Jostedalsbreen

Briksdalsbreen, an outlet glaciers of the Jostedalsbreen

Jostedalsbreen in Norway is Europe's largest mainland glacier. It is located in the north of Sogn og Fjordane county north of the Sognefjord and is about 40 km long and in the south- west direction for about 15 km wide in the north -east direction. The ice is up to 500 m thick. The area was 474 km ² in 2006. Larger glaciers in Europe there are in Iceland, Svalbard and Novaya Zemlya. From the plateau of Jostedalsbreen the ice flows over 28 outlet glaciers in different directions.

Description

The glacier is located in a height range of 345-2008 meters above sea level. A few peaks like the Suphellenipa (1731 m), or Lodalskåpa ( 2083 m) stand out from the glacier. Its highest point is just over 2000 meters, its average height is about 1450 meters. Under the ice cap is a gneiss plateau, Fjell. The glacier is fed by rainfall and avalanches. Its outflow passes through some of the Nordfjord in the Sognefjord. Due to the oceanic climate, there are only very small temperature fluctuations around the mean value of 13.7 ° C.

Jostedalsbreen is not a remnant of the last ice age, but came later when, from about 500 BC, began a climatic deterioration. At that time the firn line was about 400 m higher than today. By cooling glaciers were in the same region form. The coldest period probably lasted from the 16th to the 19th century. By 1750, the climate was coolest (see also: Little Ice Age ), and the glaciers of Norway had its greatest extent. Since then, they have shrunk tend.

Outlet glaciers

The most important and best known of the outlet glaciers Jostedalsbreen are the Bøyabreen, the Briksdalsbreen the west and the Nigardsbreen in the east. As the main tongue of the Bøyabreen is considered. His glacial ice melts or grows depending on whether the winter brought strong snowfall or not. Like two photos show on the information board at the foot of this glacier (1880/1890 and 1994), the border of the tongue has strong uphill withdrawn during the course of more than 100 years. It has its highest point moh at about 1700, the lower border of the tongue is located on approximately 300 moh. The Bøyabreen is close to the National Highway 5 ( Riksvei 5).

The following individual designated outlet glaciers belong to Jostedalsbreen:

  • Austdalsbreen in Jostedal
  • Stigaholtbreen in Jostedal
  • Lodalsbreen above Småttene in Jostedal
  • Fåbergstølsbreen in Jostedal
  • Nigardsbreen in Jostedal
  • Tuftebreen in Krundalen in Jostedal
  • Baklibreen in Krundalen in Jostedal
  • Bergsetbreen in Krundalen in Jostedal
  • Vetledalsbreen in Krundalen in Jostedal
  • Tunsbergdalsbreen in Jostedal
  • Austerdalsbreen with Torsbreen, Odinsbreen and Lokebreen at Veitastrond
  • Langedalsbreen in Langetal in Veitastrond
  • Bjørnakyrkjebreen in Langetal in Veitastrond
  • Nystølsbreen in Langetal in Veitastrond
  • Bjørnakyrkjebreen in Langetal in Veitastrond
  • Nystølsbreen in Langedtal in Veitastrond
  • Vetle Supphellebreen in Sogndal
  • Supphellebreen with Flatbreen in Sogndal
  • Bøyabreen in Sogndal
  • Vetlebreen in Sogndal
  • Marabreen in Jølster
  • Lundabreen in Jølster
  • Befringsbreen in Startal in Jølster
  • Breen at Kaldakari in Startal in Jølster
  • Melkevollbreen in Olden
  • Tjøtabreen in Olden
  • Briksdalsbreen in Olden
  • Brenndalsbreen in Olden
  • Ruteflottbreen in Loen in the municipality of Stryn
  • Kjenndalsbreen in Loen
  • Krunebreen in Loen
  • Bødalsbreen in Loen
  • Bohrsbreen in Loen
  • Erdalsbreen in Stryn
  • Vetledalsbreen in Stryn
  • Syngeskardsbreen in Stryn

A special event

In 1972, a small plane crashed on the Jostedalsbreenplateau, where the pilot was killed. The aircraft could not be recovered and sank in the following years, completely covered in snow and ice. To date, the wreck has not resurfaced. Experts suggest the wreckage in Bøyabreen.

Glacier National Park and Museums

There are three museums, Breheimsenteret in Jostedal, Jostedalsbreen Nasjonalparksenter in Oppstryn ( Stryn ) and Norsk Bremuseum in Sogndal.

Since 1991, the protection of nature Jostedalsbreen National Park with an area of ​​1315 km ². It also includes wooded areas except the glacier.

List of glaciers of Iceland Austfonna Severny Island Jostedalsbreen-Nationalpark
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