Seminar – 4 June – Proglacial Retrogressive Thaw Slumping, Svalbard.

Liam Carson will be presenting Proglacial Retrogressive Thaw Slumping, Svalbard.

Date: 4 June 2025
Time: 13:00-14:00 Eastern Time
Location: Zoom (details are posted in our Teams site).

The Arctic is warming rapidly, driving cryospheric changes like glacial retreat and permafrost thaw that transform proglacial landscapes. This study examines ice-cored moraine dynamics in Scott Turnerbreen (STB) and Longyearbreen (LYB) in central Spitsbergen using UAV surveys, satellite imagery, and Ground Penetrating Radar. Since 2018, STB lost 67,350 m³ of material, while LYB lost 115,252 m³, driven by larger Retrogressive Thaw Slumps (RTS). The findings highlight the impacts of ice-cored moraine thaw on geomorphology, sediment release, and hydrology, emphasizing the need for continued monitoring and predictive modelling.