The studies of the ablation and the outflow from the Waldemar Glacier conducted in 1997 were a part the programme encompassing the glacier’s mass balance that began in 1995. An attempt was made to connect the degree of ablation with the outflow from the basin and also with the outflow from the characteristic parts of the glacier.
The Waldemar Glacier possesses an area of 2.66 m2 and occupies 61 % of the basin closed by the ice-moraine ridges at the varine of the river. The ice cirque lies at 380-490 m a.s.l. and the front of the glacier at 130 m a.s.l.. The ablation measurements were taken every 5 days in 30 cities. Aluminium ablation poles were installed 1.1 m below ground level. To assess ablation, the figures from the measure sites installed on Waldemar Glacier in April and May 1997 were used as well.
The observed winter (1996/1997) accumulation amounted to 44 cm w.e.. It was 32 cm w.e. lower than the previous year’s (1995/1996) winter accumulation. Despite the small area and a relatively minor difference in height between the front and firn (365 m), a considerable spatial and temporal differentiation of ablation was observed. Besides the height gradient, this was caused by local conditions (exposure, ice melting, gradient, density and configuration of supraglacial stream beds). The highest figures of ablation for the period in question were observed at 250 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1). It amounted to 119 cm w.e. at 150 m a.s.l.. The gradient of ablation in particular periods circulated between 0.3 - 3.6 cm w.e. for 100 meters.
The term-surface ablation is not entirely precise. In the measurements of a melted ice layer, the so-called "ablation layer" was taken into consicleration. It is commonly known that ice melting takes also place on the border of crystal, which finally gives way to the white colour of the glacier’s surface. The thickness of this layer was assessed each time. In the summer 1997 it amounted to 20 cm and disappeared entirely after heavy rains. The only case when one can talk about true surface ablation is when there is no "ablation layer". The development and the decline of the ablation layer will be a key issue of detailed studies in the upcoming summer.
Fig. 2 Characteristic balance areas on the Waldemarbreen - division (summer 1997) Outflows measurements points: number - stream bed -the dehydrated area of the glacier 1 - the Waldemar river - A+B+C 2 - the stream bed dehydrating the northern part of the glacier - A 3 - the stream bed dehydrating the southern part of the glacier - B+C 4 - the outflow from the dammed lake - C+BA 5 - the stream bed going parallel with the central moraine - BB 6 - the inflow to the dammed lake - CA+BA 7 - the stream bed flowing from firn - BA B = BA+BB+BC; C = CA+CB
Table 1 Ablation and outflow from the characteristic areas of the Waldemar Glacier in the summer 1997.
The number of the stream bed /the glacier’s being dehydrated | Area [km2] | Ablation [cm e.w.] | I | II | III | IV | V |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1/A+B+C | 2,6 | 66,9 | 100,0 | 1739400 | 2892672 | 60,1 | 1,7 |
2/A | 0,77 | 93,3 | 139,5 | 718410 | 603158 | 119,1 | 0,8 |
3/B+C | 1,83 | 68,1 | 101,8 | 1246230 | 1625789 | 76,7 | 1,3 |
4/C+BA | 1,24 | 58,5 | 87,4 | 725400 | 827625 | 87,6 | 1,1 |
5/BB | 0,5 | 42,9 | 64,1 | 214500 | 425952 | 50,4 | 2,0 |
6/CA+BA | 1,13 | 57,5 | 85,9 | 649750 | 467078 | 139,1 | 0,7 |
7/BA | 0,84 | 83 | 124,1 | 697200 | - | - | - |
An important role in the outflow from the Waldemar Glacier is played by a dammed lake that appeared on the glacier. The lake collects considerable amounts of ablation water from about 1/3 of the glacier’s area. About 29 % of the total outflow is being transformed in the lake. The drain lake is an inglacial tunnel in the central moraine ridge.
Together with the measurement of the outflow the marks of electric conductivity and suspension loads were mapped. The decrease in conductivity is proportional to the increase in the intensity of the main flow. It was also noted that the load of suspension goes up markedly when the intensity of flow increases. However, this relation applies only to proglacial stream beds and is connected with sunder plains and ice-moraine ridges being washed away.
It is impossible for now to depict the relation between ablation and outflow in move precise terms. The barriers are not only pure methodological difficulties. It is also a matter of relatively superficial knowledge of the Waldemar Glacier as regards its drainage system and outflow.