Time lapse imageries of the ice-off and ice-on events at Darfáljávri (Lake Tarfala), Kebnekaise mountains, northern Sweden
Tarfala Research Station staff
This collection of datasets focuses on ice-phenology at Darfáljávri (Lake Tarfala), as derived from time-lapse imagery. Ice phenology refers to the duration of seasonal ice cover and is determined by the "ice-on" event in the fall, and the "ice-off" event in the summer.
Ice-on is defined as the first day with complete ice cover across the lake, lasting all winter. Ice-off is defined as the first day with completely vanished ice-cover, and open water lasting all summer. Observations of ice phenology at Darfáljávri began in 2020, and are ongoing, implying that the collection of datasets is typically updated yearly.
Imagery from the time-lapse camera is retrieved two times per year, in the spring (rendering images of the previous year’s ice-on) and in late summer (rendering images of the current year’s ice-off).
LacustrineLake IceTarfalaDarfáljávriLake TarfalaLake iceLake ice phenologyIce-offIce-on
Name
Version
Citation
References
Kirchner N, Weckström J, Jansen J, Schenk F, Barnett J, Granebeck A, Leppäranta M, Korhola A (2024) Water temperature, mixing, and ice phenology in the arctic–alpine Lake Darfáljávri (Lake Tarfala), northern Sweden. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 56. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2287704
Data description
This collection of time-lapse imageries of ice-off and ice-on events at Darfáljávri (Lake Tarfala) incudes the following datasets, each with its own detailed data description:
Ice-off events
- Ice-off, summer 2020
- Ice-off, summer 2021
- Ice-off, summer 2022
- Ice-off, summer 2023
- Ice-off, summer 2024
- Ice-off, summer 2025
Ice-on events
- Ice-on, autumn 2020
- Ice-on, autumn 2021
- Ice-on, autumn 2022
- Ice-on, autumn 2023
- Ice-on, autumn 2024
- Ice-on, autumn 2025
Comments
Precise knowledge of the ice-off and ice-on dates can be used to:
- Assist in understanding of lake mixing processes.
- Better constrain numerical models computing ice-off and ice-on.
- Provide a complement to ice-off and ice-on dates derived from satellite imagery, which is notoriously difficult in polar alpine environments due to persistent cloud cover and long polar nights.
- Lend support to alternative definitions of ice-off and ice-on.
- Contribute to knowledge of lake ice phenology in high altitude artic environments under current climate change.
The following ice-off and ice-on dates were observed at Darfáljávri (Lake Tarfala).
| year | . . . | ice-off | . . . | ice-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7 August | 21 October | ||
| 2021 | 12 July | 19 October | ||
| 2022 | 27 July | 27 October | ||
| 2023 | 24 July | 12 October | ||
| 2024 | 30 June | 9 October | ||
| 2025 | 31 July | 21 October |
Version history
Version 3
12 datasets. ice-on 2025 added.
Version 2
11 datasets. ice-off 2025 added.
Version 1
Initial release. 10 datasets, from ice-off summer 2020 to ice-on autumn 2024.
Publisher
Bolin Centre Database
License
First name
Nina
Last name or organisation
Kirchner
Email address
Address
Tarfala Research Station and Department of Physical Geography; Stockholm University
Postal code
SE-106 91
City
Stockholm
Country
Sweden
GCMD science keyword
Earth science > Cryosphere > Snow/ice > Lake ice
GCMD location
Continent > Europe > Northern Europe > Scandinavia > Sweden
Dataset language
English