Briksdalsbreen
Encyclopedia
Briksdalsbreen is one of the most accessible and best known arms of the Jostedalsbreen
glacier
. Briksdalsbreen is located in the municipality of Stryn
in Sogn og Fjordane
county
, Norway
. The glacier lies on the north side of the Jostedalsbreen, in Briksdalen (the Briks valley) which is located at the end of the Oldedalen valley, about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of the village of Olden
. It is part of Jostedalsbreen National Park
. Briksdalsbreen terminates in a small glacial lake, Briksdalsbrevatnet, which lies 346 metres (1,135.2 ft) above sea level.
The size of Briksdalsbreen is not only depending on temperature, but is also strongly affected by precipitation
. Measurements since 1900 show small changes in the first decades, with advances in the glacier front in 1910 and 1929. In the period from 1934 to 1951 the glacier receded by 800 metres (2,624.7 ft), exposing the glacial lake. In the period from 1967 until 1997 the glacier expanded by 465 metres (1,525.6 ft) and covered the whole lake, with the glacier front ending at the lake outlet. The glacier attracted international attention in the 1990s, as it was growing at a time when other European glaciers were in decline.
After the year 2000, the glacier once again receded. In 2004 it had receded to 230 metres (754.6 ft) behind the lake outlet and in 2007 the glacier front was on dry land behind the lake. In this regard, its position approximated the situation in the 1960s. However, glaciologists speculate that the size of the glacier was at its smallest since the 13th century.
In 2008, the glacier front had only receded by 12 metres (39.4 ft) since the 2007 measurement. The slower melting is explained by the glacier being completely on dry land. The winter of 2007–2008 saw an increase in glacier mass, which was expected to move the glacier front forward around 2010. This was confirmed in the fall of 2010, when measurements showed that the glacier had advanced 8 metres over the last year This was however in comparison with the 2009 measurements, which saw the glacier being the most receded since measurements started in 1900.
As the winter of 2009–2010 saw little snow and the summer temperature in 2010 was 2.5–3 degrees Celsius above average, Professor Atle Nesje predicts that further strong receding will be seen in 2013.. As Briksdalsbreen is now very narrow at some stretches, it is possible that it will temporarily disconnect from the larger Jostedalsbreen.
Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
. Briksdalsbreen is located in the municipality of Stryn
Stryn
Stryn is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Stryn which had a population of 2,177 in 2009. The municipality is located along the innermost part of the...
in Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The glacier lies on the north side of the Jostedalsbreen, in Briksdalen (the Briks valley) which is located at the end of the Oldedalen valley, about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of the village of Olden
Olden, Norway
Olden is a village and urban area in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway.-Location:Olden is located at the mouth of the Oldeelva river in the Oldedalen valley along the Nordfjord. It is about southwest of the village of Loen, about a drive southeast of the municipal...
. It is part of Jostedalsbreen National Park
Jostedalsbreen National Park
Jostedalsbreen National Park is a national park in Norway that encompasses the largest glacier on the European mainland, Jostedalsbreen. The park was established by royal decree on 25 October 1991, and then in 1998, it was enlarged to the northwest...
. Briksdalsbreen terminates in a small glacial lake, Briksdalsbrevatnet, which lies 346 metres (1,135.2 ft) above sea level.
The size of Briksdalsbreen is not only depending on temperature, but is also strongly affected by precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. Measurements since 1900 show small changes in the first decades, with advances in the glacier front in 1910 and 1929. In the period from 1934 to 1951 the glacier receded by 800 metres (2,624.7 ft), exposing the glacial lake. In the period from 1967 until 1997 the glacier expanded by 465 metres (1,525.6 ft) and covered the whole lake, with the glacier front ending at the lake outlet. The glacier attracted international attention in the 1990s, as it was growing at a time when other European glaciers were in decline.
After the year 2000, the glacier once again receded. In 2004 it had receded to 230 metres (754.6 ft) behind the lake outlet and in 2007 the glacier front was on dry land behind the lake. In this regard, its position approximated the situation in the 1960s. However, glaciologists speculate that the size of the glacier was at its smallest since the 13th century.
In 2008, the glacier front had only receded by 12 metres (39.4 ft) since the 2007 measurement. The slower melting is explained by the glacier being completely on dry land. The winter of 2007–2008 saw an increase in glacier mass, which was expected to move the glacier front forward around 2010. This was confirmed in the fall of 2010, when measurements showed that the glacier had advanced 8 metres over the last year This was however in comparison with the 2009 measurements, which saw the glacier being the most receded since measurements started in 1900.
As the winter of 2009–2010 saw little snow and the summer temperature in 2010 was 2.5–3 degrees Celsius above average, Professor Atle Nesje predicts that further strong receding will be seen in 2013.. As Briksdalsbreen is now very narrow at some stretches, it is possible that it will temporarily disconnect from the larger Jostedalsbreen.