Listening to the Arctic: A proof-of-concept study into short-term iceberg dynamics

Abstract

An array of Güralp ESPCD broadband seismometers was deployed along the coast of Vaigat strait, West Greenland, to explore the dynamics of icebergs and to understand the controls on iceberg drift, grounding and fragmentation. The monitoring campaign collected 7 weeks of continuous data from 6 instruments. The data contains multiple discrete events per hour throughout the monitored period. Four characteristic seismic signal types have been identified and attributed to different iceberg-related processes, namely fracturing; fragmentation; grounding; and rolling. Examining the frequency of occurrence of each event type within the seismic record of each station enables the spatial distribution of iceberg events to be mapped. In addition, exploring the temporal variations of event occurrence and the relationship with concurrently monitored tide and wind conditions provides insight into the controls on iceberg decay.