Mass Balance Factsheet for the Ålfotbreen, Scandinavia
The Ålfotbreen ice cap is 10 km2, and is both the westernmost and the most maritime glacier in Norway. Mass balance studies are carried out on two adjacent north-facing outlets from the ice cap – un-officially named Ålfotbreen (3.5 km2 in 2019) and Hansebreen (2.5 km2 in 2019). The western of these two has been the subject of mass balance investigations since 1963, and has always been reported as Ålfotbreen. Further information and references for Ålfotbreen is given on NVE’s webpage.
For information on the status of the glacier and on data relating to annual mass balance and other measurements, visit the WGMS Fluctuations of Glaciers Browser.
FACTS:
- Political unit: NO
- WGMS ID: 317 (Local ID: 2078)
- Latitude: 61.75°N
- Longitude: 5.65°E
- Height min: 1000 m a.s.l.
- Height max: 1360 m a.s.l.
- Measurement types: MASS BALANCE, THICKNESS CHANGE & FRONT VARIATION
- Current Principal Investigator: BJARNE KJOLLMOEN & Colleagues
- Current Sponsoring Agency: NORWEGIAN WATER RESOURCES AND ENERGY DIRECTORATE (NVE) – SECTION FOR GLACIERS, ICE AND SNOW (OSLO, NO)
Aalfotbreen in August 2021 (taken by Hallgeir Elvehoy on 17/08/2021)
Terrestrial and satellite map of Aalfotbreen (Google Maps)
Aalfotbreen Annual Mass Balance (WGMS, 2016)
Continuous Mass Balance (MB) measurements since 1962/63:
Additional data available: Front Variation (FV), Thickness Change (TC) and Glacier Outlines:
Selected references:
Andreassen, L. M., H. Elvehøy, B. Kjøllmoen, and R. V. Engeset, R. V. 2016. Reanalysis of long-term series of glaciological and geodetic mass balance for 10 Norwegian glaciers, The Cryosphere, 10, 535-552, doi:10.5194/tc-10-535-2016.
NVE’s report series Glasiologiske undersøkelser i Norge/Glaciological investigations in Norway. Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate. Reports are available as pdf’s at https://www.nve.no/hydrology/glaciers/glaciological-investigations-in-norway/.