Spatio‐temporal Changes of Svalbard Lagoon Systems in the Post‐Little‐Ice‐Age Period

ABSTRACT

Barrier‐lagoon systems are among the most sensitive coastal environments, given that they accumulate the effects of environmental changes occurring on lands and in the sea. Globally, the stability of lagoons and associated barriers is controlled by the frequency and magnitude of storms approaching the coast, access to sediment supplies, and resilience to sea‐level shifts. However, the majority of studies have focused on midlatitude and tropical coastal zones, with limited insight into cold region lagoon responses. This study presents the preliminary findings of a remote sensing analysis of the post–Little Ice Age (LIA) evolution of Svalbard's barrier‐lagoon systems. A total of 430 lagoon systems were investigated to distinguish their genesis and the type of connection to the sea (closed, choked, restricted, or leaky). Since the termination of the LIA, a minimum of 98 lagoons have been formed, whereas eight have disappeared. The majority of lagoons present along the modern coast of Svalbard are of the choked type (almost 48%). Additionally, a new, previously unidentified lagoon type, the moraine‐controlled paraglacial lagoon, has been identified. These systems are formed by retreating marine‐terminating glaciers, which is a dominant process of new coast formation in the rapidly deglaciating Arctic.