Flow field of Kronebreen, Svalbard, using repeated Landsat 7 and ASTER data

Abstract

Knowledge about the spatio-temporal distribution of fast-flowing Arctic glaciers is still limited. Kronebreen, Svalbard, in particular, includes the confluence - and the dynamic interplay - of the fast-flowing Kronebreen and the currently slow-flowing Kongsvegen. In this study, image-matching techniques on the basis of repeated Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) pan and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite data are applied in order to derive surface velocity fields of the lowermost 10 km of Kronebreen for the annual periods 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2001/02 and a 40 day period around July 2001. This work perfectly complements differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (DInSAR) studies available for Kronebreen. A complete surface velocity field is now available from combining the DInSAR studies for the upper part of the glacier and the optical image-matching study presented here. The data obtained within this study are also compared to velocity data of 1964, 1986, 1990 and 1996. As also suggested by previous studies, a significant spatio-temporal variability of the spring/summer and annual ice speeds becomes evident.