greenland fjord loses glacier – From a Glaciers Perspective

Evighedsfjord (E) with glaciers terminating in the fjord in 2000 and 2018 Landsat images. Q=Qingua Kujatdleq is at the head of Evighedsfjord (Q), Tapa Glacier (1), Unnamed glaciers (2 and 3), and developing nunatak area (4) . The red arrow is the 2000 terminus and the yellow arrow is the 2018 terminus.

Evighedsfjord (Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord) in southwest Greenland has numerous glaciers that reach or did reach this 75 km long fjord. Here we examine the termination of the fjord at Qingua Kujatdleq. Here we examine Landsat imagery from 2000, 2002, 2014 and 2018 to identify changes in four glaciers that in 2000 terminated in the fjord. Leclercq et al (2012) note that the glacier retreated 1.5 km from 1850-2009.

In 2000 Tapa Glacier (1) terminated in the fjord. Glacier #2 and #3 also terminated in the fjord in 2000. Quingua Kujatdleq Glaicer terminated at the red arrow, and #4 represents small nunataks within the ice. The snowline is at ~1000 m. In 2002 all four glaciers reach Evighedsfjord still and the snowline is at ~1000 m. There are no evident sediment plumes where the glaciers reach the fjord. By 2014 only Qingua Kujatdleq still reaches the fjord, the snowline is at ~1100 m. There is a sediment plume emanating from Tapa Glacier. In 2018 Qingua Kujatdleq has retreated 2200 m since 2000. This is a greater retreat than Leclercq et al (2012) show for the entire 1850-2009 period. Tapa Glacier has retreated ~500 m and no longer reaches the ocean and has a persistent summer sediment plume. Glacier #2 no longer reaches the ocean having retreated 500 m. Glacier #3 no longer reaches the ocean having retreated 300 m. The two small bedrock outcrops at #4 in 2000 have merged into one large nunatak by 2018. The loss of glacier ice reaching fjords has also been documented at Alangordlia Fjord and Tasermiut Fjord.

Evighedsfjord (E) with glaciers terminating in the fjord in 2002 and 2014 Landsat images. Q=Qingua Kujatdleq is at the head of Evighedsfjord (Q), Tapa Glacier (1), Unnamed glaciers (2 and 3), and developing nunatak area (4) . The red arrow is the 2000 terminus and the yellow arrow is the 2018 terminus.

Greenland topographic map of the region right and 2018 Landsat image of with Qingua Kujatdleq (Q), Tapa Glacier (Point 1). Unnamed glaciers #2 and #3 also noted.

Landsat image sequence from 1999-2016. Red arrows mark the 1999 terminus, yellow arrows the 2016 terminus and the purple arrow a tributary that detaches from Semitsiaq (S). Tasermiut Sermeq (T) retreats from the fjord.

Tasermuit Fjord in southern Greenland is noted for its beauty, and until recently the fjord terminated at a glacier front. Currently no glacier reaches to the fjord. The retreat over the last two decades is similar to neighboring glaciers Kangersuneq Qingordleq and Qaleriq. The loss of direct glacier connection is also occurring at Alangordlia. Here we examine Landsat images from 1999-2016 to observe glacier change. At the head of the fjord is Sermeq Tasermiut and on the east side is Sermitsiaq.

In 1999 the Sermitsiaq Glacier terminated at the eastern end of a small lake, red arrow. Tasermiut Sermeq terminated in the fjord, red arrow. By 2002 Sermitsiaq had retreated from the lake, while Tasermiut Sermeq still reached the fjord. In 2013 Tasermiut Sermeq had retreated from the fjord and Sermitsiaq had retreated substantially from the lake and also had a significant tributary from the north detach, purple arrow. In 2016 Sermitsiaq has retreated 700 m since 1999, yellow arrow. Biggs (2011) had noted a 610 m retreat of the glacier from 1987-2009, a slower rate than since 1999. Tasermiut Sermeq has retreated 300 m since 1999,and has a narrow steep tongue that will melt back quickly in the near future.

Murray et al (2015) examined 199 tidewater glaciers in Greenland and noted significant retreat of 188 of them. This is changing fjord dynamics, which will in the case of Tasermiut affect the marine biology, which has not been studied in any detail yet. Students on Ice 2014 Arctic Expedition provides exceptional imagery of this fjord and the Nanotarlik region.