GEOCRYOLOGICAL AND HYDROGEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF WESTERN PART OF NORDENSKIOLD LAND (SPITSBERGEN ARCHIPELAGO)


2020 N.E. Demidov1*, A.L. Borisik1, S.R. Verkulich1, S. Wetterich2, A.Yu. Gunar3, V.E. Demidov1, N.V. Zheltenkova3, A.V. Koshurnikov3, V.M. Mikhailova1, A.L. Nikulina1, A.L. Novikov1, L.M. Savatyugin1, A.N. Sirotkin4, A.V. Terekhov1, Yu.V. Ugrumov1, L. Schirrmeister2


1 Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute», St. Petersburg, Russia

2 Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany

3 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Geological Faculty, Moscow, Russia

4 AO «Polar Marine Geological Exploration Expedition», St. Petersburg; Lomonosov, Russia

* e-mail: nikdemidov@mail.ru



Abstract. This work provides an overview of archive data of geocryological and hydrogeological conditions of western part of Nordenskiold Land on Spitsbergen archipelago. The historical data obtained in Soviet times during coal exploration are reviewed together with own recent data from 2016–2020 within the framework of the Russian Scientific Arctic Expedition on Spitsbergen (RAE-S). In geocryological terms, the region belongs to the zone of continuous permafrost. Near the coast, the thickness of rocks and sediments with negative temperatures is about 100 m and increases up to 540 m in the high mountains. The average annual ground temperature at zero-amplitude depth varies from –3.6 to –2.2 °C. Below those, the temperature curve in the upper part tends to bend toward positive temperatures, reflecting the climate warming cycle that continues today. In hydrogeological terms, the area belongs to the marginal zone of the West Spitsbergen cryoadartesian basin. Seawater intrusions near the coast form saline subpermafrost aquifers, including subzero aquifers, reflecting seawater (sodium-chloride) composition and hydraulic heads close to sea level. Due to the existence of warm-based glaciers further inland meltwater feeds fresh and brackish subpermafrost aquifers with hydraulic heads up to 100 m above sea level: sodium-bicarbonate dominated aquifers on the east coast of Grønfjorden and magnesium-sulfate-calcium dominated aquifers in gypsified deposits on the west coast.


Keywords: Spitsbergen, permafrost, temperature monitoring borehole, noncontact ERM, GPR, cryotexture, pingo, subpermafrost water, warm-based glaciers, West Spitsbergen cryoadartesian basin.


About the authors


DEMIDOV Nikita Eduardovich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: nikdemidov@mail.ru

BORISIK Alexander Lvovich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute», 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: alborisik@aari.ru

VERKULICH Sergey Romanovich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: verkulich@mail.ru

WETTERICH Sebastian – Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research. Germany, 14473, Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, A45. E-mail: sebastian.wetterich@awi.de

GUNAR Alexey Yurievich – Lomonosov Moscow State University, Geological Faculty. Russia 119991, Moscow, Leninskie Gory, 1. E-mail: gunar@msu-geophysics.ru

DEMIDOV Vasiliy Eduardovich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: vasdemidov@mail.ru

ZHELTENKOVA Nadezda Valerievna– Lomonosov Moscow State University, Geological Faculty. Russia 119991, Moscow, Leninskie Gory, 1. E-mail: nvzheltenkova@gmail.com

KOSHURNIKOV Andrey Viktorovich – Lomonosov Moscow State University, Geological Faculty. Russia 119991, Moscow, Leninskie Gory, 1. E-mail: koshurnikov@msu-geophysics.ru

MIKHAILOVA Valentina Mikhailovna – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: marganec_mn@mail.ru

NIKULINA Anna Leonidovna – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: anikulina@aari.ru

NOVIKOV Alexander Leonidovich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: aleks0964@gmail.com

SAVATYUGIN Lev Mikhailovich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: savat@aari.ru

SIROTKIN Alexander Nikolaevich – AO «Polar Marine Geological Exploration Expedition». Russia, 198412, St. Petersburg; Lomonosov, Pobedy st., 24. E-mail: pechenga-67@yandex.ru

TEREKHOV Anton Viktorovich. – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: antonvterekhov@gmail.com 

UGRUMOV Yury Valerievich – Federal Scientific Center «Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute». Russia, 199397, St. Petersburg, Bering st., 38. E-mail: ugr@aari.ru

SCHIRRMEISTER Luts – Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research. Germany, 14473, Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, A45. E-mail: Lutz.Schirrmeister@awi.de



Cite this article as: Demidov N.E., Borisik A.L., Verkulich S.R., Wetterich S., Gunar A.Yu., Demidov V.E., Zheltenkova N.V., Koshurnikov A.V., Mikhailova V.M., Nikulina A.L., Novikov A.L., Savatyugin L.M., Sirotkin A.N., Terekhov A.V., Ugrumov  Yu.V., Schirrmeister L. Geocryological and hydrogeological conditions of western part of Nordenskiold Land (Spitsbergen archipelago), Geofizicheskie Protsessy i Biosfera (Geophysical Processes and Biosphere), 2020, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 68–93 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.21455/gpb2020.4-6


English version: Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 2020, vol. 56, iss. 11. ISSN: 0001-4338 (Print), 1555-628X (Online). https://link.springer.com/journal/volumesAndIssues/11485