Glacier mass balance end-of summer field work

Three researchers and engineers from Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) were in Ny-Ålesund last week measuring the end of summer mass balance on the glaciers Kongsvegen, Kronebreen and Holtedahlfonna. They were maintaining instruments on the ice and measuring how much the ice has melted since they visited in the spring. This week a new group will measure the two glaciers closer to town, Brøggerbreen and Lovénbreen.

So far it looks like an average melt year after a fairly cool summer, but the extreme melt in the last few summers still makes the long-term balance quite negative.

Stephen Hudson and Ceslav Czyz from NPI kindly shared some images from the field work with us.