Glacier Calving in Hornsund Fjord, Svalbard: Spatio-Temporal Variability, Terminus Geometry, and Environmental Drivers

Marine-terminating glaciers in Arctic fjords exhibit complex and highly variable calving behavior, reflecting interactions between ice dynamics and fjord processes. Better understanding of calving is required for accurate prediction of ice loss, ocean freshening and sea level rise. Here, we study calving at seven marine-terminating glaciers in Hornsund Fjord, Svalbard over the period 2015 – 2022. To do so, we use combination of remote sensing products for glacier positions and dynamics, and measurements of other environmental parameters. We investigate the temporal variability of calving at seasonal and annual timescales, including the winter months which are usually not considered. Furthermore, we also study the spatial variability of calving along the glacier width, which further reveals small scale features on the termini related to different calving styles. Together, this work highlights the variable nature of calving across different glaciers within a single fjord.