Coastal Evolution in Sedimentary Areas in Greenland Mette Bendixen P h D s t u d e n t DANCORE Young Professionals Day Dias 1
Outline Motivation State of the art on Arctic coasts Purpose of my Phd Presentation of the two study areas Results Conclusion
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Motivation: Climate is changing warming in the Arctic is stronger Dias 3
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Motivation: Climate is changing glaciers are retreating Bjørk et al. 2012 DOI: 10.1038/NGEO1481 Dias 4
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Motivation: Climate is changing sea ice extent is thinning and diminishing Peter Wadhams, Polar Ocean Physics Group, Cambridge Dias 5
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Climate is changing and sets off several processes: Increasing pressure on coastal areas Dias 6
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Climate is changing and sets off several processes: Increasing pressure on coastal areas Changing depositional patterns Shifting coastal fluxes to the oceans Altering sediment and nutrient pathways Dias 7
Arctic coasts: tundra Coastal plain in Alaska and Siberia Dias 8
Coastal plain in Alaska and Siberia Dias 9
State of art on Arctic coasts Coastal plain Greenland Dias 10
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) State of art on Arctic coasts Lantuiet et al. 2012 DOI 10.1007/s12237-010-9362-6 Dias 11
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) State of art on Arctic coasts - 0.86 m/yr - 0.45 m/yr - 13.6 m/yr - 0.59 m/yr?! Lantuiet et al. 2012 DOI 10.1007/s12237-010-9362-6 Dias 12
Aims Quantify rates (m 3 /y) of shoreline changes and fluxes of eroded sediment and nutrient in permafrost-affected areas in Greenland Dias 13
Aims Quantify rates (m 3 /y) of shoreline changes and fluxes of eroded sediment and nutrient in permafrost-affected areas in Greenland Specify the parameters responsible for shoreline changes in a warming Arctic climate Dias 14
Study areas sedimentary coasts Young Sound Continuous permafrost South-eastern Disko Island Discontinuous permafrost Dias 15
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Study area sedimentary coasts, Disko Island, W Gr. Sedimentary coasts ~20 % (10% deltas) Dias 16
FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) Study area sedimentary coasts, Young Sound, NE Gr. Dias 17
Aim 1 Quantify rates of shoreline changes and sediment and nutrient fluxes in permafrost-affected areas Identification of geomorphological features - beach ridges, tombolos, pocket beaches, spits, deltas Identification of coastal changes Methods Aerial photos and satellite images Coastal change detection method Dias 18
Results Morphological mapping, Disko Dias 19
Results Morphological mapping, Young Sound Dias 20
Methods detection of shoreline changes 1932 Dias 21
Methods detection of shoreline changes 1932 1950 Dias 22
Methods detection of shoreline changes 1932 Dias 23 1950 1973
Methods detection of shoreline changes Aerial photos Rectification and georeferencing Shoreline detection Shoreline changes Dias 24
Results Detection of shoreline changes Disko Island 1964: aerial photo 1985: orthophoto Skansen 2012: satellite image Dias 25
Results Detection of shoreline changes Skansen, Disko Island 1964 Skansen 1985 2012 Dias 26
Results Detection of coastal changes Zackenberg delta CENTER FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2008 2000 1989 1973 0 250 500 1.000 Meters Dias 27
Preliminary results Detection of coastal changes Zackenberg delta CENTER FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2008 2000 1989 1973 0 250 500 1.000 Meters Dias 28
Preliminary results - Detection of coastal changes Zackenberg delta CENTER FOR PERMAFROST (CENPERM) 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2008 2000 1989 1973 0 250 500 1.000 Meters 19 m 2008 2013 Dias 29
Aim 2 Specify the parameters responsible for shoreline changes in a warming Arctic climate Methods Identification of parameters influencing coastal changes - strengths and stresses Dias 30
Aim 2 Specify the parameters responsible for shoreline changes in a warming Arctic climate Methods Identification of parameters influencing coastal changes Dias 31
Results strengths stresses Dias 32
Results strengths Topographic profiles Cliff height and orientation Active layer depth Ice content Grain size Organic content stresses Bathymetry Wave characteristics Water levels incl. tide Sea ice Dias 33
Results Strength of the coast 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2008 2000 1989 1973 0 250 500 1.000 Meters Dias 34
Results Strength of the coast, active layer depth Dias 35
Take home message Sedimentary coasts in Greenlands response to climate changes erosion, aggredation, or reworking? Dias 36
Take home message Sedimentary coasts in Greenlands response to climate changes eroding, accreting, or reworking Dias 37
Questions, inputs, and comments are very welcome! Dias 38