Assigned Session: #AGM28: Generic Meeting Session
What influences Algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet? Insights from field work and satellite data at Qaanaaq glacier.
Abstract ID: 28.7284 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | 2025-02-27 13:00 - 14:30 | Ágnes‐Heller‐Haus/Small Lecture Room
Davide Fugazza (0)
Traversa, Giacomo (2), Di Mauro, Biagio (2), Calì Quaglia, Filippo (5), Takeuchi, Nozomu (4), Suzuki, Takumi (3,4), Onuma, Yukihiko (3)
Davide Fugazza ((0) University of Milan, Via celoria 10, 20133, Milano, IT)
Traversa, Giacomo (2), Di Mauro, Biagio (2), Calì Quaglia, Filippo (5), Takeuchi, Nozomu (4), Suzuki, Takumi (3,4), Onuma, Yukihiko (3)
(0) University of Milan, Via celoria 10, 20133, Milano, IT
(1) Department of environmental science and policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy
(2) ISP CNR, Area della Ricerca 3 Milano-Bicocca, Via Cozzi 53 - 20126 Milano
(3) JAXA, Tsukuba 305-8505, Japan
(4) Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, 263a18522, Japan
(5) INGV, Via di Vigna Murata, 605, 00143 Roma
(2) ISP CNR, Area della Ricerca 3 Milano-Bicocca, Via Cozzi 53 - 20126 Milano
(3) JAXA, Tsukuba 305-8505, Japan
(4) Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, 263a18522, Japan
(5) INGV, Via di Vigna Murata, 605, 00143 Roma
The Greenland Ice Sheet is losing mass at unprecedented rates, leading to increased sea level rise. Melting of the ice sheet is accelerated by blooms of glacier ice algae, which lower ice albedo thus increasing absorption of solar radiation. In this study, we combine field work with collection of algae samples, spectroradiometer and satellite data from Sentinel-2 to create maps of algal abundance on Qaanaaq ice cap, Western Greenland based on a spectral index, and investigate the spatio-temporal patterns of algal blooms over the period 2016-2023. We calculate the spatially distributed timing and peak concentration of glacier ice algae, ice albedo and ice phenological metrics such as the start and end of ice ablation season as well as its length. We then correlate average and peak abundance of algal blooms with these phenological metrics, topographic and meteorological variables from downscaled reanalysis products. Glacier algae and albedo spatial distribution show high inter annual and spatial heterogeneity, highlighting the complex feedback mechanisms influencing their distribution across Qaanaaq glacier and the ice cap. Ice phenological metrics explain a relatively high part of the variance in peaks of algal concentration in individual years, e.g. in 2019 when 64% of the variance in peak algae concentration is explained by the length of the ablation season at Qaanaaq glacier. However, this relationship is highly dependent on the year. Meteorological data on air temperature and snowfall will be further used to better pinpoint the driving factors of algal blooms, as well as create models which can be potentially applied to the Greenland Ice sheet as a whole.
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