Glacial earthquake-generating iceberg calving in a narwhal summering ground: The loudest underwater sound in the Arctic?

Abstract Over a 4-year period between 2015 and 2019, in-situ time series measurements of ocean ambient noise over the frequency range 100 Hz to 10 kHz, by an autonomous passive acoustic monitoring system have been made in the Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Arctic. We characterize the noise due to sea ice melting during winter (December–January). This unique observation reveals loud noise signatures, of the order of 8 dB higher than the background noise, showing the signature of sea ice melting. Such observations are crucial for monitoring sea ice melting, especially during winter, to understand the recent warming of Arctic waters. The anomalous air temperature due to local atmospheric forcing and warming of ocean temperature in the fjord through ocean tunneling, individually or combinedly, is responsible for such sea ice melting. The cyclonic events in the Arctic are responsible for the anomalous atmospheric and ocean conditions, causing sea ice melting in winter.

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Understanding and Mitigation of Underwater Sound in the Arctic

10.4043/22128-ms ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

John M. Ward

Keyword(s):

The Arctic ◽

Underwater Sound

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Underwater Sound Levels in the Arctic: Filling Knowledge Gaps

Geophysical Research Letters ◽

10.1029/2021gl094607 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

William D. Halliday

Keyword(s):

The Arctic ◽

Underwater Sound ◽

Knowledge Gaps ◽

Sound Levels

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Glaciomarine environments in Canada: an overview

Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences ◽

10.1139/e93-027 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 354-371 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

James P. M. Syvitski

Keyword(s):

Ice Sheet ◽

The Arctic ◽

Accumulation Rates ◽

Ice Shelves ◽

Sediment Yields ◽

Continental Shelves ◽

Iceberg Calving ◽

Ice Sheet Dynamics ◽

Glaciomarine Sediments ◽

Ice Complex

The present understanding of Canada's glaciomarine environments owes much to the remarkable role played by the scientists of the Geological Survey of Canada. Their efforts have led to the review and partial revision of three scientific paradigms: (1) There is a mechanical rather than a climatic control of the collapse of a tidewater ice sheet; (2) ice sheets were mostly grounded on Canada's continental shelves (rather than with floating ice shelves); (3) ice-loaded glaciomarine sediments are sometimes indistinguishable from deposits of till. A proposed stratigraphic framework for Canadian glaciogenic sequences can be quantified, allowing insights into ice sheet dynamics. For instance, the arctic margin of the Wisconsinan ice complex appears to have generated comparatively little meltwater, ice margin retreat being principally by iceberg calving. Surprisingly, the Atlantic margin of the Wisconsinan ice complex appears to have transported larger quantities than its Pacific counterpart. This is contrary to the present postglacial sediment yields discharged onto each margin. Glaciogenic sedimentation rates are shown to vary with the distance from a sediment source and the delivery rate of sediment. Glaciogenic accumulation rates are dependent on basin history and basin shape. Numerical examples include (1) the determination of accumulation rates from carbon stratigraphy; (2) the evaluation of the flux of sediment from a fjord to the open shelf during the retreat phase of an ice sheet; and (3) the application of a basin fill model to predict the styles of sedimentation within a fjord.

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