SUSPENDED SEDIMENT YIELD AND TRANSFER PROCESSES IN A SMALL HIGH-ARTICGLACIER BASIN, SVALBARD

Observations of suspended sediment concentration and discharge at two sites on the proglacial river network draining from a predominantly co ld-based, High-Arctic glacier (Austre Broggerbreen) are described. Ana lysis of these observations illustrates: (i) the relatively low suspen ded sediment yield from this basin in comparison with many other glaci er basins reported in the open literature; (ii) sustained and possibly increasing availability of suspended sediment to the fluvial system a s the ablation season progresses; and (iii) the role of the proglacial sandur as both a sediment source and sink, Field observations coupled with the results of the data analysis are used to make inferences con cerning the changing nature and relative importance of sediment source s within the basin. (C) 1998 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.