Natural and societal consequences of climate-forced changes of Jostedalsbreen Ice Cap
Tunsbergdalsbreen explored during 2024 fieldwork
by Jacob Yde, September 27, 2024
Despite that Tunsbergdalsbreen is the largest outlet glacier (46 km2 in 2019) of Jostedalsbreen ice cap, relatively little is known about how climate variations have affected the glacier in recent decades. Therefore, Tunsbergdalsbreen has been one of the main target glaciers for the JOSTICE field activities in 2024.
University of Nottingham has a long and proud tradition with expeditions to Tunsbergdalsbreen going back to the 1950s and 1960s. The observations and surveys conducted during these expeditions now provide the foundation for new explorations of Tunsbergdalsbreen.
View of Tunsbergdalsbreen from the mountain ridge at Tverranippa (photo: Ben Prestwick).
In August 2024, researchers from JOSTICE were supported by a group from the University of Nottingham Mountaineering Club to conduct fieldwork on Tunsbergdalsbreen. Most of the glacier tongue were surveyed in detail by drones, and a transect of air temperature sensors were installed for a short period on the glacier surface. This new data will be used in combination with satellite imagery and aerial photographs to obtain a detailed record of glacier changes and ice surface movement. In addition, John Price, who was a member of the University of Nottingham expedition to Tunsbergdalsbreen in 1959, has made all the data from past expeditions available to JOSTICE researchers.
Although Tunsbergdalsbreen is a beautiful glacier with many interesting features, the glacier is difficult to access. The glacier front may be reached by boat across the dammed proglacial lake Tunsbergdalsvatnet, which is used for hydropower production. An alternative route goes from Krundalen up to the mountain Tverranibba on the eastern side of Tunsbergdalsbreen. This route provides access to the central part of the glacier tongue, but it requires good mountaineering skills and good weather conditions.