Notes on the microrelief of West Spitsbergen

Abstract

In the summer of 1954, soil studies were conducted in the area between Adventfjorden and Sassenfjorden on Spitsbergen, which includes hills, mountains and flat or gently sloping terrains, about one third of which are covered by glaciers. The area is mainly composed of Cretaceous sandstones, siltstones and clay shales, with minor coal layers, while some peaks are covered by similar Palaeogene deposits.

The research revealed a varied permafrost surface, depending on topography and vegetation cover. On flat and uniform surfaces, the permafrost layer was 45–105 cm deep, while on more heterogeneous surfaces (stone stripes, mud streams, mud craters, polygonal soils), microrelief and variable depths were observed that were influenced by moisture and vegetation.

Soil temperature measurements showed a rapid drop above the permafrost, regardless of surface type. Notable features included mud streams, mud craters, a pingo in Eskerdalen, and debris steps formed by the flow of meltwater. Polygonal tundra patterns, stone rings, and small depressions caused by mud flows were also observed.

No typical moraine forms were found; the only glacial forms were two long ozy ridges. Vegetation occurred mainly on flat, moist areas and was scarce on steep slopes, indicating that moisture availability, rather than elevation, is the main factor limiting plant growth.