Articles | Volume 9, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1075-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1075-2015
Research article
 | 
21 May 2015
Research article |  | 21 May 2015

Unlocking annual firn layer water equivalents from ground-penetrating radar data on an Alpine glacier

L. Sold, M. Huss, A. Eichler, M. Schwikowski, and M. Hoelzle

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Cited articles

Annan, A. P.: Practical Processing of GPR Data, in: Proceedings of the Second Government Workshop on Ground Penetrating Radar, October, 1993, Columbus, Ohio, 1993.
Arcone, S. A., Spikes, V. B., Hamilton, G. S., and Mayewski, P. A.: Stratigraphic continuity in 400 MHz short-pulse radar profiles of firn in West Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 39, 195–200, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781813925, 2004.
Barry, R. G.: The status of research on glaciers and global glacier recession: a review, Prog. Phys. Geog., 30, 285–306, https://doi.org/10.1191/0309133306pp478ra, 2006.
Bauder, A., Funk, M., and Gudmundsson, G. H.: The ice-thickness distribution of Unteraargletscher, Switzerland, Ann. Glaciol., 37, 331–336, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756403781815852, 2003.
Beniston, M.: C}limatic change in mountain regions: a {review of possible impacts, Climatic Change, 59, 5–31, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024458411589, 2003.
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Short summary
This study presents a method for estimating annual accumulation rates on a temperate Alpine glacier based on the interpretation of internal reflection horizons in helicopter-borne ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data. In combination with a simple model for firn densification and refreezing of meltwater, GPR can be used not only to complement existing mass balance monitoring programmes but also to retrospectively extend newly initiated time series.