Articles | Volume 10, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-65-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-65-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Jan 2016
Research article |
| 18 Jan 2016
Comparison of multiple glacier inventories with a new inventory derived from high-resolution ALOS imagery in the Bhutan Himalaya
Earth Observation Research Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan
K. Fujita
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
T. Nuimura
Faculty of Risk and Crisis Management, Chiba Institute of Science, Choshi, Japan
T. Tadono
Earth Observation Research Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan
Related authors
Hiroto Nagai, Manabu Watanabe, Naoya Tomii, Takeo Tadono, and Shinichi Suzuki
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1907–1921, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1907-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1907-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrated an assessment of the sediments caused by a catastrophic avalanche, induced by the main shock of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal. A Japanese space-borne sensor, PALSAR-2, have a high potential for delineating the hazardous zone. Comparison of pre- and post-high-resolution topographic data estimates the avalanche-induced sediment volume as 5.51 × 106 m3. High-resolution satellite imagery revealed that it has multiple layers of sediment with different physical properties.
T. Nuimura, A. Sakai, K. Taniguchi, H. Nagai, D. Lamsal, S. Tsutaki, A. Kozawa, Y. Hoshina, S. Takenaka, S. Omiya, K. Tsunematsu, P. Tshering, and K. Fujita
The Cryosphere, 9, 849–864, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-849-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-849-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new glacier inventory for high-mountain Asia named “Glacier Area Mapping for Discharge from the Asian Mountains” (GAMDAM). Glacier outlines were delineated manually using 356 Landsat ETM+ scenes in 226 path-row sets from the period 1999–2003, in conjunction with a digital elevation model and high-resolution Google EarthTM imagery. Our GAMDAM Glacier Inventory includes 87,084 glaciers covering a total area of 91,263 ± 13,689 km2 throughout high-mountain Asia.
A. Sakai, T. Nuimura, K. Fujita, S. Takenaka, H. Nagai, and D. Lamsal
The Cryosphere, 9, 865–880, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-865-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-865-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Among meteorological elements, precipitation has a large spatial variability and less observation, particularly in high-mountain Asia, although precipitation in mountains is an important parameter for hydrological circulation. Based on the GAMDAM glacier inventory, we estimated precipitation contributing to glacier mass at the median elevation of glaciers, which is presumed to be at equilibrium-line altitude, by tuning adjustment parameters of precipitation.
H. Nagai, K. Fujita, T. Nuimura, and A. Sakai
The Cryosphere, 7, 1303–1314, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1303-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1303-2013, 2013
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Remi Dallmayr, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Jun Ogata, Kyotaro Kitamura, Kenji Kawamura, Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Naoko Nagatsuka, Akane Tsushima, Kaori Fukuda, and Teruo Aoki
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12985–13000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12985-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12985-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a continuous flow analysis system to analyze an ice core from northwestern Greenland and coupled it with an improved refractory black carbon (rBC) measurement technique. This allowed accurate high-resolution analyses of size distributions and concentrations of rBC particles with diameters of 70 nm–4 μm for the past 350 years. Our results provide crucial insights into rBC's climatic effects. We also found previous ice core studies substantially underestimated rBC mass concentrations.
Brian A. Johnson, Chisa Umemiya, Takeo Tadono, Mariko Harada, Osamu Ochiai, and Ko Hamamoto
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., X-5-2024, 89–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-5-2024-89-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-5-2024-89-2024, 2024
Orie Sasaki, Evan Stewart Miles, Francesca Pellicciotti, Akiko Sakai, and Koji Fujita
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2026, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study proposes a new method to detect snowline altitude (SLA) using the Google Earth Engine platform with high-resolution satellite imagery, applicable anywhere in the world. Applying this method to five glaciated watersheds in the Himalayas reveals regional consistencies and differences in snow dynamics. We also investigate the primary controls of these dynamics by analyzing climatic factors and topographic characteristics.
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, and Teruo Aoki
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1498, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1498, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Monthly records spanning 350 years from a Greenland ice core reveal trends in black carbon (BC) concentrations and sizes. BC concentrations have risen since the late 19th century due to the inflow of anthropogenic BC, with these particles being larger than those from biomass burning (BB). High BB BC concentration peaks in summer originating from BB could reduce albedo. However, BB BC showed no upward trend until the early 2000s. Our findings are crucial for validating aerosol and climate models.
Vigan Mensah, Koji Fujita, Stephen Howell, Miho Ikeda, Mizuki Komatsu, and Kay I. Ohshima
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2492, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2492, 2023
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
We estimated the volume of freshwater released by sea ice, glaciers, rivers, and precipitation into Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea, and their changes over the past 70 years. We found that the freshwater volume has risen in Baffin Bay due to increased glacier melting, and dropped in the Labrador Sea because of the decline in sea ice production. We also infer that freshwater from the Arctic Ocean has been exported to our study region for the past 30 years, possibly as a result of global warming.
Motoshi Nishimura, Teruo Aoki, Masashi Niwano, Sumito Matoba, Tomonori Tanikawa, Tetsuhide Yamasaki, Satoru Yamaguchi, and Koji Fujita
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 5207–5226, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5207-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5207-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We presented the method of data quality checks and the dataset for two ground weather observations in northwest Greenland. We found that the warm and clear weather conditions in the 2015, 2019, and 2020 summers caused the snowmelt and the decline in surface reflectance of solar radiation at a low-elevated site (SIGMA-B; 944 m), but those were not seen at the high-elevated site (SIGMA-A; 1490 m). We hope that our data management method and findings will help climate scientists.
Yukihiko Onuma, Koji Fujita, Nozomu Takeuchi, Masashi Niwano, and Teruo Aoki
The Cryosphere, 17, 3309–3328, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3309-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3309-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We established a novel model that simulates the temporal changes in cryoconite hole (CH) depth using heat budgets calculated independently at the ice surface and CH bottom based on hole shape geometry. The simulations suggest that CH depth is governed by the balance between the intensity of the diffuse component of downward shortwave radiation and the wind speed. The meteorological conditions may be important factors contributing to the recent ice surface darkening via the redistribution of CHs.
Naoko Nagatsuka, Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Koji Fujita, Yuki Komuro, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Jun Ogata, Kaori Fukuda, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kyotaro Kitamura, Ayaka Yonekura, Fumio Nakazawa, Yukihiko Onuma, Naoyuki Kurita, Sune Olander Rasmussen, Giulia Sinnl, Trevor James Popp, and Dorthe Dahl-Jensen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1666, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1666, 2023
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new high-temporal-resolution record of mineral composition in a northeastern Greenland ice-core (EGRIP) over the past 100 years. The ice core dust composition and its variation differed significantly from a northwestern Greenland ice core, which is likely due to differences in the geological sources of the dust. Our results suggest that the EGRIP ice core dust was constantly supplied from Northern Eurasia, North America, and Asia with minor contribution from Greenland coast.
Yota Sato, Koji Fujita, Hiroshi Inoue, Akiko Sakai, and Karma
The Cryosphere, 16, 2643–2654, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2643-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2643-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate fluctuations in Bhutanese lake-terminating glaciers focusing on the dynamics change before and after proglacial lake formation at Thorthormi Glacier (TG) based on photogrammetry, satellite, and GPS surveys. The thinning rate of TG became double compared to before proglacial lake formation, and the flow velocity has also sped up considerably. Those changes would be due to the reduction in longitudinal ice compression by the detachment of the glacier terminus from the end moraine.
J. Takaku, T. Tadono, M. Doutsu, F. Ohgushi, and H. Kai
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B4-2021, 401–408, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B4-2021-401-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B4-2021-401-2021, 2021
Naoko Nagatsuka, Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Akane Tsushima, Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Yukihiko Onuma, Remi Dallmayr, Moe Kadota, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Jun Ogata, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kyotaro Kitamura, Masahiro Minowa, Yuki Komuro, Hideaki Motoyama, and Teruo Aoki
Clim. Past, 17, 1341–1362, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-1341-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-1341-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present a first high-temporal-resolution record of mineral composition in a Greenland ice core (SIGMA-D) over the past 100 years using SEM–EDS analysis. Our results show that the ice core dust composition varied on multi-decadal scales, which was likely affected by local temperature changes. We suggest that the ice core dust was constantly supplied from distant sources (mainly northern Canada) as well as local ice-free areas in warm periods (1915 to 1949 and 2005 to 2013).
Xavier Fettweis, Stefan Hofer, Uta Krebs-Kanzow, Charles Amory, Teruo Aoki, Constantijn J. Berends, Andreas Born, Jason E. Box, Alison Delhasse, Koji Fujita, Paul Gierz, Heiko Goelzer, Edward Hanna, Akihiro Hashimoto, Philippe Huybrechts, Marie-Luise Kapsch, Michalea D. King, Christoph Kittel, Charlotte Lang, Peter L. Langen, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Glen E. Liston, Gerrit Lohmann, Sebastian H. Mernild, Uwe Mikolajewicz, Kameswarrao Modali, Ruth H. Mottram, Masashi Niwano, Brice Noël, Jonathan C. Ryan, Amy Smith, Jan Streffing, Marco Tedesco, Willem Jan van de Berg, Michiel van den Broeke, Roderik S. W. van de Wal, Leo van Kampenhout, David Wilton, Bert Wouters, Florian Ziemen, and Tobias Zolles
The Cryosphere, 14, 3935–3958, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3935-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3935-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated simulated Greenland Ice Sheet surface mass balance from 5 kinds of models. While the most complex (but expensive to compute) models remain the best, the faster/simpler models also compare reliably with observations and have biases of the same order as the regional models. Discrepancies in the trend over 2000–2012, however, suggest that large uncertainties remain in the modelled future SMB changes as they are highly impacted by the meltwater runoff biases over the current climate.
J. Takaku, T. Tadono, M. Doutsu, F. Ohgushi, and H. Kai
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B4-2020, 183–189, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B4-2020-183-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B4-2020-183-2020, 2020
T. Tadono, Y. Mizukami, H. Watarai, J. Takaku, F. Ohgushi, and H. Kai
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B1-2020, 135–140, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B1-2020-135-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B1-2020-135-2020, 2020
Adrien Gilbert, Anna Sinisalo, Tika R. Gurung, Koji Fujita, Sudan B. Maharjan, Tenzing C. Sherpa, and Takehiro Fukuda
The Cryosphere, 14, 1273–1288, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1273-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1273-2020, 2020
Shun Tsutaki, Koji Fujita, Takayuki Nuimura, Akiko Sakai, Shin Sugiyama, Jiro Komori, and Phuntsho Tshering
The Cryosphere, 13, 2733–2750, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2733-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2733-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate thickness change of Bhutanese glaciers during 2004–2011 using repeat GPS surveys and satellite-based observations. The thinning rate of Lugge Glacier (LG) is > 3 times that of Thorthormi Glacier (TG). Numerical simulations of ice dynamics and surface mass balance (SMB) demonstrate that the rapid thinning of LG is driven by both negative SMB and dynamic thinning, while the thinning of TG is minimised by a longitudinally compressive flow regime.
Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Yoshinori Iizuka, Nozomu Takeuchi, and Teruo Aoki
Clim. Past Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2019-97, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2019-97, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a novel method for reconstructing summer temperatures from ice-layer thickness and annual accumulation in an ice core using an energy balance model. The method calculates a lookup table by considering heat conduction and meltwater refreezing in firn. We applied the method to four ice cores in different climates. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the annual temperature range, amount of annual precipitation, and firn albedo significantly affect the estimated summer temperature.
Akiko Sakai
The Cryosphere, 13, 2043–2049, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2043-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2043-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The Glacier Area Mapping for Discharge from the Asian Mountains (GAMDAM) glacier inventory was updated to revise the underestimated glacier area in the first version. The total number and area of glaciers are 134 770 and 100 693 ± 11 790 km2 from 453 Landsat images, which were carefully selected for the period from 1990 to 2010, to avoid mountain shadow, cloud cover, and seasonal snow cover.
Daniel Falaschi, Andreas Kääb, Frank Paul, Takeo Tadono, Juan Antonio Rivera, and Luis Eduardo Lenzano
The Cryosphere, 13, 997–1004, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-997-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-997-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
In March 2007, the Leñas Glacier in the Central Andes of Argentina collapsed and released an ice avalanche that travelled a distance of 2 km. We analysed aerial photos, satellite images and field evidence to investigate the evolution of the glacier from the 1950s through the present day. A clear potential trigger of the collapse could not be identified from available meteorological and seismic data, nor could a significant change in glacier geometry leading to glacier instability be detected.
N. Tsutsumida, S. Nagai, P. Rodríguez-Veiga, J. Katagi, K. Nasahara, and T. Tadono
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., IV-3-W1, 57–63, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-3-W1-57-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-IV-3-W1-57-2019, 2019
T. Tadono, M. Ohki, and T. Abe
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-3-W7, 69–72, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-W7-69-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-W7-69-2019, 2019
Sauvik Santra, Shubha Verma, Koji Fujita, Indrajit Chakraborty, Olivier Boucher, Toshihiko Takemura, John F. Burkhart, Felix Matt, and Mukesh Sharma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2441–2460, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2441-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2441-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The present study provided information on specific glaciers over the Hindu Kush Himalayan region identified as being vulnerable to BC-induced impacts (affected by high BC-induced snow albedo reduction in addition to being sensitive to BC-induced impacts), thus impacting the downstream hydrology. The source-specific contribution to atmospheric BC aerosols by emission sources led to identifying the potential emission source, which was distinctive over south and north to 30° N.
Chiyuki Narama, Mirlan Daiyrov, Murataly Duishonakunov, Takeo Tadono, Hayato Sato, Andreas Kääb, Jinro Ukita, and Kanatbek Abdrakhmatov
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 983–995, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-983-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-983-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Four large drainages from glacial lakes occurred during 2006–2014 in the western Teskey Range, Kyrgyzstan. These floods caused extensive damage, killing people and livestock, as well as destroying property and crops. Due to their subsurface outlet, we refer to these short-lived glacial lakes as being of the
tunnel-type, a type that drastically grows and drains over a few months.
Masashi Niwano, Teruo Aoki, Akihiro Hashimoto, Sumito Matoba, Satoru Yamaguchi, Tomonori Tanikawa, Koji Fujita, Akane Tsushima, Yoshinori Iizuka, Rigen Shimada, and Masahiro Hori
The Cryosphere, 12, 635–655, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-635-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-635-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We present a high-resolution regional climate model called NHM–SMAP applied to the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). The model forced by JRA-55 reanalysis is evaluated using in situ data from automated weather stations, stake measurements,
and ice core obtained from 2011 to 2014. By utilizing the model, we highlight that the choice of calculation schemes for vertical water movement in snow and firn has an effect of up to 200 Gt/year in the yearly accumulated GrIS-wide surface mass balance estimates.
Damodar Lamsal, Koji Fujita, and Akiko Sakai
The Cryosphere, 11, 2815–2827, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2815-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2815-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the geodetic mass balance of Kanchenjunga Glacier, a heavily debris-covered glacier in the easternmost Nepal Himalaya, between 1975 and 2010 using high-resolution DEMs. The rate of elevation change positively correlates with elevation and glacier velocity, and significant surface lowering is observed at supraglacial ponds. A difference in pond density would strongly affect the different geodetic mass balances of the Kanchenjunga and Khumbu glaciers.
Hiroto Nagai, Manabu Watanabe, Naoya Tomii, Takeo Tadono, and Shinichi Suzuki
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1907–1921, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1907-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1907-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrated an assessment of the sediments caused by a catastrophic avalanche, induced by the main shock of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal. A Japanese space-borne sensor, PALSAR-2, have a high potential for delineating the hazardous zone. Comparison of pre- and post-high-resolution topographic data estimates the avalanche-induced sediment volume as 5.51 × 106 m3. High-resolution satellite imagery revealed that it has multiple layers of sediment with different physical properties.
Koji Fujita, Hiroshi Inoue, Takeki Izumi, Satoru Yamaguchi, Ayako Sadakane, Sojiro Sunako, Kouichi Nishimura, Walter W. Immerzeel, Joseph M. Shea, Rijan B. Kayastha, Takanobu Sawagaki, David F. Breashears, Hiroshi Yagi, and Akiko Sakai
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 749–764, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-749-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-749-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We create multiple DEMs from photographs taken by helicopter and UAV and reveal the deposit volumes over the Langtang village, which was destroyed by avalanches induced by the Gorkha earthquake. Estimated snow depth in the source area is consistent with anomalously large snow depths observed at a neighboring glacier. Comparing with a long-term observational data, we conclude that this anomalous winter snow amplified the disaster induced by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal.
T. Tadono, H. Nagai, H. Ishida, F. Oda, S. Naito, K. Minakawa, and H. Iwamoto
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLI-B4, 157–162, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B4-157-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B4-157-2016, 2016
Anna Dittmann, Elisabeth Schlosser, Valérie Masson-Delmotte, Jordan G. Powers, Kevin W. Manning, Martin Werner, and Koji Fujita
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 6883–6900, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-6883-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-6883-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
For a better understanding of the stable water isotope data from ice cores, recent time periods have to be analysed, where both measurements and model simulations are available. This was done for Dome Fuji by combining observations, synoptic analysis, back trajectories, and isotopic modelling. It was found that a more northerly moisture source does not necessarily mean a larger temperature difference between source area and deposition site and thus precipitation more depleted in heavy isotopes.
T. Nuimura, A. Sakai, K. Taniguchi, H. Nagai, D. Lamsal, S. Tsutaki, A. Kozawa, Y. Hoshina, S. Takenaka, S. Omiya, K. Tsunematsu, P. Tshering, and K. Fujita
The Cryosphere, 9, 849–864, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-849-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-849-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new glacier inventory for high-mountain Asia named “Glacier Area Mapping for Discharge from the Asian Mountains” (GAMDAM). Glacier outlines were delineated manually using 356 Landsat ETM+ scenes in 226 path-row sets from the period 1999–2003, in conjunction with a digital elevation model and high-resolution Google EarthTM imagery. Our GAMDAM Glacier Inventory includes 87,084 glaciers covering a total area of 91,263 ± 13,689 km2 throughout high-mountain Asia.
A. Sakai, T. Nuimura, K. Fujita, S. Takenaka, H. Nagai, and D. Lamsal
The Cryosphere, 9, 865–880, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-865-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-865-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Among meteorological elements, precipitation has a large spatial variability and less observation, particularly in high-mountain Asia, although precipitation in mountains is an important parameter for hydrological circulation. Based on the GAMDAM glacier inventory, we estimated precipitation contributing to glacier mass at the median elevation of glaciers, which is presumed to be at equilibrium-line altitude, by tuning adjustment parameters of precipitation.
K. Fujita and A. Sakai
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 2679–2694, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2679-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2679-2014, 2014
H. Nagai, K. Fujita, T. Nuimura, and A. Sakai
The Cryosphere, 7, 1303–1314, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1303-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1303-2013, 2013
K. Fujita, A. Sakai, S. Takenaka, T. Nuimura, A. B. Surazakov, T. Sawagaki, and T. Yamanokuchi
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 13, 1827–1839, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-13-1827-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-13-1827-2013, 2013
Y. Zhang, Y. Hirabayashi, K. Fujita, S. Liu, and Q. Liu
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tcd-7-2413-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tcd-7-2413-2013, 2013
Revised manuscript not accepted
Related subject area
Alpine Glaciers
Unprecedented 21st century glacier loss on Mt. Hood, Oregon, USA
Brief communication: On the potential of seismic polarity reversal to identify a thin low-velocity layer above a high-velocity layer in ice-rich rock glaciers
Distributed surface mass balance of an avalanche-fed glacier
Mapping and characterization of avalanches on mountain glaciers with Sentinel-1 satellite imagery
Brief communication: Recent estimates of glacier mass loss for western North America from laser altimetry
The Aneto glacier's (Central Pyrenees) evolution from 1981 to 2022: ice loss observed from historic aerial image photogrammetry and remote sensing techniques
Modelling point mass balance for the glaciers of the Central European Alps using machine learning techniques
Consistent histories of anthropogenic western European air pollution preserved in different Alpine ice cores
Brief communication: Non-linear sensitivity of glacier mass balance to climate attested by temperature-index models
Halving of Swiss glacier volume since 1931 observed from terrestrial image photogrammetry
Land- to lake-terminating transition triggers dynamic thinning of a Bhutanese glacier
Brief communication: A framework to classify glaciers for water resource evaluation and management in the Southern Andes
Strong acceleration of glacier area loss in the Greater Caucasus between 2000 and 2020
Ice volume and basal topography estimation using geostatistical methods and ground-penetrating radar measurements: application to the Tsanfleuron and Scex Rouge glaciers, Swiss Alps
Significant mass loss in the accumulation area of the Adamello glacier indicated by the chronology of a 46 m ice core
Brief communication: Do 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 °C matter for the future evolution of Alpine glaciers?
A new automatic approach for extracting glacier centerlines based on Euclidean allocation
Spatially and temporally resolved ice loss in High Mountain Asia and the Gulf of Alaska observed by CryoSat-2 swath altimetry between 2010 and 2019
Crystallographic analysis of temperate ice on Rhonegletscher, Swiss Alps
Modal sensitivity of rock glaciers to elastic changes from spectral seismic noise monitoring and modeling
Debris cover and the thinning of Kennicott Glacier, Alaska: in situ measurements, automated ice cliff delineation and distributed melt estimates
Small-scale spatial variability in bare-ice reflectance at Jamtalferner, Austria
Numerical modeling of the dynamics of the Mer de Glace glacier, French Alps: comparison with past observations and forecasting of near-future evolution
Monitoring the seasonal changes of an englacial conduit network using repeated ground-penetrating radar measurements
Possible biases in scaling-based estimates of glacier change: a case study in the Himalaya
Spatial and temporal variations in glacier aerodynamic surface roughness during the melting season, as estimated at the August-one ice cap, Qilian mountains, China
Strong changes in englacial temperatures despite insignificant changes in ice thickness at Dôme du Goûter glacier (Mont Blanc area)
Supra-glacial debris cover changes in the Greater Caucasus from 1986 to 2014
Glacier thickness estimations of alpine glaciers using data and modeling constraints
Unravelling the evolution of Zmuttgletscher and its debris cover since the end of the Little Ice Age
Modelling the future evolution of glaciers in the European Alps under the EURO-CORDEX RCM ensemble
Robust uncertainty assessment of the spatio-temporal transferability of glacier mass and energy balance models
Impacts of topographic shading on direct solar radiation for valley glaciers in complex topography
19th century glacier retreat in the Alps preceded the emergence of industrial black carbon deposition on high-alpine glaciers
Iron oxides in the cryoconite of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau: abundance, speciation and implications
Numerical reconstructions of the flow and basal conditions of the Rhine glacier, European Central Alps, at the Last Glacial Maximum
Relative performance of empirical and physical models in assessing the seasonal and annual glacier surface mass balance of Saint-Sorlin Glacier (French Alps)
Geodetic reanalysis of annual glaciological mass balances (2001–2011) of Hintereisferner, Austria
The European mountain cryosphere: a review of its current state, trends, and future challenges
Brief communication: The Khurdopin glacier surge revisited – extreme flow velocities and formation of a dammed lake in 2017
The Greater Caucasus Glacier Inventory (Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan)
Impact of impurities and cryoconite on the optical properties of the Morteratsch Glacier (Swiss Alps)
Structure and evolution of the drainage system of a Himalayan debris-covered glacier, and its relationship with patterns of mass loss
Recent geodetic mass balance of Monte Tronador glaciers, northern Patagonian Andes
Brief communication: Glaciers in the Hunza catchment (Karakoram) have been nearly in balance since the 1970s
Local reduction of decadal glacier thickness loss through mass balance management in ski resorts
Effects of local advection on the spatial sensible heat flux variation on a mountain glacier
Reconstructing the mass balance of Brewster Glacier, New Zealand, using MODIS-derived glacier-wide albedo
Quantifying ice loss in the eastern Himalayas since 1974 using declassified spy satellite imagery
Heterogeneous glacier thinning patterns over the last 40 years in Langtang Himal, Nepal
Nicolas Bakken-French, Stephen J. Boyer, B. Clay Southworth, Megan Thayne, Dylan H. Rood, and Anders E. Carlson
The Cryosphere, 18, 4517–4530, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4517-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4517-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Repeat photography, field mapping, and remote sensing find that glaciers on Mt. Hood, Oregon, have lost about 25 % of their area in the first 2 decades of the 21st century and 17 % of their area in the last 7–8 years. The 21st century recession rate is more than 3 times faster than the 20th century average and 1.9 times faster than the fastest period of retreat within the 20th century. This unprecedented retreat corresponds to regional summer warming of 1.7–1.8°C relative to the early 1900s.
Jacopo Boaga, Mirko Pavoni, Alexander Bast, and Samuel Weber
The Cryosphere, 18, 3231–3236, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3231-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3231-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Reversal polarity is observed in rock glacier seismic refraction tomography. We collected several datasets observing this phenomenon in Switzerland and Italy. This phase change may be linked to interferences due to the presence of a thin low-velocity layer. Our results are confirmed by the modelling and analysis of synthetic seismograms to demonstrate that the presence of a low-velocity layer produces a polarity reversal on the seismic gather.
Marin Kneib, Amaury Dehecq, Adrien Gilbert, Auguste Basset, Evan S. Miles, Guillaume Jouvet, Bruno Jourdain, Etienne Ducasse, Luc Beraud, Antoine Rabatel, Jérémie Mouginot, Guillem Carcanade, Olivier Laarman, Fanny Brun, and Delphine Six
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1733, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1733, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Avalanches contribute to increasing the accumulation on mountain glaciers by redistributing snow from surrounding mountains slopes. Here we quantified the contribution of avalanches to the mass balance of Argentière Glacier in the French Alps, by combining satellite and field observations to model the glacier dynamics. We show that the contribution of avalanches locally increases the accumulation by 60-70% and that accounting for this effect results in less ice loss by the end of the century.
Marin Kneib, Amaury Dehecq, Fanny Brun, Fatima Karbou, Laurane Charrier, Silvan Leinss, Patrick Wagnon, and Fabien Maussion
The Cryosphere, 18, 2809–2830, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Avalanches are important for the mass balance of mountain glaciers, but few data exist on where and when they occur and which glaciers they affect the most. We developed an approach to map avalanches over large glaciated areas and long periods of time using satellite radar data. The application of this method to various regions in the Alps and High Mountain Asia reveals the variability of avalanches on these glaciers and provides key data to better represent these processes in glacier models.
Brian Menounos, Alex Gardner, Caitlyn Florentine, and Andrew Fountain
The Cryosphere, 18, 889–894, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-889-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-889-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in western North American outside of Alaska are often overlooked in global studies because their potential to contribute to changes in sea level is small. Nonetheless, these glaciers represent important sources of freshwater, especially during times of drought. We show that these glaciers lost mass at a rate of about 12 Gt yr-1 for about the period 2013–2021; the rate of mass loss over the period 2018–2022 was similar.
Ixeia Vidaller, Eñaut Izagirre, Luis Mariano del Rio, Esteban Alonso-González, Francisco Rojas-Heredia, Enrique Serrano, Ana Moreno, Juan Ignacio López-Moreno, and Jesús Revuelto
The Cryosphere, 17, 3177–3192, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3177-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3177-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Aneto glacier, the largest glacier in the Pyrenees, has shown continuous surface and ice thickness losses in the last decades. In this study, we examine changes in its surface and ice thickness for 1981–2022 and the remaining ice thickness in 2020. During these 41 years, the glacier has shrunk by 64.7 %, and the ice thickness has decreased by 30.5 m on average. The mean ice thickness in 2022 was 11.9 m, compared to 32.9 m in 1981. The results highlight the critical situation of the glacier.
Ritu Anilkumar, Rishikesh Bharti, Dibyajyoti Chutia, and Shiv Prasad Aggarwal
The Cryosphere, 17, 2811–2828, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2811-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2811-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our analysis demonstrates the capability of machine learning models in estimating glacier mass balance in terms of performance metrics and dataset availability. Feature importance analysis suggests that ablation features are significant. This is in agreement with the predominantly negative mass balance observations. We show that ensemble tree models typically depict the best performance. However, neural network models are preferable for biased inputs and kernel-based models for smaller datasets.
Anja Eichler, Michel Legrand, Theo M. Jenk, Susanne Preunkert, Camilla Andersson, Sabine Eckhardt, Magnuz Engardt, Andreas Plach, and Margit Schwikowski
The Cryosphere, 17, 2119–2137, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2119-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2119-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate how a 250-year history of the emission of air pollutants (major inorganic aerosol constituents, black carbon, and trace species) is preserved in ice cores from four sites in the European Alps. The observed uniform timing in species-dependent longer-term concentration changes reveals that the different ice-core records provide a consistent, spatially representative signal of the pollution history from western European countries.
Christian Vincent and Emmanuel Thibert
The Cryosphere, 17, 1989–1995, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1989-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1989-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Temperature-index models have been widely used for glacier mass projections in the future. The ability of these models to capture non-linear responses of glacier mass balance (MB) to high deviations in air temperature and solid precipitation has recently been questioned by mass balance simulations employing advanced machine-learning techniques. Here, we confirmed that temperature-index models are capable of detecting non-linear responses of glacier MB to temperature and precipitation changes.
Erik Schytt Mannerfelt, Amaury Dehecq, Romain Hugonnet, Elias Hodel, Matthias Huss, Andreas Bauder, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 3249–3268, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3249-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3249-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
How glaciers have responded to climate change over the last 20 years is well-known, but earlier data are much more scarce. We change this in Switzerland by using 22 000 photographs taken from mountain tops between the world wars and find a halving of Swiss glacier volume since 1931. This was done through new automated processing techniques that we created. The data are interesting for more than just glaciers, such as mapping forest changes, landslides, and human impacts on the terrain.
Yota Sato, Koji Fujita, Hiroshi Inoue, Akiko Sakai, and Karma
The Cryosphere, 16, 2643–2654, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2643-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2643-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate fluctuations in Bhutanese lake-terminating glaciers focusing on the dynamics change before and after proglacial lake formation at Thorthormi Glacier (TG) based on photogrammetry, satellite, and GPS surveys. The thinning rate of TG became double compared to before proglacial lake formation, and the flow velocity has also sped up considerably. Those changes would be due to the reduction in longitudinal ice compression by the detachment of the glacier terminus from the end moraine.
Nicole Schaffer and Shelley MacDonell
The Cryosphere, 16, 1779–1791, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1779-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1779-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Over the last 2 decades the importance of Andean glaciers, particularly as water resources, has been recognized in both scientific literature and the public sphere. This has led to the inclusion of glaciers in environmental impact assessment and the development of glacier protection laws. We propose three categories that group glaciers based on their environmental sensitivity to hopefully help facilitate the effective application of these measures and evaluation of water resources in general.
Levan G. Tielidze, Gennady A. Nosenko, Tatiana E. Khromova, and Frank Paul
The Cryosphere, 16, 489–504, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-489-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-489-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The new Caucasus glacier inventory derived from manual delineation of glacier outlines based on medium-resolution (Landsat, Sentinel) and high-resolution (SPOT) satellite imagery shows the accelerated glacier area loss over the last 2 decades (2000–2020). This new glacier inventory will improve our understanding of climate change impacts at a regional scale and support related modelling studies by providing high-quality validation data.
Alexis Neven, Valentin Dall'Alba, Przemysław Juda, Julien Straubhaar, and Philippe Renard
The Cryosphere, 15, 5169–5186, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5169-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5169-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present and compare different geostatistical methods for underglacial bedrock interpolation. Variogram-based interpolations are compared with a multipoint statistics approach on both test cases and real glaciers. Using the modeled bedrock, the ice volume for the Scex Rouge and Tsanfleuron glaciers (Swiss Alps) was estimated to be 113.9 ± 1.6 million cubic meters. Complex karstic geomorphological features are reproduced and can be used to improve the precision of underglacial flow estimation.
Daniela Festi, Margit Schwikowski, Valter Maggi, Klaus Oeggl, and Theo Manuel Jenk
The Cryosphere, 15, 4135–4143, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4135-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4135-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In our study we dated a 46 m deep ice core retrieved from the Adamello glacier (Central Italian Alps). We obtained a timescale combining the results of radionuclides 210Pb and 137Cs with annual layer counting derived from pollen and refractory black carbon concentrations. Our results indicate that the surface of the glacier is older than the drilling date of 2016 by about 20 years, therefore revealing that the glacier is at high risk of collapsing under current climate warming conditions.
Loris Compagno, Sarah Eggs, Matthias Huss, Harry Zekollari, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 15, 2593–2599, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2593-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2593-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, discussions have focused on the difference in limiting the increase in global average temperatures to below 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 °C compared to preindustrial levels. Here, we assess the impacts that such different scenarios would have on both the future evolution of glaciers in the European Alps and the water resources they provide. Our results show that the different temperature targets have important implications for the changes predicted until 2100.
Dahong Zhang, Xiaojun Yao, Hongyu Duan, Shiyin Liu, Wanqin Guo, Meiping Sun, and Dazhi Li
The Cryosphere, 15, 1955–1973, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1955-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1955-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier centerlines are crucial input for many glaciological applications. We propose a new algorithm to derive glacier centerlines and implement the corresponding program in Python language. Application of this method to 48 571 glaciers in the second Chinese glacier inventory automatically yielded the corresponding glacier centerlines with an average computing time of 20.96 s, a success rate of 100 % and a comprehensive accuracy of 94.34 %.
Livia Jakob, Noel Gourmelen, Martin Ewart, and Stephen Plummer
The Cryosphere, 15, 1845–1862, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1845-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1845-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers and ice caps are currently the largest contributor to sea level rise. Global monitoring of these regions is a challenging task, and significant differences remain between current estimates. This study looks at glacier changes in High Mountain Asia and the Gulf of Alaska using a new technique, which for the first time makes the use of satellite radar altimetry for mapping ice mass loss over mountain glacier regions possible.
Sebastian Hellmann, Johanna Kerch, Ilka Weikusat, Andreas Bauder, Melchior Grab, Guillaume Jouvet, Margit Schwikowski, and Hansruedi Maurer
The Cryosphere, 15, 677–694, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-677-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-677-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We analyse the orientation of ice crystals in an Alpine glacier and compare this orientation with the ice flow direction. We found that the crystals orient in the direction of the largest stress which is in the flow direction in the upper parts of the glacier and in the vertical direction for deeper zones of the glacier. The grains cluster around this maximum stress direction, in particular four-point maxima, most likely as a result of recrystallisation under relatively warm conditions.
Antoine Guillemot, Laurent Baillet, Stéphane Garambois, Xavier Bodin, Agnès Helmstetter, Raphaël Mayoraz, and Eric Larose
The Cryosphere, 15, 501–529, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-501-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-501-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Among mountainous permafrost landforms, rock glaciers are composed of boulders, fine frozen materials, water and ice in various proportions. Displacement rates of active rock glaciers can reach several m/yr, contributing to emerging risks linked to gravitational hazards. Thanks to passive seismic monitoring, resonance effects related to seasonal freeze–thawing processes of the shallower layers have been monitored and modeled. This method is an accurate tool for studying rock glaciers at depth.
Leif S. Anderson, William H. Armstrong, Robert S. Anderson, and Pascal Buri
The Cryosphere, 15, 265–282, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-265-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-265-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Many glaciers are thinning rapidly beneath debris cover (loose rock) that reduces melt, including Kennicott Glacier in Alaska. This contradiction has been explained by melt hotspots, such as ice cliffs, scattered within the debris cover. However, at Kennicott Glacier declining ice flow explains the rapid thinning. Through this study, Kennicott Glacier is now the first glacier in Alaska, and the largest glacier globally, where melt across its debris-covered tongue has been rigorously quantified.
Lea Hartl, Lucia Felbauer, Gabriele Schwaizer, and Andrea Fischer
The Cryosphere, 14, 4063–4081, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4063-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4063-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
When glaciers become snow-free in summer, darker glacier ice is exposed. The ice surface is darker than snow and absorbs more radiation, which increases ice melt. We measured how much radiation is reflected at different wavelengths in the ablation zone of Jamtalferner, Austria. Due to impurities and water on the ice surface there are large variations in reflectance. Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 surface reflectance products do not capture the full range of reflectance found on the glacier.
Vincent Peyaud, Coline Bouchayer, Olivier Gagliardini, Christian Vincent, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Delphine Six, and Olivier Laarman
The Cryosphere, 14, 3979–3994, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3979-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3979-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Alpine glaciers are retreating at an accelerating rate in a warming climate. Numerical models allow us to study and anticipate these changes, but the performance of a model is difficult to evaluate. So we compared an ice flow model with the long dataset of observations obtained between 1979 and 2015 on Mer de Glace (Mont Blanc area). The model accurately reconstructs the past evolution of the glacier. We simulate the future evolution of Mer de Glace; it could retreat by 2 to 6 km by 2050.
Gregory Church, Melchior Grab, Cédric Schmelzbach, Andreas Bauder, and Hansruedi Maurer
The Cryosphere, 14, 3269–3286, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3269-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3269-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In this field study, we repeated ground-penetrating radar measurements over an active englacial channel network that transports meltwater through the glacier. We successfully imaged the englacial meltwater pathway and were able to delimitate the channel's shape. Meltwater from the glacier can impact the glacier's dynamics if it reaches the ice–bed interface, and therefore monitoring these englacial drainage networks is important to understand how these networks behave throughout a season.
Argha Banerjee, Disha Patil, and Ajinkya Jadhav
The Cryosphere, 14, 3235–3247, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3235-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3235-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Simple models of glacier dynamics based on volume–area scaling underestimate climate sensitivity and response time of glaciers. Consequently, they may predict a faster response and a smaller long-term glacier loss. These biases in scaling models are established theoretically and are analysed in detail by simulating the step response of a set of 703 Himalayan glaciers separately by three different models: a scaling model, a 2-D shallow-ice approximation model, and a linear-response model.
Junfeng Liu, Rensheng Chen, and Chuntan Han
The Cryosphere, 14, 967–984, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-967-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-967-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier surface roughness during melting season was observed by manual and automatic photogrammetry. Surface roughness was larger at the snow and ice transition zone than in fully snow- or ice-covered areas. Persistent snowfall and rainfall both reduce surface roughness. High or rising turbulent heat as a component of surface energy balance tended to produce a smooth ice surface; low or decreasing turbulent heat tended to produce a rougher surface.
Christian Vincent, Adrien Gilbert, Bruno Jourdain, Luc Piard, Patrick Ginot, Vladimir Mikhalenko, Philippe Possenti, Emmanuel Le Meur, Olivier Laarman, and Delphine Six
The Cryosphere, 14, 925–934, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-925-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-925-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We observed very low glacier thickness changes over the last decades at very-high-elevation glaciated areas on Mont Blanc. Conversely, measurements performed in deep boreholes since 1994 reveal strong changes in englacial temperature reaching 1.5 °C at a depth of 50 m. We conclude that at such very high elevations, current changes in climate do not lead to visible changes in glacier thickness but cause invisible changes within the glacier in terms of englacial temperatures.
Levan G. Tielidze, Tobias Bolch, Roger D. Wheate, Stanislav S. Kutuzov, Ivan I. Lavrentiev, and Michael Zemp
The Cryosphere, 14, 585–598, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-585-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-585-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present data of supra-glacial debris cover for 659 glaciers across the Greater Caucasus based on satellite images from the years 1986, 2000 and 2014. We combined semi-automated methods for mapping the clean ice with manual digitization of debris-covered glacier parts and calculated supra-glacial debris-covered area as the residual between these two maps. The distribution of the supra-glacial debris cover differs between northern and southern and between western, central and eastern Caucasus.
Lisbeth Langhammer, Melchior Grab, Andreas Bauder, and Hansruedi Maurer
The Cryosphere, 13, 2189–2202, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2189-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2189-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We have developed a novel procedure for glacier thickness estimations that combines traditional glaciological modeling constraints with ground-truth data, for example, those obtained with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements. This procedure is very useful for determining ice volume when only limited data are available. Furthermore, we outline a strategy for acquiring GPR data on glaciers, such that the cost/benefit ratio is optimized.
Nico Mölg, Tobias Bolch, Andrea Walter, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 13, 1889–1909, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1889-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1889-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Debris can partly protect glaciers from melting. But many debris-covered glaciers change similar to debris-free glaciers. To better understand the debris influence we investigated 150 years of evolution of Zmutt Glacier in Switzerland. We found an increase in debris extent over time and a link to glacier flow velocity changes. We also found an influence of debris on the melt locally, but only a small volume change reduction over the whole glacier, also because of the influence of ice cliffs.
Harry Zekollari, Matthias Huss, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 13, 1125–1146, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1125-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1125-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in the European Alps play an important role in the hydrological cycle, act as a source for hydroelectricity and have a large touristic importance. We model the future evolution of all glaciers in the Alps with a novel model that combines both ice flow and melt processes. We find that under a limited warming scenario about one-third of the present-day ice volume will still be present by the end of the century, while under strong warming more than 90 % of the volume will be lost by 2100.
Tobias Zolles, Fabien Maussion, Stephan Peter Galos, Wolfgang Gurgiser, and Lindsey Nicholson
The Cryosphere, 13, 469–489, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-469-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-469-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
A mass and energy balance model was subjected to sensitivity and uncertainty analysis on two different Alpine glaciers. The global sensitivity analysis allowed for a mass balance measurement independent assessment of the model sensitivity and functioned as a reduction of the model free parameter space. A novel approach of a multi-objective optimization estimates the uncertainty of the simulated mass balance and the energy fluxes. The final model uncertainty is up to 1300 kg m−3 per year.
Matthew Olson and Summer Rupper
The Cryosphere, 13, 29–40, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-29-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-29-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Solar radiation is the largest energy input for most alpine glaciers. However, many models oversimplify the influence of topographic shading. Also, no systematic studies have explored the variable impact of shading on glacier ice. We find that shading can significantly impact modeled solar radiation, particularly at low elevations, at high latitudes, and for glaciers with a north/south orientation. Excluding the effects of shading will overestimate modeled solar radiation for alpine glaciers.
Michael Sigl, Nerilie J. Abram, Jacopo Gabrieli, Theo M. Jenk, Dimitri Osmont, and Margit Schwikowski
The Cryosphere, 12, 3311–3331, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3311-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3311-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The fast retreat of Alpine glaciers since the mid-19th century documented in photographs is used as a symbol for the human impact on global climate, yet the key driving forces remain elusive. Here we argue that not industrial soot but volcanic eruptions were responsible for an apparently accelerated deglaciation starting in the 1850s. Our findings support a negligible role of human activity in forcing glacier recession at the end of the Little Ice Age, highlighting the role of natural drivers.
Zhiyuan Cong, Shaopeng Gao, Wancang Zhao, Xin Wang, Guangming Wu, Yulan Zhang, Shichang Kang, Yongqin Liu, and Junfeng Ji
The Cryosphere, 12, 3177–3186, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3177-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3177-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Cryoconites from glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding area were studied for iron oxides. We found that goethite is the predominant iron oxide form. Using the abundance, speciation and optical properties of iron oxides, the total light absorption was quantitatively attributed to goethite, hematite, black carbon and organic matter. Such findings are essential to understand the relative significance of anthropogenic and natural impacts.
Denis Cohen, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Wilfried Haeberli, Horst Machguth, and Urs H. Fischer
The Cryosphere, 12, 2515–2544, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2515-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2515-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
As part of an integrative study about the safety of repositories for radioactive waste under ice age conditions in Switzerland, we modeled the flow of ice of the Rhine glacier at the Last Glacial Maximum to determine conditions at the ice–bed interface. Results indicate that portions of the ice lobes were at the melting temperature and ice was sliding, two conditions necessary for erosion by glacier. Conditions at the bed of the ice lobes were affected by climate and also by topography.
Marion Réveillet, Delphine Six, Christian Vincent, Antoine Rabatel, Marie Dumont, Matthieu Lafaysse, Samuel Morin, Vincent Vionnet, and Maxime Litt
The Cryosphere, 12, 1367–1386, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1367-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1367-2018, 2018
Christoph Klug, Erik Bollmann, Stephan Peter Galos, Lindsey Nicholson, Rainer Prinz, Lorenzo Rieg, Rudolf Sailer, Johann Stötter, and Georg Kaser
The Cryosphere, 12, 833–849, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-833-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-833-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a reanalysis of the glacier mass balance record at Hintereisferner, Austria, for the period 2001 to 2011. We provide a year-by-year comparison of glaciological and geodetic mass balances obtained from annual airborne laser scanning data. After applying a series of corrections, a comparison of the methods reveals major differences for certain years. We thoroughly discuss the origin of these discrepancies and implications for future glaciological mass balance measurements.
Martin Beniston, Daniel Farinotti, Markus Stoffel, Liss M. Andreassen, Erika Coppola, Nicolas Eckert, Adriano Fantini, Florie Giacona, Christian Hauck, Matthias Huss, Hendrik Huwald, Michael Lehning, Juan-Ignacio López-Moreno, Jan Magnusson, Christoph Marty, Enrique Morán-Tejéda, Samuel Morin, Mohamed Naaim, Antonello Provenzale, Antoine Rabatel, Delphine Six, Johann Stötter, Ulrich Strasser, Silvia Terzago, and Christian Vincent
The Cryosphere, 12, 759–794, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-759-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-759-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper makes a rather exhaustive overview of current knowledge of past, current, and future aspects of cryospheric issues in continental Europe and makes a number of reflections of areas of uncertainty requiring more attention in both scientific and policy terms. The review paper is completed by a bibliography containing 350 recent references that will certainly be of value to scholars engaged in the fields of glacier, snow, and permafrost research.
Jakob F. Steiner, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Sergiu G. Jiduc, and Walter W. Immerzeel
The Cryosphere, 12, 95–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-95-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-95-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers that once every few years or decades suddenly advance in length – also known as surging glaciers – are found in many glaciated regions in the world. In the Karakoram glacier tongues are additionally located at low altitudes and relatively close to human settlements. We investigate a very recent and extremely rapid surge in the region that has caused a lake to form in the main valley with possible risks for downstream communities.
Levan G. Tielidze and Roger D. Wheate
The Cryosphere, 12, 81–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-81-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-81-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This is one of the first papers containing the Greater Caucasus glacier area and number change over the 1960–2014 period by individual river basins and countries. During the research we used old topographical maps and Corona imagery from the 1960s, and Landsat/ASTER imagery from 1986/2014. The separate sections and slopes have been revealed where there are the highest indices of the reduction in the area of the glaciers.
Biagio Di Mauro, Giovanni Baccolo, Roberto Garzonio, Claudia Giardino, Dario Massabò, Andrea Piazzalunga, Micol Rossini, and Roberto Colombo
The Cryosphere, 11, 2393–2409, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2393-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2393-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
In the paper, we demonstrate the potential of field and satellite hyperspectral reflectance data in characterizing the spatial distribution of impurities on the Morteratsch Glacier. In situ reflectance spectra showed that impurities reduced ice reflectance in visible wavelengths by 80–90 %. Satellite data also showed the outcropping of dust during the melting season in the upper parts of the glacier. Laboratory measurements of cryoconite showed the presence of elemental and organic carbon.
Douglas I. Benn, Sarah Thompson, Jason Gulley, Jordan Mertes, Adrian Luckman, and Lindsey Nicholson
The Cryosphere, 11, 2247–2264, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2247-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2247-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides the first complete view of the drainage system of a large Himalayan glacier, based on ice-cave exploration and satellite image analysis. Drainage tunnels inside glaciers have a major impact on melting rates, by providing lines of weakness inside the ice and potential pathways for melt-water, and play a key role in the response of debris-covered glaciers to sustained periods of negative mass balance.
Lucas Ruiz, Etienne Berthier, Maximiliano Viale, Pierre Pitte, and Mariano H. Masiokas
The Cryosphere, 11, 619–634, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-619-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-619-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Our paper assesses the glacier mass change in the northern Patagonian Andes of Argentina and Chile, which is crucial to understanding how climate change is affecting them. We have found that between 2000 and 2012, glaciers in this region were slightly out of balance, with larger valley glaciers losing more mass than smaller mountain glaciers. The slightly negative mass balance of the northern Patagonian Andes contrasts with the highly negative mass balance of the Patagonian ice fields.
Tobias Bolch, Tino Pieczonka, Kriti Mukherjee, and Joseph Shea
The Cryosphere, 11, 531–539, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-531-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-531-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Previous geodetic estimates of glacier mass changes in the Karakoram have revealed balanced budgets or a possible slight mass gain since the year ∼ 2000. We used old US reconnaissance imagery and could show that glaciers in the Hunza River basin (Central Karakoram) experienced on average no significant mass changes also since the 1970s. Likewise the glaciers had heterogeneous behaviour with frequent surge activities during the last 40 years.
Andrea Fischer, Kay Helfricht, and Martin Stocker-Waldhuber
The Cryosphere, 10, 2941–2952, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2941-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2941-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In the Alps, glacier cover, snow farming and technical snow production were introduced as adaptation measures to climate change one decade ago. Comparing elevation changes in areas with and without mass balance management in five ski resorts showed that locally up to 20 m of ice thickness was preserved compared to non-maintained areas. The method can be applied to maintainance of skiing infrastructure but has also some potential for melt management at high and dry glaciers.
Tobias Sauter and Stephan Peter Galos
The Cryosphere, 10, 2887–2905, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2887-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2887-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The paper deals with the micrometeorological conditions on mountain glaciers. We use idealized large-eddy simulations to study the heat transport associated with the local wind systems and its impact on the energy exchange between atmosphere and glaciers. Our results demonstrate how the sensible heat flux variablility on glaciers is related to topographic effects and that the energy surplus is strong enough to significantly increase the local glacier melting rates.
Pascal Sirguey, Holly Still, Nicolas J. Cullen, Marie Dumont, Yves Arnaud, and Jonathan P. Conway
The Cryosphere, 10, 2465–2484, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2465-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2465-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Fourteen years of satellite observations are used to monitor the albedo of Brewster Glacier, New Zealand and estimate annual and seasonal balances. This confirms the governing role of the summer balance in the annual balance and allows the reconstruction of the annual balance to 1977 using a photographic record of the snowline. The longest mass balance record for a New Zealand glacier shows negative balances after 2008, yielding a loss of 35 % of the gain accumulated over the previous 30 years.
Joshua M. Maurer, Summer B. Rupper, and Joerg M. Schaefer
The Cryosphere, 10, 2203–2215, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2203-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2203-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Here we utilize declassified spy satellite imagery to quantify ice volume loss of glaciers in the eastern Himalayas over approximately the last three decades. Clean-ice and debris-covered glaciers show similar magnitudes of ice loss, while calving glaciers are contributing a disproportionately large amount to total ice loss. Results highlight important physical processes affecting the ice mass budget and associated water resources in the Himalayas.
Silvan Ragettli, Tobias Bolch, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 10, 2075–2097, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2075-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2075-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a multi-temporal dataset of geodetically derived elevation changes on debris-free and debris-covered glaciers in the Langtang valley, Nepalese Himalaya. Overall, we observe accelerated glacier wastage, but highly heterogeneous spatial patterns and temporal trends across glaciers. Accelerations in thinning correlate with the presence of supraglacial cliffs and lakes, whereas thinning rates remained constant or declined on stagnating debris-covered glacier areas.
Cited articles
Bajracharya, S. R. and Shrestha, B.: The status of glaciers in the Hindu
Kush-Himalayan region, International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal, 140 pp., 2011.
Bajracharya, S. R., Maharjan, S. B., and Shrestha, F.: The status and decadal
change of glaciers in Bhutan from the 1980s to 2010 based on satellite data,
Ann. Glaciol., 55, 159–166, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG66A125, 2014a.
Bajracharya, S. R., Maharjan, S. B., Shrestha, F., Bajracharya, O. R., and
Baidya, S.: Glacier status in Nepal and decadal change from 1980 to 2010
based on Landsat data, International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal, 88 pp., 2014b.
Benn, I. D. and Lehmkuhl, F.: Mass balance and equilibrium-line altitudes of
glaciers in high-mountain environments, Quatern. Int., 65/66, 15–29, 2000.
Bhatt, B. C. and Nakamura, K.: Characteristics of monsoon rainfall around the
Himalayas revealed by TRMM precipitation radar, Mon. Weather Rev., 133,
149–165, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-2846.1, 2005.
Bolch, T., Buchroithner, M., Pieczonka, T., and Kunert, A.: Planimetric and
volumetric glacier changes in the Khumbu Himal, Nepal, since 1962 using
Corona, Landsat TM and ASTER data, J. Glaciol., 54, 592–600,
https://doi.org/10.3189/002214308786570782, 2008.
Bolch, T., Menounos, B., and Wheate, R.: Landsat-based inventory of glaciers
in western Canada, 1985–2005, Remote Sens. Environ., 114, 127–137,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2009.08.015, 2010.
Bolch, T., Kulkarni, A., Kääb, A., Huggel, C., Paul, F., Cogley,
J. G., Frey, H., Kargel, J. S., Fujita, K., Scheel, M., Bajracharya, S., and
Stoffel, M.: The state and fate of Himalayan glaciers, Science, 336,
310–314, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215828, 2012.
Bookhagen, B. and Burbank, D. W.: Topography, relief, and TRMM-derived
rainfall variations along the Himalaya, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L08405,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026037, 2006.
Braithwaite, R. J. and Raper, S. C. B.: Estimating equilibrium-line altitude
(ELA) from glacier inventory data, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 127–132,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756410790595930, 2009.
Cogley, J. G.: Climate science: Himalayan glaciers in the balance, Nature,
488, 468–469, https://doi.org/10.1038/488468a, 2012.
Cogley, J. G.: Glacier shrinkage across High Mountain Asia, Ann. Glaciol.,
57, 41–49, https://doi.org/10.3189/2016AoG71A040, 2016.
Evans, I. S. and Cox, N. J.: Global variations of local asymmetry in glacier
altitude: separation of north–south and east–west components, J. Glaciol.,
51, 469–482, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756505781829205, 2005.
Fujita, K. and Nuimura, T.: Spatially heterogeneous wastage of Himalayan
glaciers, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 108, 14011–14014,
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1106242108, 2011.
Gardelle, J., Arnaud, Y., and Berthier, E.: Contrasted evolution of glacial
lakes along the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain range between 1990 and 2009,
Global Planet. Change, 75, 47–55, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.10.003,
2011.
Gardelle, J., Berthier, E., Arnaud, Y., and Kääb, A.: Region-wide
glacier mass balances over the Pamir-Karakoram-Himalaya during 1999–2011,
The Cryosphere, 7, 1263–1286, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1263-2013, 2013.
Gardner, A., Moholdt, G., Cogley, J. G., Wouters, B., Arendt, A., Wahr, J.,
Berthier, E., Hock, R., Pfeffer, W. T., Kaser G., Ligtenberg, S. R. M.,
Bolch, T., Martin, J., Sharp, M. J., Hagen, J. O., van den Broeke, M. R., and
Paul, F.: A Reconciled Estimate of Glacier Contributions to Sea Level Rise:
2003 to 2009, Science, 340, 852–857, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1234532, 2013.
Guo, W., Liu, S., Xu, J., Wu, L., Shangguan, D., Yao, X., Wei, J., Bao, W.,
Yu, P., Liu, Q., and Jiang, Z.: The second Chinese glacier inventory: data,
methods and results, J. Glaciol., 61, 357–371, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J209,
2015.
Hewitt, K.: Glacier change, concentration, and elevation effects in the
Karakoram Himalaya, Upper Indus Basin, Mt. Res. Dev., 31, 188–200, 2011.
Houze, R. A., Wilton, D. C., and Smull, B. F.: Monsoon convection in the
Himalayan region as seen by the TRMM Precipitation Radar, Q. J. Roy. Meteor.
Soc., 133, 1389–1411, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.106, 2007.
Huffman, G. J., Bolton, D. T., Neilkin, E. J., and Wolff, D. B.: The TRMM
multi satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA): quasi-global, multiyear,
combined-sensor precipitation estimates at fine scales, J. Hydrometeorol., 8,
38–55, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0064.1968.tb00567.x, 2007.
Huss, M. and Farinotti, D.: Distributed ice thickness and volume of all
glaciers around the globe, J. Geophys. Res., 117, F04010,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JF002523, 2012.
Immerzeel, W. W., Van Beek, L. P., and Bierkens, M. F.: Climate change will
affect the Asian water towers, Science, 328, 1382–1385,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1183188, 2010.
Kääb, A.: Combination of SRTM3 and repeat ASTER data for deriving
alpine glacier flow velocities in the Bhutan Himalaya, Remote Sens. Environ.,
94, 463–474, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2004.11.003, 2005.
Kääb, A., Berthier, E., Nuth, C., Gardelle, J., and Arnaud, Y.:
Contrasting patterns of early twenty-first-century glacier mass change in the
Himalayas, Nature, 488, 495–498, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11324, 2012.
Karma, Y. A., Naito, N., Iwata, S., and Yabuki, H.: Glacier distribution in
the Himalayas and glacier shrinkage from 1963 to 1993 in the Bhutan
Himalayas, Bulletin of Glaciological Research, 20, 29–40, 2003.
Kaser, G., Großhauser, M., and Marzeion, B.: Contribution potential of
glaciers to water availability in different climate regimes, P. Natl. Acad.
Sci. USA, 107, 20223–20227, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1008162107, 2010.
Kienholz, C., Herreid, S., Rich, J., Arendt, A., Hock, R., and Burgess, E.:
Derivation and analysis of a complete modern-date glacier inventory for
Alaska and northwest Canada, J. Glaciol., 61, 403–420,
https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J230, 2015.
Marzeion, B., Jarosch, A. H., and Hofer, M.: Past and future sea-level change
from the surface mass balance of glaciers, The Cryosphere, 6, 1295–1322,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1295-2012, 2012.
Mool, P. K., Wangda, D., Bajracharya, S. R., Kunzang, K., Gurung, D. R., and
Joshi, S. P.: Inventory of Glaciers, Glacial Lakes and Glacial Lake Outburst
Floods, Bhutan, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
(ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal, 227 pp., 2001.
Nagai, H., Fujita, K., Nuimura, T., and Sakai, A.: Southwest-facing slopes
control the formation of debris-covered glaciers in the Bhutan Himalaya,
Cryosphere, 7, 1303–1314, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1303-2013, 2013.
Narama, C., Kääb, A., Duishonakunov, M., and Abdrakhmatov, K.:
Spatial variability of recent glacier area changes in the Tien Shan
Mountains, Central Asia, using Corona ( ∼ 1970), Landsat ( ∼ 2000),
and ALOS ( ∼ 2007) satellite data, Global Planet. Change, 71, 42–54,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2009.08.002, 2010.
Nuimura, T., Sakai, A., Taniguchi, K., Nagai, H., Lamsal, D., Tsutaki, S.,
Kozawa, A., Hoshina, Y., Takenaka, S., Omiya, S., Tsunematsu, K., Tshering,
P., and Fujita, K.: The GAMDAM glacier inventory: a quality-controlled
inventory of Asian glaciers, The Cryosphere, 9, 849–864,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-849-2015, 2015.
Ohmura, A., Kasser, P., and Funk, M.: Climate at the equilibrium line of
glaciers, J. Glaciol., 38, 397–411, 1992.
Paul, F. and Andreassen, L. M.: A new glacier inventory for the Svartisen
region, Norway, from Landsat ETM+ data: challenges and change assessment,
J. Glaciol., 55, 607–618, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214309789471003, 2009.
Paul, F., Huggel, C., and Kääb, A.: Combining satellite multispectral
image data and a digital elevation model for mapping debris-covered glaciers,
Remote Sens. Environ., 89, 510–518, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2003.11.007, 2004.
Paul, F., Frey, H., and Le Bris, R.: A new glacier inventory for the European
Alps from Landsat TM scenes of 2003: challenges and results. Ann. Glaciol.,
52, 144–152, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756411799096295, 2011.
Paul, F., Barrand, N. E., Baumann, S., Berthier, E., Bolch, T., Casey, K.,
Frey, H., Joshi, S. P., Konovalov, V., Le Bris, R., Mölg, N., Nosenko,
G., Nuth, C., Pope, A., Racoviteanu, A., Rastner, P., Raup, B., Scharrer, K.,
Steffen, S., and Winsvold, S.: On the accuracy of glacier outlines derived
from remote-sensing data, Ann. Glaciol., 54, 171–182,
https://doi.org/10.3189/2013AoG63A296, 2013.
Pfeffer, W. T., Arendt, A. A., Bliss, A., Bolch, T., Cogley, J. G., Gardner,
A. S., Hagen, J., Hock, R., Kaser, G., Kienholz, C., Miles, E. S., Moholdt,
G., Mölg, N., Paul, F., Radic, V., Rastner, P., Raup, B. H., Rich, J.,
Sharp, M. J., and the Randolph Consortium: The Randolph Glacier Inventory: a
globally complete inventory of glaciers, J. Glaciol., 60, 537–552,
https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J176, 2014.
Racoviteanu, A. E., Williams, M. W., and Barry, R. G.: Optical Remote Sensing
of Glacier Characteristics: A Review with Focus on the Himalaya, Sensors, 8,
3355–3383, https://doi.org/10.3390/s8053355, 2008.
Radić, V. and Hock, R.: Regionally differentiated contribution of
mountain glaciers and ice caps to future sea-level rise, Nat. Geosci., 4,
91–94, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1052, 2011.
Radić, V., Bliss, A., Beedlow, A. C., Hock, R., Miles, E., and Cogley,
J. G.: Regional and global projections of twenty-first century glacier mass
changes in response to climate scenarios from global climate models, Clim.
Dynam., 42, 37–58, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-013-1719-7, 2014.
Raup, B. and Khalsa, S. J. S.: GLIMS analysis tutorial. Boulder, CO,
University of Colorado, National Snow and Ice Data Center, available at:
http://www.glims.org/MapsAndDocs/guides.html, last access: 1 December
2015, 2007.
Raup, B. H., Khalsa, S. J. S., Armstrong, R. L., Sneed, W. A., Hamilton,
G. S., Paul, F., Cawkwell, F., Beedle, M. J., Menounos, B. P., Wheate, R. D.,
Rott, H., Shiyin, L., Xin, Li., Donghui, S., Guodong, C., Kargel, J. S.,
Larsen, C. F., Molnia, B. F., Kincaid, J. L., Klein, A., and Konovalov, V.:
Quality in the GLIMS glacier database, in: Global Land Ice Measurements from
Space, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 163–182,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79818-7_7, 2014.
Richardson, S. D. and Reynolds, J. M.: An overview of glacial hazards in the
Himalayas, Quatern. Int., 65, 31–47, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1040-6182(99)00035-X,
2000.
Sakai, A., Nuimura, T., Fujita, K., Takenaka, S., Nagai, H., and Lamsal, D.:
Climate regime of Asian glaciers revealed by GAMDAM glacier inventory, The
Cryosphere, 9, 865–880, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-865-2015, 2015.
Scherler, D., Bookhagen, B., and Strecker, M. R.: Hillslope–glacier
coupling: The interplay of topography and glacial dynamics in High Asia,
J. Geophys. Res., 116, F02019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JF001751, 2011a.
Scherler, D., Bookhagen, B., and Strecker, M. R.: Spatially variable response
of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover, Nat.
Geosci., 4, 156–159, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1068, 2011b.
Shi, Y., Lium, C., and Kang, E.: The Glacier Inventory of China, Ann.
Glaciol., 50, 1–4, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756410790595831, 2009.
Tachikawa, T., Hato, M., Kaku, M., and Iwasaki, A.: The characteristics of
ASTER GDEM version 2, Proc. IGARSS 2011 Symposium, Vancouver, Canada,
24–29 July 2011, 3657–3660, 2011.
Takaku, J. and Tadono T.: PRISM On-Orbit geometric calibration and DSM
performance, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 47, 4060–4073,
https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2009.2021649, 2009.
Ukita, J., Narama, C., Tadono, T., Yamanokuchi, T., Tomiyama, N., Kawamoto,
S., Abe, C., Uda, T., Yabuki, H., Fujita, K., and Nishimura, K.: Glacial lake
inventory of Bhutan using ALOS data: methods and preliminary results, Ann.
Glaciol, 52, 65–71, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756411797252293, 2011.
Vaughan, D. G., Comiso, J. C., Allison, I., Carrasco, J., Kaser, G., Kwok,
R., Mote, P., Murray, T., Paul, F., Ren, J., Rignot, E., Solomina, O.,
Steffen, K., and Zhang, T.: Observations: Cryosphere, in: Climate Change
2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the
Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
edited by: Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G. K., Tignor, M., Allen,
S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M.,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, and New York, N.Y.,
USA, 317–382, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.012, 2013.
Yamamoto, M. K., Ueno, K., and Nakamura, K.: Comparison of satellite
precipitation products with rain gauge data for the Khumbu region, Nepal
Himalaya, J. Meteorol. Soc. Jpn., 89, 597–610, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2011-601,
2011.
Yao, T., Thompson, L., Yang, W., Yu, W., Gao, Y., Guo, X., Yang, X., Duan,
K., Zhao, H., Xu, B., Pu, J., Lu, A., Xiang, Y. Kattel, D. B., and Joswiak,
D.: Different glacier status with atmospheric circulations in Tibetan Plateau
and surroundings, Nature Climate Change, 2, 663–667,
https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1580, 2012.
Short summary
Digital glacier inventories are invaluable data sets for revealing the characteristics of glacier distribution. However, quantitative comparison of present inventories was not performed. Here, we present a new inventory manually delineated from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) imagery and compare it with existing inventories for the Bhutan Himalaya. Quantification of overlapping among available glacier outlines suggests consistency and recent improvement of their delineation quality.
Digital glacier inventories are invaluable data sets for revealing the characteristics of...
