Articles | Volume 18, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5653-2024
© Author(s) 2024. 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-18-5653-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Dec 2024
Research article |
| 05 Dec 2024
| 05 Dec 2024
Reanalysis of the longest mass balance series in Himalaya using a nonlinear model: Chhota Shigri Glacier (India)
Mohd Farooq Azam
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, 453552, India
Christian Vincent
Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (IGE, UMR 5001), Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble-INP, INRAE, 38000 Grenoble, France
Smriti Srivastava
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, 453552, India
Department of Geography, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Etienne Berthier
Université de Toulouse, LEGOS (CNES/CNRS/IRD/UT3), Toulouse, 31400, France
Patrick Wagnon
Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (IGE, UMR 5001), Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble-INP, INRAE, 38000 Grenoble, France
Himanshu Kaushik
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, 453552, India
Md. Arif Hussain
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, 453552, India
Manoj Kumar Munda
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, 453552, India
Arindan Mandal
Interdisciplinary Centre for Water Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
Alagappan Ramanathan
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
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Andreas Kääb, Mylène Jacquemart, Adrien Gilbert, Silvan Leinss, Luc Girod, Christian Huggel, Daniel Falaschi, Felipe Ugalde, Dmitry Petrakov, Sergey Chernomorets, Mikhail Dokukin, Frank Paul, Simon Gascoin, Etienne Berthier, and Jeffrey S. Kargel
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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
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Munir Ahmad Nayak, M. Farooq Azam, and Rosa Vellosa Lyngwa
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-397, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-397, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Atmospheric Rivers–– long and narrow plumes of intense horizontal water vapor transport in the lower part of the atmosphere––have been recognized among the key agents delivering extreme rainfall/snowfall over many mountainous regions around the globe. The Himalayas is an important exception where research on impacts of ARs is lacking. We develop a comprehensive ERA5-based database of ARs penetrating the foothills of the Himalayas, with a vision to flourish future research in this area.
Yanbin Lei, Tandong Yao, Lide Tian, Yongwei Sheng, Lazhu, Jingjuan Liao, Huabiao Zhao, Wei Yang, Kun Yang, Etienne Berthier, Fanny Brun, Yang Gao, Meilin Zhu, and Guangjian Wu
The Cryosphere, 15, 199–214, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-199-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-199-2021, 2021
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Two glaciers in the Aru range, western Tibetan Plateau (TP), collapsed suddenly on 17 July and 21 September 2016, respectively, causing fatal damage to local people and their livestock. The impact of the glacier collapses on the two downstream lakes (i.e., Aru Co and Memar Co) is investigated in terms of lake morphology, water level and water temperature. Our results provide a baseline in understanding the future lake response to glacier melting on the TP under a warming climate.
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
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César Deschamps-Berger, Simon Gascoin, Etienne Berthier, Jeffrey Deems, Ethan Gutmann, Amaury Dehecq, David Shean, and Marie Dumont
The Cryosphere, 14, 2925–2940, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2925-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2925-2020, 2020
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We evaluate a recent method to map snow depth based on satellite photogrammetry. We compare it with accurate airborne laser-scanning measurements in the Sierra Nevada, USA. We find that satellite data capture the relationship between snow depth and elevation at the catchment scale and also small-scale features like snow drifts and avalanche deposits. We conclude that satellite photogrammetry stands out as a convenient method to estimate the spatial distribution of snow depth in high mountains.
Alexandra Giese, Aaron Boone, Patrick Wagnon, and Robert Hawley
The Cryosphere, 14, 1555–1577, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020, 2020
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Rocky debris on glacier surfaces is known to affect the melt of mountain glaciers. Debris can be dry or filled to varying extents with liquid water and ice; whether debris is dry, wet, and/or icy affects how efficiently heat is conducted through debris from its surface to the ice interface. Our paper presents a new energy balance model that simulates moisture phase, evolution, and location in debris. ISBA-DEB is applied to West Changri Nup glacier in Nepal to reveal important physical processes.
Ugo Nanni, Florent Gimbert, Christian Vincent, Dominik Gräff, Fabian Walter, Luc Piard, and Luc Moreau
The Cryosphere, 14, 1475–1496, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1475-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1475-2020, 2020
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Our study addresses key questions on the subglacial drainage system physics through a novel observational approach that overcomes traditional limitations. We conducted, over 2 years, measurements of the subglacial water-flow-induced seismic noise and of glacier basal sliding speeds. We then inverted for the subglacial channel's hydraulic pressure gradient and hydraulic radius and investigated the links between the equilibrium state of subglacial channels and glacier basal sliding.
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
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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.
David E. Shean, Ian R. Joughin, Pierre Dutrieux, Benjamin E. Smith, and Etienne Berthier
The Cryosphere, 13, 2633–2656, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2633-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2633-2019, 2019
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We produced an 8-year, high-resolution DEM record for Pine Island Glacier (PIG), a site of substantial Antarctic mass loss in recent decades. We developed methods to study the spatiotemporal evolution of ice shelf basal melting, which is responsible for ~ 60 % of PIG mass loss. We present shelf-wide basal melt rates and document relative melt rates for kilometer-scale basal channels and keels, offering new indirect observations of ice–ocean interaction beneath a vulnerable ice shelf.
Louise Mimeau, Michel Esteves, Isabella Zin, Hans-Werner Jacobi, Fanny Brun, Patrick Wagnon, Devesh Koirala, and Yves Arnaud
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3969–3996, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3969-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3969-2019, 2019
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In a context of climate change, the quantification of the contributions of glacier melt, snowmelt, and rain to the river streamflow is a key issue for assessing the current and future water resource availability. This study discusses the representation of the snow and glacier processes in hydrological models and its impact on the estimated flow components, and also addresses the issue of defining the glacier contribution to the river streamflow.
Alexandra Giese, Steven Arcone, Robert Hawley, Gabriel Lewis, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-60, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-60, 2019
Preprint withdrawn
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This manuscript defines a novel method of determining the depth of debris on a debris-covered glacier using 960 MHz Ground-Penetrating Radar, under circumstances which prevent the detection of a coherent reflection at the debris-ice interface. Our method was verified using full-scale debris-analog experiments and uses internal scattering within the debris layer. We use this method to measure debris thickness on Changri Nup Glacier, in the Nepal Himalaya.
Evan S. Miles, C. Scott Watson, Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, Michel Esteves, Duncan J. Quincey, Katie E. Miles, Bryn Hubbard, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 12, 3891–3905, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3891-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3891-2018, 2018
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We use high-resolution satellite imagery and field visits to assess the growth and drainage of a lake on Changri Shar Glacier in the Everest region, and its impact. The lake filled and drained within 3 months, which is a shorter interval than would be detected by standard monitoring protocols, but forced re-routing of major trails in several locations. The water appears to have flowed beneath Changri Shar and Khumbu glaciers in an efficient manner, suggesting pre-existing developed flow paths.
Fanny Brun, Patrick Wagnon, Etienne Berthier, Joseph M. Shea, Walter W. Immerzeel, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Christian Vincent, Camille Reverchon, Dibas Shrestha, and Yves Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 12, 3439–3457, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3439-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3439-2018, 2018
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On debris-covered glaciers, steep ice cliffs experience dramatically enhanced melt compared with the surrounding debris-covered ice. Using field measurements, UAV data and submetre satellite imagery, we estimate the cliff contribution to 2 years of ablation on a debris-covered tongue in Nepal, carefully taking into account ice dynamics. While they occupy only 7 to 8 % of the tongue surface, ice cliffs contributed to 23 to 24 % of the total tongue ablation.
Adrien Gilbert, Silvan Leinss, Jeffrey Kargel, Andreas Kääb, Simon Gascoin, Gregory Leonard, Etienne Berthier, Alina Karki, and Tandong Yao
The Cryosphere, 12, 2883–2900, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2883-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2883-2018, 2018
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In Tibet, two glaciers suddenly collapsed in summer 2016 and produced two gigantic ice avalanches, killing nine people. This kind of phenomenon is extremely rare. By combining a detailed modelling study and high-resolution satellite observations, we show that the event was triggered by an increasing meltwater supply in the fine-grained material underneath the two glaciers. Contrary to what is often thought, this event is not linked to a change in the thermal condition at the glacier base.
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
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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.
Etienne Berthier, Christopher Larsen, William J. Durkin, Michael J. Willis, and Matthew E. Pritchard
The Cryosphere, 12, 1523–1530, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1523-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1523-2018, 2018
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Two recent studies suggested a slowdown in mass loss after 2000 of the Juneau and Stikine icefields, accounting for 10% of the total ice cover in Alaska. Here, the ASTER-based geodetic mass balances are revisited, carefully avoiding the use of the SRTM DEM, because of the unknown penetration depth of the SRTM C-band radar signal. We find strongly negative mass balances from 2000 to 2016 for both icefields, in agreement with airborne laser altimetry. Mass losses are thus continuing unabated.
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
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
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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.
Ann V. Rowan, Lindsey Nicholson, Emily Collier, Duncan J. Quincey, Morgan J. Gibson, Patrick Wagnon, David R. Rounce, Sarah S. Thompson, Owen King, C. Scott Watson, Tristram D. L. Irvine-Fynn, and Neil F. Glasser
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-239, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-239, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Many glaciers in the Himalaya are covered with thick layers of rock debris that acts as an insulating blanket and so reduces melting of the underlying ice. Little is known about how melt beneath supraglacial debris varies across glaciers and through the monsoon season. We measured debris temperatures across three glaciers and several years to investigate seasonal trends, and found that sub-debris ice melt can be predicted using a temperature–depth relationship with surface temperature data.
Joaquín M. C. Belart, Etienne Berthier, Eyjólfur Magnússon, Leif S. Anderson, Finnur Pálsson, Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, Ian M. Howat, Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir, Tómas Jóhannesson, and Alexander H. Jarosch
The Cryosphere, 11, 1501–1517, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1501-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1501-2017, 2017
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Sub-meter satellite stereo images (Pléiades and WorldView2) are used to accurately measure snow accumulation and winter mass balance of Drangajökull ice cap. This is done by creating and comparing accurate digital elevation models. A glacier-wide geodetic mass balance of 3.33 ± 0.23 m w.e. is derived between October 2014 and May 2015. This method could be easily transposable to remote glaciated areas where seasonal mass balance measurements (especially winter accumulation) are lacking.
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
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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.
Christian Vincent, Patrick Wagnon, Joseph M. Shea, Walter W. Immerzeel, Philip Kraaijenbrink, Dibas Shrestha, Alvaro Soruco, Yves Arnaud, Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, and Sonam Futi Sherpa
The Cryosphere, 10, 1845–1858, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1845-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1845-2016, 2016
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Approximately 25 % of the glacierized area in the Everest region is covered by debris, yet the surface mass balance of these glaciers has not been measured directly. From terrestrial photogrammetry and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) methods, this study shows that the ablation is strongly reduced by the debris cover. The insulating effect of the debris cover has a larger effect on total mass loss than the enhanced ice ablation due to supraglacial ponds and exposed ice cliffs.
R. Marti, S. Gascoin, E. Berthier, M. de Pinel, T. Houet, and D. Laffly
The Cryosphere, 10, 1361–1380, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1361-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1361-2016, 2016
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To date, there is no definitive approach to map snow depth in mountainous areas from spaceborne sensors. We used very-high-resolution stereo satellites imagery (Pléiades) to generate a map of snow depth in a small Pyrenean catchment. The validation results are promising and open the possibility to retrieve the snow depth at a metric horizontal resolution in remote mountainous areas, even when no field data are available.
Mariano H. Masiokas, Duncan A. Christie, Carlos Le Quesne, Pierre Pitte, Lucas Ruiz, Ricardo Villalba, Brian H. Luckman, Etienne Berthier, Samuel U. Nussbaumer, Álvaro González-Reyes, James McPhee, and Gonzalo Barcaza
The Cryosphere, 10, 927–940, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-927-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-927-2016, 2016
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Glacier Echaurren Norte (ECH, 34° S) has the longest (> 35 yrs) mass-balance record in South America. A minimal model that explains 78 % of the variance in the ECH annual record identifies precipitation as the most important forcing. A regional streamflow series allows for extending the ECH annual record back to 1909 and shows a clear cumulative ice-mass loss. Similarities with documented glacier advances and other shorter mass-balance series suggest the ECH reconstruction is regionally representative.
C. Papasodoro, E. Berthier, A. Royer, C. Zdanowicz, and A. Langlois
The Cryosphere, 9, 1535–1550, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1535-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1535-2015, 2015
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Located at the far south (~62.5° N) of the Canadian Arctic, Grinnell and Terra Nivea Ice Caps are good climate proxies in this scarce data region. Multiple data sets (in situ, airborne and spaceborne) reveal changes in area, elevation and mass over the past 62 years. Ice wastage sharply accelerated during the last decade for both ice caps, as illustrated by the strongly negative mass balance of Terra Nivea over 2007-2014 (-1.77 ± 0.36 m a-1 w.e.). Possible climatic drivers are also discussed.
A. Kääb, D. Treichler, C. Nuth, and E. Berthier
The Cryosphere, 9, 557–564, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-557-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-557-2015, 2015
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Based on satellite laser altimetry over the Pamir--Karakoram Himalaya we detect strongest elevation losses over east Nyainqentanglha Shan and Spiti--Lahaul but slight elevation gains over west Kunlun Shan rather than over Karakoram. The current sea-level contribution of Pamir--Karakoram Himalaya glaciers is about 10% of the total global contribution of glaciers outside the ice sheets. We also improve estimates of glacier imbalance contribution to river discharge in the Himalayas.
F. Brun, M. Dumont, P. Wagnon, E. Berthier, M. F. Azam, J. M. Shea, P. Sirguey, A. Rabatel, and Al. Ramanathan
The Cryosphere, 9, 341–355, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-341-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-341-2015, 2015
E. Berthier, C. Vincent, E. Magnússon, Á. Þ. Gunnlaugsson, P. Pitte, E. Le Meur, M. Masiokas, L. Ruiz, F. Pálsson, J. M. C. Belart, and P. Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 8, 2275–2291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2275-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2275-2014, 2014
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We evaluate the potential of Pléiades sub-meter satellite stereo imagery to derive digital elevation models (DEMs) of glaciers and their elevation changes. The vertical precision of the DEMs is ±1 m, even ±0.5m on the flat glacier tongues. Similar precision levels are obtained in accumulation areas. Comparison of a Pléiades DEM with a SPOT5 DEM reveals the strongly negative region-wide mass balances of glaciers in the Mont Blanc area (-1.04±0.23m at 1 water equivalent) during 2003-2012.
M. F. Azam, P. Wagnon, C. Vincent, AL. Ramanathan, V. Favier, A. Mandal, and J. G. Pottakkal
The Cryosphere, 8, 2195–2217, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2195-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2195-2014, 2014
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This paper presents point-scale surface energy balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Western Himalaya, India. Energy is available for melting only in summer-monsoon. Net all-wave radiation is the main heat flux towards the glacier surface accounting for 80% of the total melting energy followed by sensible (13%), latent (5%) turbulent and conductive (2%) heat fluxes. The intensity of summer-monsoon snowfalls is found among the most important drivers controlling the mass balance of this glacier.
T. A. Scambos, E. Berthier, T. Haran, C. A. Shuman, A. J. Cook, S. R. M. Ligtenberg, and J. Bohlander
The Cryosphere, 8, 2135–2145, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2135-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2135-2014, 2014
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This study of one of the most rapidly changing glacier regions on earth -- the Antarctic Peninsula -- uses two types of satellite data to measure the rates of ice loss in detail for the individual glaciers. The satellite data is laser altimetry from ICESat and stereo image DEM differences. The results show that 24..9 ± 7.8 billion tons of ice are lost from the region north of 66°S on the peninsula each year. The majority of the data cover 2003-2008.
E. Le Meur, M. Sacchettini, S. Garambois, E. Berthier, A. S. Drouet, G. Durand, D. Young, J. S. Greenbaum, J. W. Holt, D. D. Blankenship, E. Rignot, J. Mouginot, Y. Gim, D. Kirchner, B. de Fleurian, O. Gagliardini, and F. Gillet-Chaulet
The Cryosphere, 8, 1331–1346, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1331-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1331-2014, 2014
T. Flament, E. Berthier, and F. Rémy
The Cryosphere, 8, 673–687, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-673-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-673-2014, 2014
A. Legchenko, C. Vincent, J. M. Baltassat, J. F. Girard, E. Thibert, O. Gagliardini, M. Descloitres, A. Gilbert, S. Garambois, A. Chevalier, and H. Guyard
The Cryosphere, 8, 155–166, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-155-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-155-2014, 2014
P. Wagnon, C. Vincent, Y. Arnaud, E. Berthier, E. Vuillermoz, S. Gruber, M. Ménégoz, A. Gilbert, M. Dumont, J. M. Shea, D. Stumm, and B. K. Pokhrel
The Cryosphere, 7, 1769–1786, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1769-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1769-2013, 2013
J. Gardelle, E. Berthier, Y. Arnaud, and A. Kääb
The Cryosphere, 7, 1263–1286, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1263-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1263-2013, 2013
C. Vincent, Al. Ramanathan, P. Wagnon, D. P. Dobhal, A. Linda, E. Berthier, P. Sharma, Y. Arnaud, M. F. Azam, P. G. Jose, and J. Gardelle
The Cryosphere, 7, 569–582, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-569-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-569-2013, 2013
A. Rabatel, B. Francou, A. Soruco, J. Gomez, B. Cáceres, J. L. Ceballos, R. Basantes, M. Vuille, J.-E. Sicart, C. Huggel, M. Scheel, Y. Lejeune, Y. Arnaud, M. Collet, T. Condom, G. Consoli, V. Favier, V. Jomelli, R. Galarraga, P. Ginot, L. Maisincho, J. Mendoza, M. Ménégoz, E. Ramirez, P. Ribstein, W. Suarez, M. Villacis, and P. Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 7, 81–102, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-81-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-81-2013, 2013
E. Thibert, N. Eckert, and C. Vincent
The Cryosphere, 7, 47–66, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-47-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-47-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Discipline: Glaciers | Subject: Mass Balance Obs
Accumulation by avalanches as a significant contributor to the mass balance of a peripheral glacier of Greenland
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
Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada
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
Bernhard Hynek, Daniel Binder, Michele Citterio, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Jakob Abermann, Geert Verhoeven, Elke Ludewig, and Wolfgang Schöner
The Cryosphere, 18, 5481–5494, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5481-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5481-2024, 2024
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An avalanche event in February 2018 caused thick snow deposits on Freya Glacier, a peripheral mountain glacier in northeastern Greenland. The avalanche deposits contributed significantly to the mass balance, leaving a strong imprint in the elevation changes in 2013–2021. The 8-year geodetic mass balance (2013–2021) of the glacier is positive, whereas previous estimates by direct measurements were negative and now turned out to have a negative bias.
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Ben M. Pelto, Brian Menounos, and Shawn J. Marshall
The Cryosphere, 13, 1709–1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1709-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1709-2019, 2019
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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.
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
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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
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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
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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
Andreassen, L. M., Elvehøy, H., Kjøllmoen, B., and Engeset, R. V.: Reanalysis of long-term series of glaciological and geodetic mass balance for 10 Norwegian glaciers, The Cryosphere, 10, 535–552, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-535-2016, 2016.
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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 methods to compute the mass balances, as the former can capture the spatiotemporal variability in 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.
Mass balance series on Chhota Shigri Glacier has been reanalysed by combining the traditional...
