John Mortensen, Ph.d.

Senior Scientist

Department
Greenland Climate Research Centre
Phone
+299 36 12 39
Email
jomo@natur.gl

Job description

Physical Oceanography, hydrographic observations, ice-ocean interaction and dynamics of fjords in Greenland, the link of ocean dynamics to biogeochemistry, global change, long-term research of temporal and spatial changes in physical, chemical and biological variables. Manager of GINR standard hydrographic monitoring program.

Publications by
John Mortensen

Burgers TM, Miller LA, Rysgaard S, Mortensen J, Else B, Tremblay J-É, Papakyriakou T (2023) Distinguishing physical and biological controls on the carbon dynamics in a high-Arctic outlet strait. J Geophys Res Oceans 128: e2022JC019393

Mortensen J, Rysgaard S, Winding MHS, Juul-Pedersen T, Arendt KE, Lund H, Stuart-Lee AE, Meire L (2022) Multidecadal Water Mass Dynamics on the West Greenland Shelf. JGR Oceans 127:e2022JC018724

Stuart-Lee A, Mortensen J, van der Kaaden A-S, Meire L (2021) Seasonal hydrography of Ameralik: a southwest Greenland fjord impacted by a land terminating glacier. JGR Oceans 126:e2021JC017552

Mortensen J, Rysgaard S, Bendtsen J, Lennert K, Kanzow T, Lund H, Meire L (2020), Subglacial discharge and its down-fjord transformation in West Greenland fjords with an ice mélange. J Geophys Res: Oceans 125:e2020JC016301

Rysgaard S, Boone W, Carlson D, Sejr MK, Bendtsen J, Juul-Pedersen T, Lund H, Meire L, Mortensen J (2020) An updated view on water masses on the pan-West Greenland continental shelf and their link to proglacial fjords. J Geophys Res: Oceans 125:e2019JC015564

Boone W, Rysgaard S, Carlson DF, Meire L, Kirillov S, Mortensen J, Dmitrenko I, Vergeynst L, Sejr MK (2018) Coastal freshening prevents fjord bottom water renewal in Northeast Greenland – a mooring study from 2003-2015. Geophys Res Lett 45:2726-2733

Hopwood MJ, Carroll D, Browning TJ, Meire L, Mortensen J, Krisch S, Achterberg EP (2018) Non-linear response of summertime marine productivity to increased meltwater discharge around Greenland. Nat Commun 9:3256

Krawczyk DW, Meire L, Lopes C, Juul-Pedersen T, Mortensen J, Li CL, Krogh T (2018) Seasonal succession, distribution, and diversity of planktonic protists in relation to hydrography of the Godthåbsfjord system (SW Greenland). Polar Biol 41:2033-2052

Mortensen J, Rysgaard S, Arendt KE, Juul-Pedersen T, Søgaard DH, Bendtsen J, Meire L (2018), Local coastal water masses control heat levels in a West Greenland tidewater outlet glacier fjord. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans 123

Rysgaard S, Bendtsen J, Mortensen J, Sejr MK (2018) High geothermal heat flux in close proximity to the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream. Scientific Reports 8:1344

Bendtsen J, Mortensen J, Lennert K, K. Ehn J, Boone W, Galindo V, Hu Y-b, Dmitrenko IA, Kirillov SA, Kjeldsen KK, Kristoffersen Y, G. Barber D, Rysgaard S (2017) Sea ice breakup and marine melt of a retreating tidewater outlet glacier in northeast Greenland (81°N). Scientific Reports 7:4941

Boone W, Rysgaard S, Kirillov S, Dmitrenko I, Bendtsen J, Mortensen J, Meire L, Petrusevich V, Barber DG (2017) Circulation and fjord-shelf exchange during the ice-covered period in Young Sound-Tyrolerfjord, Northeast Greenland (74°N). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 194:205-216

Meire L, Mortensen J, Meire P, Juul-Pedersen T, Sejr MK, Rysgaard S, Nygaard R, Huybrechts P, Meysman FJR (2017) Marine-terminating glaciers sustain high productivity in Greenland fjords. Global Change Biol 23:5344-5357

Motyka RJ, Cassotto R, Truffer M, Kjeldsen KK, Van As D, Korsgaard NJ, Fahnestock M, Howat IAN, Langen PL, Mortensen J, Lennert K, Rysgaard S (2017) Asynchronous behavior of outlet glaciers feeding Godthåbsfjord (Nuup Kangerlua) and the triggering of Narsap Sermia's retreat in SW Greenland. Journal of Glaciology 63:288-308

Sejr MK, Stedmon CA, Bendtsen J, Abermann J, Juul-Pedersen T, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S (2017) Evidence of local and regional freshening of Northeast Greenland coastal waters. Scientific Reports 7:13183

Meire L, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S, Bendtsen J, Boone W, Meire P, Meysman FJR (2016) Spring bloom dynamics in a subarctic fjord influenced by tidewater outlet glaciers (Godthåbsfjord, SW Greenland). Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 121:1581-1592

Yang Q, Dixon TH, Myers PG, Bonin J, Chambers D, van den Broeke MR, Ribergaard MH, Mortensen J (2016) Corrigendum: Recent increases in Arctic freshwater flux affects Labrador Sea convection and Atlantic overturning circulation. Nature Communications 7:13545

Yang Q, Dixon TH, Myers PG, Bonin J, Chambers D, van den Broeke MR, Ribergaard MH, Mortensen J (2016) Recent increases in Arctic freshwater flux affects Labrador Sea convection and Atlantic overturning circulation. Nature Communications 7:10525

Bendtsen J, Mortensen J, Lennert K, Rysgaard S (2015) Heat sources for glacial ice melt in a west Greenland tidewater outlet glacier fjord: The role of subglacial freshwater discharge. Geophys Res Lett 42:4089-4095

Bendtsen J, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S (2015) Modelling subglacial discharge and its influence on ocean heat transport in Arctic fjords. Ocean Dynamics 65:1535-1546

Dmitrenko IA, Kirillov SA, Rysgaard S, Barber DG, Babb DG, Pedersen LT, Koldunov NV, Boone W, Crabeck O, Mortensen J (2015) Polynya impacts on water properties in a Northeast Greenland fjord. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 153:10-17

Juul-Pedersen T, Arendt KE, Mortensen J, Blicher ME, Søgaard DH, Rysgaard S (2015) Seasonal and interannual phytoplankton production in a sub-Arctic tidewater outlet glacier fjord, SW Greenland. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 524:27-38

Krawczyk DW, Witkowski A, Juul-Pedersen T, Arendt KE, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S (2015) Microplankton succession in a SW Greenland tidewater glacial fjord influenced by coastal inflows and run-off from the Greenland Ice Sheet. Polar Biol 38:1515-1533

Langen PL, Mottram RH, Christensen JP, Boberg F, Rodehacke CB, Stendel M, van As D, Ahlstrøm AP, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S, Petersen D, Svendsen H, Aðalgeirsdóttir G, Cappelen J (2015) Quantifying Energy and Mass Fluxes Controlling Godthåbsfjord Freshwater Input in a 5-km Simulation (1991–2012). J Clim 28:3694-3713

Meire L, Søgaard DH, Mortensen J, Meysman FJR, Soetaert K, Arendt KE, Juul-Pedersen T, Blicher ME, Rysgaard S (2015) Glacial meltwater and primary production are drivers of strong CO₂ uptake in fjord and coastal waters adjacent to the Greenland Ice Sheet. Biogeosciences 12:2347-2363

Bendtsen J, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S (2014) Seasonal surface layer dynamics and sensitivity to runoff in a high Arctic fjord (Young Sound/Tyrolerfjord, 74°N). Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 119:6461-6478

Kjeldsen KK, Mortensen J, Bendtsen J, Petersen D, Lennert K, Rysgaard S (2014) Ice-dammed lake drainage cools and raises surface salinities in a tidewater outlet glacier fjord, west Greenland. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 119:1310-1321

Mortensen J, Bendtsen J, Lennert K, Rysgaard S (2014) Seasonal variability of the circulation system in a west Greenland tidewater outlet glacier fjord, Godthåbsfjord (64°N). Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 119:2591-2603

Arendt KE, Juul-Pedersen T, Mortensen J, Blicher ME, Rysgaard S (2013) A 5-year study of seasonal patterns in mesozooplankton community structure in a sub-Arctic fjord reveals dominance of Microsetella norvegica (Crustacea, Copepoda). J Plankton Res 35:105-120

Mortensen J, Bendtsen J, Motyka RJ, Lennert K, Truffer M, Fahnestock M, Rysgaard S (2013) On the seasonal freshwater stratification in the proximity of fast‐flowing tidewater outlet glaciers in a sub‐Arctic sill fjord. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 118:1382-1395

Carlsson P, Cornelissen G, Boggild CE, Rysgaard S, Mortensen J, Kallenborn R (2012) Hydrology-linked spatial distribution of pesticides in a fjord system in Greenland. J Environ Monit 14:1437-1443

Rysgaard S, Mortensen J, Juul-Pedersen T, Sørensen LL, Lennert K, Søgaard DH, Arendt KE, Blicher ME, Sejr MK, Bendtsen J (2012) High air–sea CO₂ uptake rates in nearshore and shelf areas of Southern Greenland: Temporal and spatial variability. Mar Chem 128-129:26-33

Versteegh EAA, Blicher ME, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S (2012) Oxygen isotope ratios in the shell of Mytilus edulis: archives of glacier meltwater in Greenland? Biogeosciences 9:5231-5241

Arendt KE, Dutz J, Jónasdóttir SH, Jung-Madsen S, Mortensen J, Møller EF, Nielsen TG (2011) Effects of suspended sediments on copepods feeding in a glacial influenced sub-Arctic fjord. J Plankton Res 33:1526-1537

Mortensen J, Lennert K, Bendtsen J, Rysgaard S (2011) Heat sources for glacial melt in a sub‐Arctic fjord (Godthåbsfjord) in contact with the Greenland Ice Sheet. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 116:C01013

Motyka RJ, Truffer M, Fahnestock M, Mortensen J, Rysgaard S, Howat I (2011) Submarine melting of the 1985 Jakobshavn Isbræ floating tongue and the triggering of the current retreat. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 116

Richter A, Rysgaard S, Dietrich R, Mortensen J, Petersen D (2011) Coastal tides in West Greenland derived from tide gauge records. Ocean Dynamics 61:39-49

Rysgaard S, Bendtsen J, Delille B, Dieckmann GS, Glud RN, Kennedy H, Mortensen J, Papadimitriou S, Thomas DN, Tison J-L (2011) Sea ice contribution to the air–sea CO₂ exchange in the Arctic and Southern Oceans. Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology 63:823-830

Tang KW, Nielsen TG, Munk P, Mortensen J, Møller EF, Arendt KE, Tönnesson K, Juul-Pedersen T (2011) Metazooplankton community structure, feeding rate estimates, and hydrography in a meltwater-influenced Greenlandic fjord. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 434:77-90