Belopol'skijbreen is a glacier located in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway, specifically on the island of Spitsbergen. The glacier lies within the region known as Oscar II Land, flowing toward the coast of the western side of the island. Its name derives from the Russian surname Belopol'skij (or Belopolsky), commemorating a Russian scientist; the precise individual honored by the naming is not definitively recorded in widely available English‑language sources.
Geographical context
- Country: Norway (Svalbard)
- Island: Spitsbergen
- Region: Oscar II Land, a mountainous area on the western side of Spitsbergen
- Coordinates: Approximately 78° 30′ N latitude, 12° 00′ E longitude (exact coordinates may vary among cartographic sources)
Physical characteristics
- The glacier is a typical Arctic tidewater glacier, terminating near the sea and contributing icebergs to adjacent fjords.
- Detailed measurements of its length, area, thickness, and rate of flow are not comprehensively documented in publicly accessible English‑language encyclopedic references. Consequently, specific quantitative data are unavailable.
Naming
- The suffix “‑breen” is Norwegian for “glacier.”
- The prefix “Belopol'skij” references a Russian surname, likely honoring a scientist or explorer with that name, a common practice in the naming of Svalbard geographical features during periods of Russian polar exploration.
Research and monitoring
- Belopol'skijbreen, like many Svalbard glaciers, is subject to observation by the Norwegian Polar Institute and other scientific bodies conducting glaciological studies in the Arctic. However, published results specific to this glacier are limited.
Additional notes
- Due to the scarcity of detailed, English‑language scholarly publications focused on Belopol'skijbreen, many aspects of the glacier’s morphology and dynamics remain insufficiently documented in widely accessible encyclopedic sources.
This entry reflects the current extent of verifiable information; further details may become available as glaciological research in the Svalbard region progresses.