Articles | Volume 17, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1299-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1299-2023
Brief communication
 | 
21 Mar 2023
Brief communication |  | 21 Mar 2023

Brief communication: Glacier mapping and change estimation using very high-resolution declassified Hexagon KH-9 panoramic stereo imagery (1971–1984)

Sajid Ghuffar, Owen King, Grégoire Guillet, Ewelina Rupnik, and Tobias Bolch

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Cited articles

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Bhattacharya, A., Bolch, T., Mukherjee, K., King, O., Menounos, B., Kapitsa, V., Neckel, N., Yang, W., and Yao, T.: High Mountain Asian glacier response to climate revealed by multi-temporal satellite observations since the 1960s, Nat. Commun., 12, 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24180-y, 2021. a, b, c
Bolch, T., Pieczonka, T., and Benn, D. I.: Multi-decadal mass loss of glaciers in the Everest area (Nepal Himalaya) derived from stereo imagery, The Cryosphere, 5, 349–358, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-349-2011, 2011. a, b
Bolch, T., Pieczonka, T., Mukherjee, K., and Shea, J.: Brief communication: Glaciers in the Hunza catchment (Karakoram) have been nearly in balance since the 1970s, The Cryosphere, 11, 531–539, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-531-2017, 2017. a, b, c
Burnett, M. G.: Hexagon (KH-9) Mapping Camera Program and Evolution, Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance, https://www.nro.gov/Portals/65/documents/foia/declass/mapping1.pdf (last access: 17 March 2023), 2012. a
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Short summary
The panoramic cameras (PCs) on board Hexagon KH-9 satellite missions from 1971–1984 captured very high-resolution stereo imagery with up to 60 cm spatial resolution. This study explores the potential of this imagery for glacier mapping and change estimation. The high resolution of KH-9PC leads to higher-quality DEMs which better resolve the accumulation region of glaciers in comparison to the KH-9 mapping camera, and KH-9PC imagery can be useful in several Earth observation applications.
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