations, the results of high-resolution (400 m) numerical modeling of the atmosphere were used, and these were in a good agreement with the measured melting layer on a scale of several days. The simulation results showed that among the surrounding glaciers, the Austre Grønfjordbreen (East Grønfjord Glacier) is the most susceptible to melting under the influence of a foehn.

About the Authors

А. А. Shestakova
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS ; Moscow Center for Fundamental and Applied Mathematics
Russian Federation
Moscow


A. I. Narizhnaya
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Russian Federation
Moscow


I. A. Repina
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Russian Federation
Moscow


A. D. Pashkin
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Russian Federation
Moscow


A. Y. Artamonov
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Russian Federation
Moscow


A. E. Mamontov
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Russian Federation
Moscow


A. V. Timazhev
A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS
Russian Federation
Moscow


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Supplementary files

For citation: Shestakova А.А., Narizhnaya A.I., Repina I.A., Pashkin A.D., Artamonov A.Y., Mamontov A.E., Timazhev A.V. The Role of the Foehn Effect in the Glacier Melting in Grønfjorden (Spitsbergen): A Case Study of 4–5 August 2025. Ice and Snow. 2026;66(1):81-90. https://doi.org/10.7868/S2412376526010066

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