Articles | Volume 13, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1709-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1709-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Jun 2019
Research article |
| 26 Jun 2019
| 26 Jun 2019
Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada
Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute and Geography
Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9,
Canada
Brian Menounos
Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute and Geography
Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9,
Canada
Shawn J. Marshall
Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 1N4,
Canada
Related authors
Adam C. Hawkins, Brian Menounos, Brent M. Goehring, Gerald Osborn, Ben M. Pelto, Christopher M. Darvill, and Joerg M. Schaefer
The Cryosphere, 17, 4381–4397, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4381-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our study developed a record of glacier and climate change in the Mackenzie and Selwyn mountains of northwestern Canada over the past several hundred years. We estimate temperature change in this region using several methods and incorporate our glacier record with models of climate change to estimate how glacier volume in our study area has changed over time. Models of future glacier change show that our study area will become largely ice-free by the end of the 21st century.
Alamgir Hossan, Andreas Colliander, Baptiste Vandecrux, Nicole-Jeanne Schlegel, Joel Harper, Shawn Marshall, and Julie Z. Miller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2563, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2563, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We used L-band observations from the SMAP mission to quantify the surface and subsurface liquid water amounts (LWA) in the percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet. The algorithm is described, and the validation results are provided. The results demonstrate the potential for creating an LWA data product across GrIS, which will advance our understanding of ice sheet physical processes for better projection of Greenland’s contribution to global sea level rise.
Adam C. Hawkins, Brent M. Goehring, and Brian Menounos
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2900, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2900, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We use a method called cosmogenic nuclide dating on bedrock surfaces and moraine boulders to determine the relative length of time an alpine glacier was larger or smaller than its current extent over the past 15 thousand years. We also discuss several important limitations to this method. This method gives information on the duration of past ice advances and is useful in areas without other materials that can be dated.
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.
Etienne Berthier, Jérôme Lebreton, Delphine Fontannaz, Steven Hosford, Joaquin Munoz Cobo Belart, Fanny Brun, Liss Marie Andreassen, Brian Menounos, and Charlotte Blondel
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-250, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-250, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Repeat elevation measurements are crucial for monitoring glacier health and how they affect river flows and sea levels. Until recently, high resolution elevation data were mostly available for polar regions and High Mountain Asia. Our project, the Pléiades Glacier Observatory (PGO), now provides high-resolution topographies of 140 glacier sites worldwide. This is a novel and open dataset to monitor the impact of climate change on glacier at high resolution and accuracy.
Andrew G. Jones, Shaun A. Marcott, Andrew L. Gorin, Tori M. Kennedy, Jeremy D. Shakun, Brent M. Goehring, Brian Menounos, Douglas H. Clark, Matias Romero, and Marc W. Caffee
The Cryosphere, 17, 5459–5475, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5459-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5459-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Mountain glaciers today are fractions of their sizes 140 years ago, but how do these sizes compare to the past 11,000 years? We find that four glaciers in the United States and Canada have reversed a long-term trend of growth and retreated to positions last occupied thousands of years ago. Notably, each glacier occupies a unique position relative to its long-term history. We hypothesize that unequal modern retreat has caused the glaciers to be out of sync relative to their Holocene histories.
Adam C. Hawkins, Brian Menounos, Brent M. Goehring, Gerald Osborn, Ben M. Pelto, Christopher M. Darvill, and Joerg M. Schaefer
The Cryosphere, 17, 4381–4397, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4381-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our study developed a record of glacier and climate change in the Mackenzie and Selwyn mountains of northwestern Canada over the past several hundred years. We estimate temperature change in this region using several methods and incorporate our glacier record with models of climate change to estimate how glacier volume in our study area has changed over time. Models of future glacier change show that our study area will become largely ice-free by the end of the 21st century.
Sara E. Darychuk, Joseph M. Shea, Brian Menounos, Anna Chesnokova, Georg Jost, and Frank Weber
The Cryosphere, 17, 1457–1473, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1457-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1457-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We use synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) and optical observations to map snowmelt timing and duration on the watershed scale. We found that Sentinel-1 SAR time series can be used to approximate snowmelt onset over diverse terrain and land cover types, and we present a low-cost workflow for SAR processing over large, mountainous regions. Our approach provides spatially distributed observations of the snowpack necessary for model calibration and can be used to monitor snowmelt in ungauged basins.
Christophe Kinnard, Olivier Larouche, Michael N. Demuth, and Brian Menounos
The Cryosphere, 16, 3071–3099, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3071-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3071-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study implements a physically based, distributed glacier mass balance model in a context of sparse direct observations. Carefully constraining model parameters with ancillary data allowed for accurately reconstructing the mass balance of Saskatchewan Glacier over a 37-year period. We show that the mass balance sensitivity to warming is dominated by increased melting and that changes in glacier albedo and air humidity are the leading causes of increased glacier melt under warming scenarios.
Brent M. Goehring, Brian Menounos, Gerald Osborn, Adam Hawkins, and Brent Ward
Geochronology, 4, 311–322, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-4-311-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-4-311-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We explored surface exposure dating with two nuclides to date two sets of moraines from the Yukon Territory and explain the reasoning for the observed ages. Results suggest multiple processes, including preservation of nuclides from a prior exposure period, and later erosion of the moraines is required to explain the data. Our results only allow for the older moraines to date to Marine Isotope Stage 3 or 4 and the younger moraines to date to the very earliest Holocene.
Dhiraj Pradhananga, John W. Pomeroy, Caroline Aubry-Wake, D. Scott Munro, Joseph Shea, Michael N. Demuth, Nammy Hang Kirat, Brian Menounos, and Kriti Mukherjee
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 2875–2894, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-2875-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-2875-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents hydrological, meteorological, glaciological and geospatial data of Peyto Glacier Basin in the Canadian Rockies. They include high-resolution DEMs derived from air photos and lidar surveys and long-term hydrological and glaciological model forcing datasets derived from bias-corrected reanalysis products. These data are crucial for studying climate change and variability in the basin and understanding the hydrological responses of the basin to both glacier and climate change.
Naomi E. Ochwat, Shawn J. Marshall, Brian J. Moorman, Alison S. Criscitiello, and Luke Copland
The Cryosphere, 15, 2021–2040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2021-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2021-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In May 2018 we drilled into Kaskawulsh Glacier to study how it is being affected by climate warming and used models to investigate the evolution of the firn since the 1960s. We found that the accumulation zone has experienced increased melting that has refrozen as ice layers and has formed a perennial firn aquifer. These results better inform climate-induced changes on northern glaciers and variables to take into account when estimating glacier mass change using remote-sensing methods.
Chris M. DeBeer, Howard S. Wheater, John W. Pomeroy, Alan G. Barr, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Jill F. Johnstone, Merritt R. Turetsky, Ronald E. Stewart, Masaki Hayashi, Garth van der Kamp, Shawn Marshall, Elizabeth Campbell, Philip Marsh, Sean K. Carey, William L. Quinton, Yanping Li, Saman Razavi, Aaron Berg, Jeffrey J. McDonnell, Christopher Spence, Warren D. Helgason, Andrew M. Ireson, T. Andrew Black, Mohamed Elshamy, Fuad Yassin, Bruce Davison, Allan Howard, Julie M. Thériault, Kevin Shook, Michael N. Demuth, and Alain Pietroniro
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1849–1882, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1849-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1849-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This article examines future changes in land cover and hydrological cycling across the interior of western Canada under climate conditions projected for the 21st century. Key insights into the mechanisms and interactions of Earth system and hydrological process responses are presented, and this understanding is used together with model application to provide a synthesis of future change. This has allowed more scientifically informed projections than have hitherto been available.
Vincent Vionnet, Christopher B. Marsh, Brian Menounos, Simon Gascoin, Nicholas E. Wayand, Joseph Shea, Kriti Mukherjee, and John W. Pomeroy
The Cryosphere, 15, 743–769, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-743-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-743-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Mountain snow cover provides critical supplies of fresh water to downstream users. Its accurate prediction requires inclusion of often-ignored processes. A multi-scale modelling strategy is presented that efficiently accounts for snow redistribution. Model accuracy is assessed via airborne lidar and optical satellite imagery. With redistribution the model captures the elevation–snow depth relation. Redistribution processes are required to reproduce spatial variability, such as around ridges.
Baptiste Vandecrux, Ruth Mottram, Peter L. Langen, Robert S. Fausto, Martin Olesen, C. Max Stevens, Vincent Verjans, Amber Leeson, Stefan Ligtenberg, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Sergey Marchenko, Ward van Pelt, Colin R. Meyer, Sebastian B. Simonsen, Achim Heilig, Samira Samimi, Shawn Marshall, Horst Machguth, Michael MacFerrin, Masashi Niwano, Olivia Miller, Clifford I. Voss, and Jason E. Box
The Cryosphere, 14, 3785–3810, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3785-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3785-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In the vast interior of the Greenland ice sheet, snow accumulates into a thick and porous layer called firn. Each summer, the firn retains part of the meltwater generated at the surface and buffers sea-level rise. In this study, we compare nine firn models traditionally used to quantify this retention at four sites and evaluate their performance against a set of in situ observations. We highlight limitations of certain model designs and give perspectives for future model development.
Shawn J. Marshall and Kristina Miller
The Cryosphere, 14, 3249–3267, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3249-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3249-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Surface-albedo measurements from 2002 to 2017 from Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rockies provide no evidence of long-term trends (i.e., the glacier does not appear to be darkening), but there are large variations in albedo over the melt season and from year to year. The glacier ice is exceptionally dark in association with forest fire fallout but is effectively cleansed by meltwater or rainfall. Summer snowfall plays an important role in refreshing the glacier surface and reducing summer melt.
Noel Fitzpatrick, Valentina Radić, and Brian Menounos
The Cryosphere, 13, 1051–1071, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1051-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1051-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of surface roughness are rare on glaciers, despite being an important control for heat exchange with the atmosphere and surface melt. In this study, roughness values were determined through measurements at multiple locations and seasons and found to vary across glacier surfaces and to differ from commonly assumed values in melt models. Two new methods that remotely determine roughness from digital elevation models returned good performance and may facilitate improved melt modelling.
Wendy H. Wood, Shawn J. Marshall, and Shannon E. Fargey
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 11, 23–34, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-23-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-23-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We recorded hourly temperature and relative humidity in a dense meteorological network in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains over the period 2005–2010. The observations reveal spatial patterns of specific and relative humidity, their relation with the terrain, seasonal cycles in the humidity patterns, and humidity characteristics of different weather systems. The results provide guidance to ecological and hydrological models that require downscaled weather data in mountain terrain.
Mekdes Ayalew Tessema, Valentina Radić, Brian Menounos, and Noel Fitzpatrick
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2018-154, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2018-154, 2018
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
To force physics-based models of glacier melt, meteorological variables and energy fluxes are needed at or in vicinity of the glaciers in question. In the absence of observations detailing these variables, the required forcing is commonly derived by downscaling the coarse-resolution output from global climate models (GCMs). This study investigates how the downscaled fields from GCMs can successfully resolve the local processes driving surface melting at three glaciers in British Columbia.
Wendy H. Wood, Shawn J. Marshall, Terri L. Whitehead, and Shannon E. Fargey
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 10, 595–607, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-595-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-595-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
A high-density network of temperature and precipitation gauges was set up in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, southwestern Alberta, from 2005 to 2010. This array of backcountry weather stations covered a range of surface types from prairie farmland to rocky alpine environments, spanning an elevation range from 890 to 2880 m. This paper presents the daily minimum, mean, and maximum temperature data from the study and the associated spatial and vertical temperature structure.
Valentina Radić, Brian Menounos, Joseph Shea, Noel Fitzpatrick, Mekdes A. Tessema, and Stephen J. Déry
The Cryosphere, 11, 2897–2918, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2897-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2897-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Our overall goal is to improve the numerical modeling of glacier melt in order to better predict the future of glaciers in Western Canada and worldwide.
Most commonly used models rely on simplifications of processes that dictate melting at a glacier surface, in particular turbulent processes of heat exchange. We compared modeled against directly measured turbulent heat fluxes at a valley glacier in British Columbia, Canada, and found that more improvements are needed in all the tested models.
Samaneh Ebrahimi and Shawn J. Marshall
The Cryosphere, 10, 2799–2819, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2799-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2799-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric–glacier surface interactions govern melt, where each variable has a different impact depending on the region and time of year. To understand these impacts and their year-to-year variability on summer melt extent, we examine melt sensitivity to different meteorological variables at a glacier in the Canadian Rockies. Cloud conditions, surface albedo, temperature, and humidity are all important to melt extent and should be considered in models of glacier response to climate change.
M. J. Beedle, B. Menounos, and R. Wheate
The Cryosphere, 9, 65–80, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-65-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-65-2015, 2015
S. J. Marshall
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5181–5200, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5181-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5181-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a new 12-year glacier meteorological, mass balance, and run-off record from the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This provides insight into the glaciohydrological regime of the Rockies. For the period 2002-2013, about 60% of glacier meltwater run-off originated from seasonal snow and 40% was derived from glacier ice and firn. Ice and firn run-off is concentrated in the months of August and September, at which time it contributes significantly to regional-scale water resources.
S. Adhikari and S. J. Marshall
The Cryosphere, 7, 1527–1541, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1527-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1527-2013, 2013
J. M. Shea, B. Menounos, R. D. Moore, and C. Tennant
The Cryosphere, 7, 667–680, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-667-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-667-2013, 2013
C. Tennant, B. Menounos, R. Wheate, and J. J. Clague
The Cryosphere, 6, 1541–1552, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1541-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1541-2012, 2012
Related subject area
Discipline: Glaciers | Subject: Mass Balance Obs
Reanalysis of the longest mass balance series in Himalaya using nonlinear model: Chhota Shigri Glacier (India)
Accumulation by avalanches as significant contributor to the mass balance of a High Arctic mountain glacier
Brief communication: The Glacier Loss Day as an indicator of a record-breaking negative glacier mass balance in 2022
European heat waves 2022: contribution to extreme glacier melt in Switzerland inferred from automated ablation readings
Central Asia's spatiotemporal glacier response ambiguity due to data inconsistencies and regional simplifications
Recent contrasting behaviour of mountain glaciers across the European High Arctic revealed by ArcticDEM data
Characteristics of mountain glaciers in the northern Japanese Alps
Assimilating near-real-time mass balance stake readings into a model ensemble using a particle filter
Geodetic point surface mass balances: a new approach to determine point surface mass balances on glaciers from remote sensing measurements
Applying artificial snowfall to reduce the melting of the Muz Taw Glacier, Sawir Mountains
Satellite-observed monthly glacier and snow mass changes in southeast Tibet: implication for substantial meltwater contribution to the Brahmaputra
Brief communication: Ad hoc estimation of glacier contributions to sea-level rise from the latest glaciological observations
Heterogeneous spatial and temporal pattern of surface elevation change and mass balance of the Patagonian ice fields between 2000 and 2016
Long-range terrestrial laser scanning measurements of annual and intra-annual mass balances for Urumqi Glacier No. 1, eastern Tien Shan, China
Interannual snow accumulation variability on glaciers derived from repeat, spatially extensive ground-penetrating radar surveys
Local topography increasingly influences the mass balance of a retreating cirque glacier
Multi-decadal mass balance series of three Kyrgyz glaciers inferred from modelling constrained with repeated snow line observations
Changing pattern of ice flow and mass balance for glaciers discharging into the Larsen A and B embayments, Antarctic Peninsula, 2011 to 2016
Mohd Farooq Azam, Christian Vincent, Smriti Srivastava, Etienne Berthier, Patrick Wagnon, Himanshu Kaushik, Arif Hussain, Manoj Kumar Munda, Arindan Mandal, and Alagappan Ramanathan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-644, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-644, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Mass balance series on Chhota Shigri Glacier has been reanalysed by combining the traditional mass balance reanalysis framework and a nonlinear model. The nonlinear model is preferred over traditional glaciological method to compute the mass balances as the former can capture the spatiotemporal variability of point mass balances from a heterogeneous in-situ point mass balance network. The nonlinear model outperforms the traditional method and agrees better with the geodetic estimates.
Bernhard Hynek, Daniel Binder, Michele Citterio, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Jakob Abermann, Geert Verhoeven, Elke Ludewig, and Wolfgang Schöner
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-157, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-157, 2023
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
A strong avalanche event in winter 2018 caused thick snow deposits on Freya Glacier, a mountain glacier in Northeast Greenland. The avalanche deposits led to positive elevation changes during the study period 2013–2021 and altered the mass balance of the glacier significantly. The eight year mass balance was positive, it would have been negative without avalanches. The contribution from snow avalanches might become more important with rising temperatures in the Arctic.
Annelies Voordendag, Rainer Prinz, Lilian Schuster, and Georg Kaser
The Cryosphere, 17, 3661–3665, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3661-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3661-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Glacier Loss Day (GLD) is the day on which all mass gained from the accumulation period is lost, and the glacier loses mass irrecoverably for the rest of the mass balance year. In 2022, the GLD was already reached on 23 June at Hintereisferner (Austria), and this led to a record-breaking mass loss. We introduce the GLD as a gross yet expressive indicator of the glacier’s imbalance with a persistently warming climate.
Aaron Cremona, Matthias Huss, Johannes Marian Landmann, Joël Borner, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 17, 1895–1912, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1895-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1895-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Summer heat waves have a substantial impact on glacier melt as emphasized by the extreme summer of 2022. This study presents a novel approach for detecting extreme glacier melt events at the regional scale based on the combination of automatically retrieved point mass balance observations and modelling approaches. The in-depth analysis of summer 2022 evidences the strong correspondence between heat waves and extreme melt events and demonstrates their significance for seasonal melt.
Martina Barandun and Eric Pohl
The Cryosphere, 17, 1343–1371, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1343-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1343-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Meteorological and glacier mass balance data scarcity introduces large uncertainties about drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass balance response in Central Asia. We investigate the consistency of interpretations derived from various datasets through a systematic correlation analysis between climatic and static drivers with mass balance estimates. Our results show in particular that even supposedly similar datasets lead to different and partly contradicting assumptions on dominant drivers.
Jakub Małecki
The Cryosphere, 16, 2067–2082, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2067-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2067-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a snapshot of the recent state of small mountain glaciers across the European High Arctic, where severe climate warming has been occurring over the past years. The analysis revealed that this class of ice mass might melt away from many study sites within the coming two to five decades even without further warming. Glacier changes were, however, very variable in space, and some glaciers have been gaining mass, but the exact drivers behind this phenomenon are unclear.
Kenshiro Arie, Chiyuki Narama, Ryohei Yamamoto, Kotaro Fukui, and Hajime Iida
The Cryosphere, 16, 1091–1106, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1091-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1091-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In recent years, seven glaciers are confirmed in the northern Japanese Alps. However, their mass balance has not been clarified. In this study, we calculated the seasonal and continuous annual mass balance of these glaciers during 2015–2019 by the geodetic method using aerial images and SfM–MVS technology. Our results showed that the mass balance of these glaciers was different from other glaciers in the world. The characteristics of Japanese glaciers provide new insights for earth science.
Johannes Marian Landmann, Hans Rudolf Künsch, Matthias Huss, Christophe Ogier, Markus Kalisch, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 15, 5017–5040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5017-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5017-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we (1) acquire real-time information on point glacier mass balance with autonomous real-time cameras and (2) assimilate these observations into a mass balance model ensemble driven by meteorological input. For doing so, we use a customized particle filter that we designed for the specific purposes of our study. We find melt rates of up to 0.12 m water equivalent per day and show that our assimilation method has a higher performance than reference mass balance models.
Christian Vincent, Diego Cusicanqui, Bruno Jourdain, Olivier Laarman, Delphine Six, Adrien Gilbert, Andrea Walpersdorf, Antoine Rabatel, Luc Piard, Florent Gimbert, Olivier Gagliardini, Vincent Peyaud, Laurent Arnaud, Emmanuel Thibert, Fanny Brun, and Ugo Nanni
The Cryosphere, 15, 1259–1276, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1259-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1259-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In situ glacier point mass balance data are crucial to assess climate change in different regions of the world. Unfortunately, these data are rare because huge efforts are required to conduct in situ measurements on glaciers. Here, we propose a new approach from remote sensing observations. The method has been tested on the Argentière and Mer de Glace glaciers (France). It should be possible to apply this method to high-spatial-resolution satellite images and on numerous glaciers in the world.
Feiteng Wang, Xiaoying Yue, Lin Wang, Huilin Li, Zhencai Du, Jing Ming, and Zhongqin Li
The Cryosphere, 14, 2597–2606, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2597-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2597-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
How to mitigate the melting of most mountainous glaciers is a disturbing issue for scientists and the public. We chose the Muz Taw Glacier of the Sawir Mountains as our study object. We carried out two artificial precipitation experiments on the glacier to study the role of precipitation in mitigating its melting. The average mass loss from the glacier decreased by over 14 %. We also propose a possible mechanism describing the role of precipitation in mitigating the melting of the glaciers.
Shuang Yi, Chunqiao Song, Kosuke Heki, Shichang Kang, Qiuyu Wang, and Le Chang
The Cryosphere, 14, 2267–2281, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2267-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2267-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
High-Asia glaciers have been observed to be retreating the fastest in the southeastern Tibeten Plateau, where vast amounts of glacier and snow feed the streamflow of the Brahmaputra. Here, we provide the first monthly glacier and snow mass balance during 2002–2017 based on satellite gravimetry. The results confirm previous long-term decreases but reveal strong seasonal variations. This work helps resolve previous divergent model estimates and underlines the importance of meltwater.
Michael Zemp, Matthias Huss, Nicolas Eckert, Emmanuel Thibert, Frank Paul, Samuel U. Nussbaumer, and Isabelle Gärtner-Roer
The Cryosphere, 14, 1043–1050, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1043-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1043-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Comprehensive assessments of global glacier mass changes have been published at multi-annual intervals, typically in IPCC reports. For the years in between, we present an approach to infer timely but preliminary estimates of global-scale glacier mass changes from glaciological observations. These ad hoc estimates for 2017/18 indicate that annual glacier contributions to sea-level rise exceeded 1 mm sea-level equivalent, which corresponds to more than a quarter of the currently observed rise.
Wael Abdel Jaber, Helmut Rott, Dana Floricioiu, Jan Wuite, and Nuno Miranda
The Cryosphere, 13, 2511–2535, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2511-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2511-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We use topographic maps from two radar remote-sensing missions to map surface elevation changes of the northern and southern Patagonian ice fields (NPI and SPI) for two epochs (2000–2012 and 2012–2016). We find a heterogeneous pattern of thinning within the ice fields and a varying temporal trend, which may be explained by complex interdependence between surface mass balance and effects of flow dynamics. The contribution to sea level rise amounts to 0.05 mm a−1 for both ice fields for 2000–2016.
Chunhai Xu, Zhongqin Li, Huilin Li, Feiteng Wang, and Ping Zhou
The Cryosphere, 13, 2361–2383, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2361-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2361-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We take Urumqi Glacier No. 1 as an example and validate a long-range terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) as an efficient tool for monitoring annual and intra-annual mass balances, especially for inaccessible glacier areas where no glaciological measurements are available. The TLS has application potential for glacier mass-balance monitoring in China. For wide applications of the TLS, we can select some benchmark glaciers and use stable scan positions and in-situ-measured densities of snow–firn.
Daniel McGrath, Louis Sass, Shad O'Neel, Chris McNeil, Salvatore G. Candela, Emily H. Baker, and Hans-Peter Marshall
The Cryosphere, 12, 3617–3633, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3617-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3617-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Measuring the amount and spatial pattern of snow on glaciers is essential for monitoring glacier mass balance and quantifying the water budget of glacierized basins. Using repeat radar surveys for 5 consecutive years, we found that the spatial pattern in snow distribution is stable over the majority of the glacier and scales with the glacier-wide average. Our findings support the use of sparse stake networks for effectively measuring interannual variability in winter balance on glaciers.
Caitlyn Florentine, Joel Harper, Daniel Fagre, Johnnie Moore, and Erich Peitzsch
The Cryosphere, 12, 2109–2122, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2109-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2109-2018, 2018
Martina Barandun, Matthias Huss, Ryskul Usubaliev, Erlan Azisov, Etienne Berthier, Andreas Kääb, Tobias Bolch, and Martin Hoelzle
The Cryosphere, 12, 1899–1919, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1899-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1899-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we used three independent methods (in situ measurements, comparison of digital elevation models and modelling) to reconstruct the mass change from 2000 to 2016 for three glaciers in the Tien Shan and Pamir. Snow lines observed on remote sensing images were used to improve conventional modelling by constraining a mass balance model. As a result, glacier mass changes for unmeasured years and glaciers can be better assessed. Substantial mass loss was confirmed for the three glaciers.
Helmut Rott, Wael Abdel Jaber, Jan Wuite, Stefan Scheiblauer, Dana Floricioiu, Jan Melchior van Wessem, Thomas Nagler, Nuno Miranda, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 12, 1273–1291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1273-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1273-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We analysed volume change, mass balance and ice flow of glaciers draining into the Larsen A and Larsen B embayments on the Antarctic Peninsula for 2011 to 2013 and 2013 to 2016. The mass balance is based on elevation change measured by the radar satellite mission TanDEM-X and on the mass budget method. The glaciers show continuing losses in ice mass, which is a response to ice shelf break-up. After 2013 the downwasting of glaciers slowed down, coinciding with years of persistent sea ice cover.
Cited articles
Abermann, J., Fischer, A., Lambrecht, A., and Geist, T.: On the potential of very high-resolution repeat DEMs in glacial and periglacial environments, The Cryosphere, 4, 53–65, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-4-53-2010, 2010.
Adams, W.: Areal differentiation of snow cover in east central Ontario,
Water Resour. Res., 12, 1226–1234, 1976.
Ambach, W., Bortenschlager, S., and Eisner, H.: Pollen-analysis investigation
of a 20 m Firn Pit on the Kesselwandferner (Ötztal Alps), J. Glaciol.,
6, 233–236, 1966.
Barnett, T. P., Adam, J. C., and Lettenmaier, D. P.: Potential impacts of a
warming climate on water availability in snow-dominated regions, Nature,
438, 303–309, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04141, 2005.
Beedle, M. J., Menounos, B., and Wheate, R.: An evaluation of mass-balance
methods applied to Castle Creek Glacier, British Columbia, Canada, J.
Glaciol., 60, 262–276, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J091, 2014.
Belart, J. M. C., Berthier, E., Magnússon, E., Anderson, L. S., Pálsson, F., Thorsteinsson, T., Howat, I. M., Aðalgeirsdóttir, G., Jóhannesson, T., and Jarosch, A. H.: Winter mass balance of Drangajökull ice cap (NW Iceland) derived from satellite sub-meter stereo images, The Cryosphere, 11, 1501–1517, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1501-2017, 2017.
Benson, C. S.: Stratigraphic studies in the snow and firn of the
Greenland Ice Sheet, US Army SIPRE (now CRREL) Research
Report, 70, 93, 1962.
Berthier, E., Vincent, C., Magnússon, E., Gunnlaugsson, Á. Þ., Pitte, P., Le Meur, E., Masiokas, M., Ruiz, L., Pálsson, F., Belart, J. M. C., and Wagnon, P.: Glacier topography and elevation changes derived from Pléiades sub-meter stereo images, The Cryosphere, 8, 2275–2291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2275-2014, 2014.
Bevington, A., Gleason, H., Giroux-Bougard, X., and de Jong, J. T.: A Review
of Free Optical Satellite Imagery for Watershed-Scale Landscape Analysis,
Conflu, J. Watershed Sci. Manag., 2, https://doi.org/10.22230/jwsm.2018v2n2a18, 2018.
Bezeau, P., Sharp, M., Burgess, D., and Gascon, G.: Firn profile changes in
response to extreme 21st-century melting at Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada,
J. Glaciol., 59, 981–991, 2013.
Bidlake, W. R., Josberger, E. G., and Savoca, M. E.: Modeled and measured glacier change and related glaciological, hydrological, and meteorological conditions at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, balance and water years 2006 and 2007, Report, available at: http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20105143 (last access: 12 February 2018), 2010.
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.
Bollmann, E., Sailer, R., Briese, C., Stötter, J. and Fritzmann, P.:
Potential of airborne laser scanning for geomorphologic feature and process
detection and quantifications in high alpine mountains, Z.
Geomorphol. Supp., 55, 83–104, 2011.
Brahney, J., Weber, F., Foord, V., Janmaat, J., and Curtis, P. J.: Evidence
for a climate-driven hydrologic regime shift in the Canadian Columbia Basin,
Can. Water Resour. J., 42, 179–192, 2017.
Clarke, G. K. C., Anslow, F. S., Jarosch, A. H., Radić, V., Menounos,
B., Bolch, T., and Berthier, E.: Ice Volume and Subglacial Topography for
Western Canadian Glaciers from Mass Balance Fields, Thinning Rates, and a
Bed Stress Model, J. Climate, 26, 4282–4303,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00513.1, 2013.
Clarke, G. K. C., Jarosch, A. H., Anslow, F. S., Radić, V., and Menounos,
B.: Projected deglaciation of western Canada in the twenty-first century,
Nat. Geosci., 8, 372–377, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2407, 2015.
Cogley, J., Hock, R., Rasmussen, L., Arendt, A., Bauder, A., Braithwaite,
R., Jansson, P., Kaser, G., Möller, M., and Nicholson, L.: Glossary of
glacier mass balance and related terms, IHP-VII technical documents in
hydrology No. 86, IACS Contribution No. 2, Int. Hydrol. Program UNESCO
Paris, 2011.
Cogley, J. G.: Effective sample size for glacier mass balance, Geogr. Ann.
A, 81, 497–507, 1999.
Cohen, S. J., Miller, K. A., Hamlet, A. F., and Avis, W.: Climate change and
resource management in the Columbia River Basin, Water Int., 25,
253–272, 2000.
Conger, S. M. and McClung, D. M.: Comparison of density cutters for snow
profile observations, J. Glaciol., 55, 163–169, 2009.
Cuffey, K. M. and Paterson, W. S. B.: The physics of glaciers, Academic
Press, Elsevier, Burlington, MA, Edn. 4, 2010.
Dadic, R., Mott, R., Lehning, M., and Burlando, P.: Wind influence on snow
depth distribution and accumulation over glaciers, J. Geophys. Res.,
115, F01012, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001261, 2010.
Demarchi, D. A.: An introduction to the ecoregions of British Columbia, Wildlife Branch, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada,
2011.
Elder, K., Dozier, J., and Michaelsen, J.: Snow accumulation and distribution
in an alpine watershed, Water Resour. Res., 27, 1541–1552, 1991.
Environment Canada: Canadian Climate Normals, Gov. Can., available
at: http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html, last access: 21 April 2019.
Escher-Vetter, H., Kuhn, M., and Weber, M.: Four decades of winter mass
balance of Vernagtferner and Hintereisferner, Austria: methodology and
results, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 87–95, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756409787769672,
2009.
Fausto, R. S., Box, J. E., Vandecrux, B., van As, D., Steffen, K.,
MacFerrin, M. J., Machguth, H., Colgan, W., Koenig, L. S., McGrath, D.,
Charalampidis, C., and Braithwaite, R. J.: A Snow Density Dataset for
Improving Surface Boundary Conditions in Greenland Ice Sheet Firn Modeling,
Front. Earth Sci., 6, 51, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2018.00051, 2018.
Fischer, A.: Comparison of direct and geodetic mass balances on a multi-annual time scale, The Cryosphere, 5, 107–124, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-107-2011, 2011.
Fitzpatrick, N., Radić, V., and Menounos, B.: Surface Energy Balance
Closure and Turbulent Flux Parameterization on a Mid-Latitude Mountain
Glacier, Purcell Mountains, Canada, Front. Earth Sci., 5, 67, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00067, 2017.
Fountain, A. G. and Vecchia, A.: How many stakes are required to measure the
mass balance of a glacier?, Geogr. Ann. A, 81, 563–573,
1999.
Gabrielli, P., Carturan, L., Gabrieli, J., Dinale, R., Krainer, K.,
Hausmann, H., Davis, M., Zagorodnov, V., Seppi, R., Barbante, C., Dalla
Fontana, G., and Thompson, L. G.: Atmospheric warming threatens the untapped
glacial archive of Ortles mountain, South Tyrol, J. Glaciol., 56,
843–853, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214310794457263, 2010.
Gascon, G., Sharp, M., Burgess, D., Bezeau, P., and Bush, A. B.: Changes in
accumulation-area firn stratigraphy and meltwater flow during a period of
climate warming: Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth,
118, 2380–2391, 2013.
Granshaw, F. D. and Fountain, A. G.: Glacier change (1958–1998) in the
north Cascades national park complex, Washington, USA, J. Glaciol., 52,
251–256, 2006.
Hamlet, A. F. and Lettenmaier, D. P.: Columbia River streamflow forecasting
based on ENSO and PDO climate signals, J. Water Res. Pl.,
125, 333–341, 1999.
Hamlet, A. F., Mote, P. W., Clark, M. P., and Lettenmaier, D. P.: Effects of
temperature and precipitation variability on snowpack trends in the Western
United States, J. Climate, 18, 4545–4561, 2005.
Helfricht, K., Schöber, J., Seiser, B., Fischer, A., Stötter, J., and Kuhn, M.: Snow accumulation of a high alpine catchment derived from LiDAR measurements, Adv. Geosci., 32, 31–39, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-32-31-2012, 2012.
Helfricht, K., Kuhn, M., Keuschnig, M., and Heilig, A.: Lidar snow cover studies on glaciers in the Ötztal Alps (Austria): comparison with snow depths calculated from GPR measurements, The Cryosphere, 8, 41–57, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-41-2014, 2014.
Herron, M. M. and Langway, C. C.: Firn densification: an empirical model, J.
Glaciol., 25, 373–385, 1980.
Hirose, J. M. R. and Marshall, S. J.: Glacier Meltwater Contributions and
Glaciometeorological Regime of the Illecillewaet River Basin, British
Columbia, Canada, Atmos. Ocean, 51, 416–435,
https://doi.org/10.1080/07055900.2013.791614, 2013.
Huss, M.: Density assumptions for converting geodetic glacier volume change to mass change, The Cryosphere, 7, 877–887, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-877-2013, 2013.
Huss, M. and Hock, R.: Global-scale hydrological response to future glacier
mass loss, Nat. Clim. Change, 8, 135–140,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-017-0049-x, 2018.
Huss, M., Bauder, A., Funk, M., and Hock, R.: Determination of the seasonal
mass balance of four Alpine glaciers since 1865, J. Geophys. Res., 113, F01015,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JF000803, 2008.
Isenburg, M.: LAStools – efficient LiDAR processing software, version 141017, unlicensed, available at: http://rapidlasso.com/LAStools,
last access: 30 May 2017.
Joerg, P. C., Morsdorf, F., and Zemp, M.: Uncertainty assessment of
multi-temporal airborne laser scanning data: A case study on an Alpine
glacier, Remote Sens. Environ., 127, 118–129,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2012.08.012, 2012.
Jost, G., Moore, R. D., Menounos, B., and Wheate, R.: Quantifying the contribution of glacier runoff to streamflow in the upper Columbia River Basin, Canada, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 849–860, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-849-2012, 2012.
Kääb, A.: Remote sensing of mountain glaciers and permafrost creep,
Geographisches Institut der Universität Zürich, Zürich, 2005.
Klug, C., Bollmann, E., Galos, S. P., Nicholson, L., Prinz, R., Rieg, L., Sailer, R., Stötter, J., and Kaser, G.: Geodetic reanalysis of annual glaciological mass balances (2001–2011) of Hintereisferner, Austria, The Cryosphere, 12, 833–849, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-833-2018, 2018.
Krimmel, R. M.: Water, ice, and meteorological measurements at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, 1995 balance year, Report, available at: http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wri964174 (last access: 2 February 2018), 1996.
Machguth, H., Eisen, O., Paul, F., and Hoelzle, M.: Strong spatial
variability of snow accumulation observed with helicopter-borne GPR on two
adjacent Alpine glaciers, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L13503,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026576, 2006.
Marshall, S.: The Cryosphere, Princeton University Press, Princeton, Princeton, New Jersey, 288 pp., 2012.
Marshall, S. J.: Meltwater run-off from Haig Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains, 2002–2013, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5181–5200, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5181-2014, 2014.
Marti, R., Gascoin, S., Berthier, E., de Pinel, M., Houet, T., and Laffly, D.: Mapping snow depth in open alpine terrain from stereo satellite imagery, The Cryosphere, 10, 1361–1380, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1361-2016, 2016.
Maussion, F., Butenko, A., Champollion, N., Dusch, M., Eis, J., Fourteau, K., Gregor, P., Jarosch, A. H., Landmann, J., Oesterle, F., Recinos, B., Rothenpieler, T., Vlug, A., Wild, C. T., and Marzeion, B.: The Open Global Glacier Model (OGGM) v1.1, Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 909–931, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-909-2019, 2019.
McCabe, G. J., Hay, L. E., and Clark, M. P.: Rain-on-Snow Events in the
Western United States, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 88, 319–328,
https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-88-3-319, 2007.
McGrath, D., Sass, L., O'Neel, S., Arendt, A., Wolken, G., Gusmeroli, A.,
Kienholz, C., and McNeil, C.: End-of-winter snow depth variability on
glaciers in Alaska, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 120, 1530–1550,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JF003539, 2015.
McGrath, D., Sass, L., O'Neel, S., McNeil, C., Candela, S. G., Baker, E. H., and Marshall, H.-P.: Interannual snow accumulation variability on glaciers derived from repeat, spatially extensive ground-penetrating radar surveys, The Cryosphere, 12, 3617–3633, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3617-2018, 2018.
Menounos, B., Hugonnet, R., Shean, D., Gardner, A., Howat, I., Berthier, E., Pelto, B., Tennant, C., Shea, J. and Noh, M.: Heterogeneous Changes in Western North American Glaciers Linked to Decadal Variability in Zonal Wind Strength, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 200––209, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080942, 2019.
Miller, M. M. and Pelto, M. S.: Mass balance measurements on the Lemon Creek
Glacier, Juneau Icefield, Alaska 1953–1998, Geogr. Ann. a,
81, 671–681, 1999.
Moholdt, G., Nuth, C., Hagen, J. O., and Kohler, J.: Recent elevation changes
of Svalbard glaciers derived from ICESat laser altimetry, Remote Sens.
Environ., 114, 2756–2767, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2010.06.008, 2010.
Najafi, M. R., Zwiers, F., and Gillett, N.: Attribution of the Observed
Spring Snowpack Decline in British Columbia to Anthropogenic Climate Change,
J. Climate, 30, 4113–4130, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0189.1, 2017.
Nolan, M., Larsen, C., and Sturm, M.: Mapping snow depth from manned aircraft on landscape scales at centimeter resolution using structure-from-motion photogrammetry, The Cryosphere, 9, 1445–1463, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1445-2015, 2015.
Nuth, C. and Kääb, A.: Co-registration and bias corrections of satellite elevation data sets for quantifying glacier thickness change, The Cryosphere, 5, 271–290, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-271-2011, 2011.
Oerlemans, J., Anderson, B., Hubbard, A., Huybrechts, P., Johannesson, T.,
Knap, W. H., Schmeits, M., Stroeven, A. P., Van de Wal, R. S. W., Wallinga,
J., nd Zuo, Z.: Modelling the response of glaciers to climate warming, Clim.
Dynam., 14, 267–274, 1998.
Ohmura, A.: Observed mass balance of mountain glaciers and Greenland ice
sheet in the 20th century and the present trends, Surv. Geophys., 32,
537–554, 2011.
Østrem, G. and Brugman, M.: Glacier massbalance
measurements: a manual for field and office
work, Saskatoon: National Hydrology Research
Institute, and Oslo: the Norwegian Water
Resources and Electricity Board, 1991.
Pelto, M. S.: Annual net balance of North Cascade glaciers, 1984–94, J.
Glaciol., 42, 3–9, 1996.
Pelto, M. S.: The current disequilibrium of North Cascade glaciers, Hydrol.
Process., 20, 769–779, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.6132, 2006.
Pelto, M. S. and Miller, M. M.: Mass balance of the Taku Glacier, Alaska
from 1946 to 1986, Northwest Sci., 64, 121–130, 1990.
Pelto, M. S. and Riedel, J.: Spatial and temporal variations in annual
balance of North Cascade glaciers, Washington 1984–2000, Hydrol. Process.,
15, 3461–3472, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1042, 2001.
Pelto, M., Kavanaugh, J., and McNeil, C.: Juneau Icefield Mass Balance Program 1946–2011, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 5, 319–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-5-319-2013, 2013.
Pfeffer, W. and Humphrey, N.: Determination of timing and location of water
movement and ice-layer formation by temperature measurements in sub-freezing
snow, J. Glaciol., 42, 292–304, 1996.
Proksch, M., Rutter, N., Fierz, C., and Schneebeli, M.: Intercomparison of snow density measurements: bias, precision, and vertical resolution, The Cryosphere, 10, 371–384, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-371-2016, 2016.
Pulwicki, A., Flowers, G. E., Radić, V., and Bingham, D.: Estimating
winter balance and its uncertainty from direct measurements of snow depth
and density on alpine glaciers, J. Glaciol., 64, 781–795, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.68,
2018.
Radić, V. and Hock, R.: Glaciers in the Earth's Hydrological Cycle:
Assessments of Glacier Mass and Runoff Changes on Global and Regional
Scales, Surv. Geophys., 35, 813–837, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-013-9262-y,
2014.
Ragettli, S., Immerzeel, W. W., and Pellicciotti, F.: Contrasting climate
change impact on river flows from high-altitude catchments in the Himalayan
and Andes Mountains, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 113, 9222–9227, 2016.
Samimi, S. and Marshall, S. J.: Diurnal Cycles of Meltwater Percolation,
Refreezing, and Drainage in the Supraglacial Snowpack of Haig Glacier,
Canadian Rocky Mountains, Front. Earth Sci., 5, 6, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00006, 2017.
Schnorbus, M., Werner, A., and Bennett, K.: Impacts of climate change in
three hydrologic regimes in British Columbia, Canada, Hydrol. Process.,
28, 1170–1189, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.9661, 2014.
Sinclair, K. and Marshall, S.: Temperature and vapour-trajectory controls on
the stable-isotope signal in Canadian Rocky Mountain snowpacks, J. Glaciol.,
55, 485–498, 2009.
Sold, L., Huss, M., Hoelzle, M., Andereggen, H., Joerg, P. C., and Zemp, M.:
Methodological approaches to infer end-of-winter snow distribution on alpine
glaciers, J. Glaciol., 59, 1047–1059, https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG13J015, 2013.
Sold, L., Huss, M., Eichler, A., Schwikowski, M., and Hoelzle, M.: Unlocking annual firn layer water equivalents from ground-penetrating radar data on an Alpine glacier, The Cryosphere, 9, 1075–1087, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1075-2015, 2015.
Sold, L., Huss, M., Machguth, H., Joerg, P. C., Leysinger Vieli, G.,
Linsbauer, A., Salzmann, N., Zemp, M., and Hoelzle, M.: Mass balance
re-analysis of Findelengletscher, Switzerland; benefits of extensive snow
accumulation measurements, Front. Earth Sci., 4, 18,
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2016.00018, 2016.
Stahl, K. and Moore, R. D.: Influence of watershed glacier coverage on
summer streamflow in British Columbia, Canada, Water Resour. Res., 42, W06201,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2006WR005022, 2006.
Thibert, E. and Vincent, C.: Best possible estimation of mass balance
combining glaciological and geodetic methods, Ann. Glaciol., 50,
112–118, 2009.
Van Pelt, W. and Kohler, J.: Modelling the long-term mass balance and firn
evolution of glaciers around Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, J. Glaciol., 61,
731–744, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J223, 2015.
van Pelt, W. J. J., Oerlemans, J., Reijmer, C. H., Pohjola, V. A., Pettersson, R., and van Angelen, J. H.: Simulating melt, runoff and refreezing on Nordenskiöldbreen, Svalbard, using a coupled snow and energy balance model, The Cryosphere, 6, 641–659, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-641-2012, 2012.
Weber, F. and Litke, T.: Standard Operating Procedure Maintainence and Sampling Procedure Manual Snow Surveying, BC Hydro., 2018.
WGMS: Fluctuations of Glaciers Database, World Glacier Monit. Serv.,
https://doi.org/10.5904/wgms-fog-2018-11, 2018.
Short summary
Changes in glacier mass are the direct response to meteorological conditions during the accumulation and melt seasons. We derived multi-year, seasonal mass balance from airborne laser scanning surveys and compared them to field measurements for six glaciers in the Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada. Our method can accurately measure seasonal changes in glacier mass and can be easily adapted to derive seasonal mass change for entire mountain ranges.
Changes in glacier mass are the direct response to meteorological conditions during the...
