tchoumitchev_yamaguchi_2002.html
Bulletin of Glaciological Research 19 (2002) 85-91
©Japanese Society of Snow and Ice
Field study of the Pole Markova glacier system, Kronotsky peninsula, Kamchatka, Russia in 2000
Serguei
A. TCHOUMITCHEV and Satoru YAMAGUCHI
Institute of Low
Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0819 Japan
Abstract
In the summer season of 2000, ice flow velocity, ablation rates and change of the surface level since 1960 were measured at the Pole Markova glaciers (Kamchatka, Russia) for the first time. Average ice flow velocity reached about 14-17 m a-1 during the period from August 19 to September 9, being faster for the steeper stream. Daily ablation rates changed from 31 to 63 mm w.e. on average demonstrating some patchy impact on ice flow velocities along the established profiles. Surface has been depressed since 1960 by 20-30 m in the tongue part and just for 0-5 m in the accumulation area. Some degradation of total area of the glacier and retreat of its termini are also noticed. Mean specific annual mass balance of the Right Pole Markova glacier in 1999/2000 was estimated as -0.37 m w.e. a-1 that is rather close to -0.56 m w.e. a-1 for the neighboring Koryto glacier. There is some evidence that these glaciers have similar regime of external mass exchange.
