July 3, 2018 Journal article Open Access

D'Angelo, Alessandra; Giglio, Federico; Miserocchi, Stefano; Sanchez-Vidal, Anna; Aliani, Stefano; Tesi, Tommaso; Viola, Angelo; Mazzola, Mauro; Langone, Leonardo

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{
  "DOI": "10.5194/bg-15-5343-2018", 
  "abstract": "Abstract. High-latitude regions are\nwarming faster than other areas due to reduction of snow cover and sea ice\nloss and changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation. The combination of\nthese processes, collectively known as polar amplification, provides an\nextraordinary opportunity to document the ongoing thermal destabilisation of\nthe terrestrial cryosphere and the release of land-derived material into the\naquatic environment. This study presents a 6-year time series (2010\u20132016) of\nphysical parameters and particle fluxes collected by an oceanographic mooring\nin Kongsfjorden (Spitsbergen, Svalbard). In recent decades, Kongsfjorden has\nbeen experiencing rapid loss of sea ice coverage and retreat of local\nglaciers as a result of the progressive increase in ocean and air\ntemperatures. The overarching goal of this study was to continuously monitor\nthe inner fjord particle sinking and to understand to what extent the\ntemporal evolution of particulate fluxes was linked to the progressive\nchanges in both Atlantic and freshwater input. Our data show high peaks of\nsettling particles during warm seasons, in terms of both organic and\ninorganic matter. The different sources of suspended particles were described\nas a mixing of glacier carbonate, glacier siliciclastic and autochthonous marine input. The glacier releasing\nsediments into the fjord was the predominant source, while the sediment input\nby rivers was reduced at the mooring site. Our time series showed that the\nseasonal sunlight exerted first-order control on the particulate fluxes in\nthe inner fjord. The marine fraction peaked when the solar radiation was at a\nmaximum in May\u2013June while the land-derived fluxes exhibited a 1\u20132-month lag\nconsistent with the maximum air temperature and glacier melting. The\ninter-annual time-weighted total mass fluxes varied by 2 orders of magnitude\nover time, with relatively higher values in 2011, 2013, and 2015. Our results\nsuggest that the land-derived input will remarkably increase over time in a\nwarming scenario. Further studies are therefore needed to understand the\nfuture response of the Kongsfjorden ecosystem alterations with respect to the\nenhanced release of glacier-derived material.", 
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "D'Angelo, Alessandra"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Giglio, Federico"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Miserocchi, Stefano"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Sanchez-Vidal, Anna"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Aliani, Stefano"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Tesi, Tommaso"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Viola, Angelo"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Mazzola, Mauro"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Langone, Leonardo"
    }
  ], 
  "id": "68414", 
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2018, 
        7, 
        3
      ]
    ]
  }, 
  "language": "eng", 
  "note": "", 
  "title": "Multi-year particle fluxes in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard", 
  "type": "article-journal"
}