Articles | Volume 15, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4445-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-15-4445-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
14 Sep 2021
Research article |
| 14 Sep 2021
| 14 Sep 2021
Estimating surface mass balance patterns from unoccupied aerial vehicle measurements in the ablation area of the Morteratsch–Pers glacier complex (Switzerland)
Lander Van Tricht
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Earth System Science & Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit
Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Philippe Huybrechts
Earth System Science & Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit
Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Jonas Van Breedam
Earth System Science & Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit
Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Alexander Vanhulle
Earth System Science & Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit
Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Kristof Van Oost
Georges Lemaître Center for Earth & Climate Research, Earth
and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve,
Belgium
Harry Zekollari
Department of Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Delft University of
Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
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Cited
26 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Mapping Surface Features of an Alpine Glacier through Multispectral and Thermal Drone Surveys M. Rossini et al. 10.3390/rs15133429
- A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of Remote Sensing Methods for Glacier Mass Balance Research A. Yu et al. 10.3390/rs15051425
- Synthesis of field and satellite data to elucidate recent mass balance of five ice rises in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica V. Goel et al. 10.3389/feart.2022.975606
- GNSS reflectometry from low-cost sensors for continuous in situ contemporaneous glacier mass balance and flux divergence A. Wells et al. 10.1017/jog.2024.54
- Glacier Mass Balance Pattern and Its Variation Mechanism in the West Kunlun Mountains in Tibetan Plateau L. Gao et al. 10.3390/rs14112634
- Committed Ice Loss in the European Alps Until 2050 Using a Deep‐Learning‐Aided 3D Ice‐Flow Model With Data Assimilation S. Cook et al. 10.1029/2023GL105029
- Exploring the frozen frontier: unmanned aerial vehicles and multispectral sensors unveiling cryosphere dynamics in East Antarctica’s Dronning Maud Land G. M & K. Venkatesh 10.1080/15481603.2024.2302739
- Seasonal ice dynamics in the lower ablation zone of Dagongba Glacier, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, from multitemporal UAV images Y. Fu et al. 10.1017/jog.2021.123
- Modelling point mass balance for the glaciers of the Central European Alps using machine learning techniques R. Anilkumar et al. 10.5194/tc-17-2811-2023
- Accuracy of UAV Photogrammetry in Glacial and Periglacial Alpine Terrain: A Comparison With Airborne and Terrestrial Datasets A. Groos et al. 10.3389/frsen.2022.871994
- A minimal machine-learning glacier mass balance model M. van der Meer et al. 10.5194/tc-19-805-2025
- Deriving seasonal and annual surface mass balance for debris-covered glaciers from flow-corrected satellite stereo DEM time series S. Bhushan et al. 10.1017/jog.2024.57
- Thermal regime of the Grigoriev ice cap and the Sary-Tor glacier in the inner Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan L. Van Tricht & P. Huybrechts 10.5194/tc-16-4513-2022
- Deep learning outperforms existing algorithms in glacier surface velocity estimation with high-resolution data – the example of Austerdalsbreen, Norway H. Zandler et al. 10.3389/frsen.2025.1586933
- High-resolution high-accuracy orthophoto map and digital surface model of Forni Glacier tongue (Central Italian Alps) from UAV photogrammetry V. Belloni et al. 10.1080/17445647.2023.2217508
- Brief communication: Measuring and modelling the ice thickness of the Grigoriev ice cap (Kyrgyzstan) and comparison with global datasets L. Van Tricht et al. 10.5194/tc-17-4315-2023
- Reconstruction of the Historical (1750–2020) Mass Balance of Bordu, Kara-Batkak and Sary-Tor Glaciers in the Inner Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan L. Van Tricht et al. 10.3389/feart.2021.734802
- Land Surface Modeling in the Himalayas: On the Importance of Evaporative Fluxes for the Water Balance of a High‐Elevation Catchment P. Buri et al. 10.1029/2022WR033841
- Land surface modeling informed by earth observation data: toward understanding blue–green–white water fluxes in High Mountain Asia P. Buri et al. 10.1080/10095020.2024.2330546
- Monitoring the annual geodetic mass balance of Bordu and Sary-Tor glaciers using UAV data L. Van Tricht et al. 10.1017/aog.2023.71
- Modelling the historical and future evolution of six ice masses in the Tien Shan, Central Asia, using a 3D ice-flow model L. Van Tricht & P. Huybrechts 10.5194/tc-17-4463-2023
- Distributed surface mass balance of an avalanche-fed glacier M. Kneib et al. 10.5194/tc-18-5965-2024
- The West Kunlun Glacier Anomaly and Its Response to Climate Forcing during 2002–2020 J. Luo et al. 10.3390/rs14143465
- Assessing glacier thickness changes with multi-temporal UAV-derived DEMs: The evolution of Forni Glacier over the period 2014–2022 V. Belloni et al. 10.1016/j.jag.2025.104547
- Glacier-wide seasonal and annual geodetic mass balances from Pléiades stereo images: application to the Glacier d'Argentière, French Alps L. Beraud et al. 10.1017/jog.2022.79
- Contour Mission Flight Planning of UAV for Photogrammetric in Hillside Areas C. Hsieh et al. 10.3390/app13137666
26 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Mapping Surface Features of an Alpine Glacier through Multispectral and Thermal Drone Surveys M. Rossini et al. 10.3390/rs15133429
- A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of Remote Sensing Methods for Glacier Mass Balance Research A. Yu et al. 10.3390/rs15051425
- Synthesis of field and satellite data to elucidate recent mass balance of five ice rises in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica V. Goel et al. 10.3389/feart.2022.975606
- GNSS reflectometry from low-cost sensors for continuous in situ contemporaneous glacier mass balance and flux divergence A. Wells et al. 10.1017/jog.2024.54
- Glacier Mass Balance Pattern and Its Variation Mechanism in the West Kunlun Mountains in Tibetan Plateau L. Gao et al. 10.3390/rs14112634
- Committed Ice Loss in the European Alps Until 2050 Using a Deep‐Learning‐Aided 3D Ice‐Flow Model With Data Assimilation S. Cook et al. 10.1029/2023GL105029
- Exploring the frozen frontier: unmanned aerial vehicles and multispectral sensors unveiling cryosphere dynamics in East Antarctica’s Dronning Maud Land G. M & K. Venkatesh 10.1080/15481603.2024.2302739
- Seasonal ice dynamics in the lower ablation zone of Dagongba Glacier, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, from multitemporal UAV images Y. Fu et al. 10.1017/jog.2021.123
- Modelling point mass balance for the glaciers of the Central European Alps using machine learning techniques R. Anilkumar et al. 10.5194/tc-17-2811-2023
- Accuracy of UAV Photogrammetry in Glacial and Periglacial Alpine Terrain: A Comparison With Airborne and Terrestrial Datasets A. Groos et al. 10.3389/frsen.2022.871994
- A minimal machine-learning glacier mass balance model M. van der Meer et al. 10.5194/tc-19-805-2025
- Deriving seasonal and annual surface mass balance for debris-covered glaciers from flow-corrected satellite stereo DEM time series S. Bhushan et al. 10.1017/jog.2024.57
- Thermal regime of the Grigoriev ice cap and the Sary-Tor glacier in the inner Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan L. Van Tricht & P. Huybrechts 10.5194/tc-16-4513-2022
- Deep learning outperforms existing algorithms in glacier surface velocity estimation with high-resolution data – the example of Austerdalsbreen, Norway H. Zandler et al. 10.3389/frsen.2025.1586933
- High-resolution high-accuracy orthophoto map and digital surface model of Forni Glacier tongue (Central Italian Alps) from UAV photogrammetry V. Belloni et al. 10.1080/17445647.2023.2217508
- Brief communication: Measuring and modelling the ice thickness of the Grigoriev ice cap (Kyrgyzstan) and comparison with global datasets L. Van Tricht et al. 10.5194/tc-17-4315-2023
- Reconstruction of the Historical (1750–2020) Mass Balance of Bordu, Kara-Batkak and Sary-Tor Glaciers in the Inner Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan L. Van Tricht et al. 10.3389/feart.2021.734802
- Land Surface Modeling in the Himalayas: On the Importance of Evaporative Fluxes for the Water Balance of a High‐Elevation Catchment P. Buri et al. 10.1029/2022WR033841
- Land surface modeling informed by earth observation data: toward understanding blue–green–white water fluxes in High Mountain Asia P. Buri et al. 10.1080/10095020.2024.2330546
- Monitoring the annual geodetic mass balance of Bordu and Sary-Tor glaciers using UAV data L. Van Tricht et al. 10.1017/aog.2023.71
- Modelling the historical and future evolution of six ice masses in the Tien Shan, Central Asia, using a 3D ice-flow model L. Van Tricht & P. Huybrechts 10.5194/tc-17-4463-2023
- Distributed surface mass balance of an avalanche-fed glacier M. Kneib et al. 10.5194/tc-18-5965-2024
- The West Kunlun Glacier Anomaly and Its Response to Climate Forcing during 2002–2020 J. Luo et al. 10.3390/rs14143465
- Assessing glacier thickness changes with multi-temporal UAV-derived DEMs: The evolution of Forni Glacier over the period 2014–2022 V. Belloni et al. 10.1016/j.jag.2025.104547
- Glacier-wide seasonal and annual geodetic mass balances from Pléiades stereo images: application to the Glacier d'Argentière, French Alps L. Beraud et al. 10.1017/jog.2022.79
- Contour Mission Flight Planning of UAV for Photogrammetric in Hillside Areas C. Hsieh et al. 10.3390/app13137666
Latest update: 30 Jun 2025
Short summary
We conducted innovative research on the use of drones to determine the surface mass balance (SMB) of two glaciers. Considering appropriate spatial scales, we succeeded in determining the SMB in the ablation area with large accuracy. Consequently, we are convinced that our method and the use of drones to monitor the mass balance of a glacier’s ablation area can be an add-on to stake measurements in order to obtain a broader picture of the heterogeneity of the SMB of glaciers.
We conducted innovative research on the use of drones to determine the surface mass balance...
