Selected examples of photos obtained by the automatic camera CAM20 since September 2001

A project funded by the University Courses on Svalbard (UNIS) 2001-2005.

This series of photos was selected from a larger database containing daily exposures. The direction of viewing is towards south, looking across the plateau-like top surface of the mountain Gruvefjellet, SE of Longyearbyen.  A small firn area called 'Vandledningsfirnen' is seen in the central part of the picture, located at about 450 m asl. at the head of Vandledningsdalen valley. A standard meteorological station measuring air temperature, precipitation, wind velocity and wind direction is established shortly outside the right-hand part of the picture. The mass balance of the firn is expected to be highly sensitive towards changes in any of the above meteorological parameters, especially wind, and is object for closer monitoring. Presumably, the localized accumulation of drift snow during the winter establishes a equilibrium line at this spot. Also ground temperatures in the terrain surrounding the snow accumulation is sensitive towards variations in the extent of the firn.

This series of photos makes a monitoring feasible of various terrain characteristics such as, e.g., the daily distribution of snow both in the valley and on the plateau surface above, snow avalanches and fluvial activity.

A meteorological station is operated close by the firn, measuring air temperatures, wind speed and -direction, and relative air humidity. The station is located in the right-hand part of the picture. Click here for data from this station.

Date of exposure is given below each photo. All photos are displayed in reduced resolution compared to the original exposure.

Would you like to see what temperature conditions was like at the time of the individual exposures ? If yes, please click here.

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Latest update: 11. August 2003.