Svartisen
Encyclopedia
Svartisen is a collective term for two glacier
s located in northern Norway
. The system consists of two separate glaciers,
There are also a number of minor glaciers in the area, such as Glombreen in the northern part of Meløy, and Simlebreen in Beiarn. One of the outlet glaciers of Svartisen, Engabreen ends at the lowest point of any glacier on the European mainland, at 20 meters above sea level (in 2007). The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
has monitored the glacier mass balance
of the glacier since 1970 and operates a sub-glacial laboratory beneath Engabreen.
Svartisen is part of Saltfjellet-Svartisen national park
, located in the Saltfjell mountain range.
Water from the glacier is collected and used for hydropower
production via runoff into the streams and lakes and through intakes borred beneath Engabreen.
'. The old ice of the glacier is considerably darker than fresh ice and newfallen snow.
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...
s located in northern 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 system consists of two separate glaciers,
- Vestre (western) Svartisen (221 km²), which is the second largest glacier on the Norwegian mainland (there are larger glaciers on SvalbardSvalbardSvalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
, IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Novaya ZemlyaNovaya ZemlyaNovaya Zemlya , also known in Dutch as Nova Zembla and in Norwegian as , is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean in the north of Russia and the extreme northeast of Europe, the easternmost point of Europe lying at Cape Flissingsky on the northern island...
) after JostedalsbreenJostedalsbreenJostedalsbreen 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... - Østre (eastern) Svartisen (148 km²), which is the country's fourth largest.
There are also a number of minor glaciers in the area, such as Glombreen in the northern part of Meløy, and Simlebreen in Beiarn. One of the outlet glaciers of Svartisen, Engabreen ends at the lowest point of any glacier on the European mainland, at 20 meters above sea level (in 2007). The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate is a Norwegian government agency established in 1921. It is under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and regulates the country's water resources and energy supply. Its mandate includes contingency planning for floods, serving as a centre of...
has monitored the glacier mass balance
Glacier mass balance
Crucial to the survival of a glacier is its mass balance, the difference between accumulation and ablation . Climate change may cause variations in both temperature and snowfall, causing changes in mass balance. Changes in mass balance control a glacier's long term behavior and is the most...
of the glacier since 1970 and operates a sub-glacial laboratory beneath Engabreen.
Svartisen is part of Saltfjellet-Svartisen national park
Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park
Saltfjellet–Svartisen National Park is a national park in the county of Nordland in Norway. It is located within the municipalities of Beiarn, Meløy, Rana, Rødøy, Saltdal and Bodø...
, located in the Saltfjell mountain range.
Water from the glacier is collected and used for hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
production via runoff into the streams and lakes and through intakes borred beneath Engabreen.
The name
The first element is svart 'swart, black', the last element is the finite form of is m 'ice; glacierGlacier
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...
'. The old ice of the glacier is considerably darker than fresh ice and newfallen snow.
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