scholarly journals Comparison of geodetic and glaciological mass budgets for White Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island, Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (237) ◽  
pp. 55-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAURA I. THOMSON ◽  
MICHAEL ZEMP ◽  
LUKE COPLAND ◽  
J. GRAHAM COGLEY ◽  
MILES A. ECCLESTONE
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Canadian Arctic ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Random Errors ◽  
Statistical Comparison ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Systematic And Random Errors ◽  
Axel Heiberg Island ◽  
Made In

ABSTRACTThis study presents the first reanalysis of a long-term glacier mass-balance record in the Canadian Arctic. The reanalysis is accomplished through comparison of the 1960–2014 glaciological mass-balance record of White Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, with a geodetically derived mass change over the same period. The corrections applied to homogenize the two datasets, including adjusting for changes in hypsometry over the period of record and the generic differences between methods, are discussed along with the associated systematic and random errors of the two forms of mass-balance measurement. Statistical comparison of the two datasets reveals that within the error margin there is no significant difference between the average annual glaciological balance (–213 ± 28 mm w.e. a−1) and geodetic balance (–178 ± 16 mm w.e. a−1) at White Glacier over the 54 year record. The validity of this result, and the assumptions made in implementing the glaciological method, are critically assessed.

Pan-arctic glaciers volume changes over 1975-2019

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amaury Dehecq ◽  
Alex Gardner ◽  
Romain Hugonnet ◽  
Joaquin Belart
Keyword(s):  
Canadian Arctic ◽  
Aerial Images ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Russian Arctic ◽  
Elevation Change ◽  
Volume Changes ◽  
Arctic Regions ◽  
Digital Elevation

<p>Glaciers retreat contributed to about 1/3 of the observed sea level rise since 1971 (IPCC). However, long term estimates of glaciers volume changes rely on sparse field observations and region-wide satellite observations are available mostly after 2000. The now declassified images from the American reconnaissance satellite series Hexagon (KH-9), that acquired 6 m resolution stereoscopic images from 1971 to 1986, open new possibilities for glaciers observation.</p><p>Based on recently published methodology (Dehecq et al., 2020, doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.566802), we process all available KH-9 images over the Arctic (Canadian arctic, Iceland, Svalbard, Russian arctic) to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and ortho-images for the period 1974-1980. We validate the KH-9 DEMs over Iceland against elevation derived from historical aerial images acquired within a month from the satellite acquisition.</p><p>Finally, we calculate the glacier elevation change between the historical DEMs and modern elevation obtained from a time series of ASTER stereo images and validated against ICESat-2 elevation. The geodetic glacier mass balance is calculated for all pan-Arctic regions and analyzed with reference to the last 20 years evolution.</p>

scholarly journals The impact of Saharan dust and black carbon on albedo and long-term glacier mass balance

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1133-1175 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gabbi ◽  
M. Huss ◽  
A. Bauder ◽  
F. Cao ◽  
M. Schwikowski
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Mineral Dust ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Swiss Alps ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Mass Balances ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Light-absorbing impurities in snow and ice control glacier melt as shortwave radiation represents the main component of the surface energy balance. Here, we investigate the long-term effect of snow impurities, i.e. Saharan dust and black carbon (BC), on albedo and glacier mass balance. The analysis was performed over the period 1914–2014 for two sites on Claridenfirn, Swiss Alps, where an outstanding 100 year record of seasonal mass balance measurements is available. Information on atmospheric deposition of mineral dust and BC over the last century was retrieved from two firn/ice cores of high-alpine sites. A combined mass balance and snow/firn layer model was employed to assess the dust/BC-albedo feedback. Compared to pure snow conditions, the presence of Saharan dust and BC lowered the mean annual albedo by 0.04–0.06 and increased melt by 15–19% on average depending on the location on the glacier. BC clearly dominated absorption which is about three times higher than that of mineral dust. The upper site has experienced mainly positive mass balances and impurity layers were continuously buried whereas at the lower site, surface albedo was more strongly influenced by re-exposure of dust-enriched layers due to frequent years with negative mass balances.

scholarly journals Mass balance of Trambau Glacier, Rolwaling region, Nepal Himalaya: in-situ observations, long-term reconstruction and mass-balance sensitivity

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (252) ◽  
pp. 605-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
SOJIRO SUNAKO ◽  
KOJI FUJITA ◽  
AKIKO SAKAI ◽  
RIJAN B. KAYASTHA
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Balance Study ◽  
Nepal Himalaya ◽  
In Situ Data

ABSTRACTWe conducted a mass-balance study of debris-free Trambau Glacier in the Rolwaling region, Nepal Himalaya, which is accessible to 6000 m a.s.l., to better understand mass-balance processes and the effect of precipitation on these processes on high-elevation Himalayan glaciers. Continuous in situ meteorological and mass-balance observations that spanned the three melt seasons from May 2016 are reported. An energy- and mass-balance model is also applied to evaluate its performance and sensitivity to various climatic conditions. Glacier-wide mass balances ranging from −0.34 ± 0.38 m w.e. in 2016 to −0.82 ± 0.53 m w.e. in 2017/18 are obtained by combining the observations with model results for the areas above the highest stake. The estimated long-term glacier mass balance, which is reconstructed using the ERA-Interim data calibrated with in situ data, is −0.65 ± 0.39 m w.e. a−1for the 1980–2018 period. A significant correlation with annual precipitation (r= 0.77,p< 0.001) is observed, whereas there is no discernible correlation with summer mean air temperature. The results indicate the continuous mass loss of Trambau Glacier over the last four decades, which contrasts with the neighbouring Mera Glacier in balance.

scholarly journals Meteorological controls on glacier mass balance: empirical relations suggested by measurements on glacier de Sarennes, France

1997 ◽  
Vol 43 (143) ◽  
pp. 131-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Vincent ◽  
M. Vallon
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Time Scale ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Empirical Relation ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Glacier Surface ◽  
Surface Conditions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Empirical Relations

AbstractGlacial mass-balance reconstruction for a long-term time-scale requires knowledge of the relation between climate change and mass-balance fluctuations. A large number of mass-balance reconstructions since the beginning of the century are based on statistical relations between monthly meteorological data and mass balance. The question examined in this paper is: are these relationships reliable enough for long-term time-scale extrapolation? From the glacier de Sarennes long mass-balance observations series, we were surprised to discover large discrepancies between relations resulting from different time periods. The importance of the albedo in relation to ablation and mass balance is highlighted, and it is shown that it is impossible to ignore glacier-surface conditions in establishing the empirical relation between mass-balance fluctuations and climatic variation; to omit this parameter leads to incorrect results for mass-balance reconstruction in the past based on meteorological data.

scholarly journals Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 713-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Huss
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Volume Change ◽  
Data Series ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Ice Volume ◽  
Area Reduction

Abstract. This study addresses the extrapolation of in-situ glacier mass balance measurements to the mountain-range scale and aims at deriving time series of area-averaged mass balance and ice volume change for all glaciers in the European Alps for the period 1900–2100. Long-term mass balance series for 50 Swiss glaciers based on a combination of field data and modelling, and WGMS data for glaciers in Austria, France and Italy are used. A complete glacier inventory is available for the year 2003. Mass balance extrapolation is performed based on (1) arithmetic averaging, (2) glacier hypsometry, and (3) multiple regression. Given a sufficient number of data series, multiple regression with variables describing glacier geometry performs best in reproducing observed spatial mass balance variability. Future mass changes are calculated by driving a combined model for mass balance and glacier geometry with GCM ensembles based on four emission scenarios. Mean glacier mass balance in the European Alps is −0.31 ± 0.04 m w.e. a−1 in 1900–2011, and −1 m w.e. a−1 over the last decade. Total ice volume change since 1900 is −96 ± 13 km3; annual values vary between −5.9 km3 (1947) and +3.9 km3 (1977). Mean mass balances are expected to be around −1.3 m w.e. a−1 by 2050. Model results indicate a glacier area reduction of 4–18% relative to 2003 for the end of the 21st century.

scholarly journals Tree-ring-inferred glacier mass balance variation in southeastern Tibetan Plateau and its linkage with climate variability

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2451-2458 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Duan ◽  
L. Wang ◽  
L. Li ◽  
Y. Sun
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Indian Summer Monsoon ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Monsoon Precipitation

Abstract. A large number of glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have experienced wastage in recent decades. And the wastage is different from region to region, even from glacier to glacier. A better understanding of long-term glacier variations and their linkage with climate variability requires extending the presently observed records. Here we present the first tree-ring-based glacier mass balance (MB) reconstruction in the TP, performed at the Hailuogou Glacier in southeastern TP during 1868–2007. The reconstructed MB is characterized mainly by ablation over the past 140 yr, and typical melting periods occurred in 1910s–1920s, 1930s–1960s, 1970s–1980s, and the last 20 yr. After the 1900s, only a few short periods (i.e., 1920s–1930s, the 1960s and the late 1980s) were characterized by accumulation. These variations can be validated by the terminus retreat velocity of Hailuogou Glacier and the ice-core accumulation rate in Guliya and respond well to regional and Northern Hemisphere temperature anomaly. In addition, the reconstructed MB is significantly and negatively correlated with August–September all-India monsoon rainfall (AIR) (r1871-2008 = −0.342, p < 0.0001). These results suggest that temperature variability is the dominant factor for the long-term MB variation at the Hailuogou Glacier. Indian summer monsoon precipitation does not affect the MB variation, yet the significant negative correlation between the MB and the AIR implies the positive effect of summer heating of the TP on Indian summer monsoon precipitation.

scholarly journals Glaciological and geodetic mass balance of ten long-term glaciers in Norway

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 6581-6626 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Andreassen ◽  
H. Elvehøy ◽  
B. Kjøllmoen ◽  
R. V. Engeset
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Uncertainty Assessment ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Surface Mass ◽  
Independent Observations ◽  
Observation Series ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Geodetic Mass Balance ◽  
Year 2000

Abstract. The glaciological and geodetic methods provide independent observations of glacier mass balance. The glaciological method measures the surface mass balance, on a seasonal or annual basis, whereas the geodetic method measures surface, internal and basal mass balances, over a period of years or decades. In this paper, we reanalyse the 10 glaciers with long-term mass balance series in Norway. The reanalysis includes (i) homogenisation of both glaciological and geodetic observation series, (ii) uncertainty assessment, (iii) estimates of generic differences including estimates of internal and basal melt, (iv) validation, and (v) partly calibration of mass balance series. This study comprises an extensive set of data (454 mass balance years, 34 geodetic surveys and large volumes of supporting data, such as metadata and field notes). In total, 21 periods of data were compared and the results show discrepancies between the glaciological and geodetic methods for some glaciers, which in part are attributed to internal and basal ablation and in part to inhomogeneity in the data processing. Deviations were smaller than 0.2 m w.e. a−1 for 12 out of 21 periods. Calibration was applied to seven out of 21 periods, as the deviations were larger than the uncertainty. The reanalysed glaciological series shows a more consistent signal of glacier change over the period of observations than previously reported: six glaciers had a significant mass loss (14–22 m w.e.) and four glaciers were nearly in balance. All glaciers have lost mass after year 2000. More research is needed on the sources of uncertainty, to reduce uncertainties and adjust the observation programmes accordingly. The study confirms the value of carrying out independent high-quality geodetic surveys to check and correct field observations.

scholarly journals Long-term records of glacier surface velocities in the Ötztal Alps (Austria)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Stocker-Waldhuber ◽  
Andrea Fischer ◽  
Kay Helfricht ◽  
Michael Kuhn
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Climatic Forcing ◽  
Glacier Surface ◽  
Ice Flow ◽  
Strong Indicator ◽  
Length Changes ◽  
Flow Velocities

Abstract. Climatic forcing affects glacier mass balance and ice flow dynamics on different time scales, resulting in length changes. Mass Balance and length changes are operationally used for glacier monitoring, whereas only a few time series of glacier dynamics have been recorded. With more than 100 years of measurements of ice flow velocities at stakes and stone lines on Hintereisferner and more than 50 years on Kesselwandferner, annual velocity and glacier fluctuation records have similar lengths. Subseasonal variations of ice flow velocities have been measured on Gepatschferner and Taschachferner for nearly a decade. The ice flow velocities on Hintereisferner and especially on Kesselwandferner show great variations between advancing and retreating periods, with magnitudes increasing from the highest to the lowest stakes, making ice flow records at ablation stakes a very sensitive indicator of glacier state. Since the end of the latest glacier advances from the 1970s to the 1980s, the ice flow velocities have decreased continuously, a strong indicator of the negative mass balances of the glaciers in recent decades. The velocity data sets of the four glaciers are available at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.896741.

scholarly journals Fritz Müller’s legacy on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, Canada

2000 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Peter Adams
Keyword(s):  
Faculty Member ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Personal Account ◽  
Lake Ice ◽  
Glacier Terminus ◽  
Mcgill University ◽  
Break Up ◽  
Axel Heiberg Island

AbstractFritz Müller (1926–80) was the leader of the Jacobsen-McGill Arctic Research Expeditions to Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, Canada. He was a faculty member at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, from 1959 to 1970. Thereafter, he was Chair of Geography at Eidgenossische Techmsche Hochschule, Zürich, Switzerland. He conducted research on Axel Heiberg Island, mainly in the vicinity of Expedition Fiord, from 1959 until his death in 1980. This paper is a personal account of Müller’s work by one of his students, with a commentary on his contributions to Arctic science. The personal account focuses on the early years of the expeditions. The commentary includes discussion of glacier mass-balance records and lake-ice break-up from 1959 to the present, glacier-terminus records from 1948 to the present and other research focused on the region.

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