Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-166
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-166
08 Sep 2022
 | 08 Sep 2022
Status: a revised version of this preprint is currently under review for the journal TC.

Brief communication: Everest South Col Glacier did not thin during the last three decades

Fanny Brun, Owen King, Marion Réveillet, Charles Amory, Anton Planchot, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Tobias Bolch, Kévin Fourteau, Julien Brondex, Marie Dumont, Christoph Mayer, and Patrick Wagnon

Abstract. The South Col Glacier is an iconic small body of ice and snow (approx. 0.2 km2), located on the southern ridge of Mt. Everest. A recent study proposed that South Col Glacier is rapidly losing mass. This seems in contradiction with our comparison of two digital elevation models derived from aerial photographs taken in 1984 and a stereo Pléiades satellite acquisition from 2017, from which we measure a mean elevation change of 0.01 ± 0.07 m a-1. To reconcile these results we investigate wind erosion and surface energy and mass balance, and find that melt is unlikely a dominant process, contrary to previous findings.

Fanny Brun et al.

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CC1: 'Comment on tc-2022-166', Paul Andrew Mayewski, 28 Sep 2022
    • AC1: 'Reply on CC1', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on all RCs and CCs', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • RC1: 'Brun et al. show convincing evidence for zero net mass change at South Col Glacier', Ann Rowan, 10 Oct 2022
    • CC2: 'Reply on RC1', Tom Matthews, 17 Oct 2022
      • RC5: 'Reply on CC2', Ann Rowan, 27 Oct 2022
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC1', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on tc-2022-166', Anonymous Referee #2, 11 Oct 2022
    • AC5: 'Reply on RC2', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • RC3: 'Comment on tc-2022-166', Anonymous Referee #3, 17 Oct 2022
    • AC6: 'Reply on RC3', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • CC3: 'Comment on tc-2022-166', Tom Matthews, 18 Oct 2022
    • AC7: 'Reply on CC3', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • RC4: 'H. Machguth and E. Mattea: Review of tc-2022-166', Horst Machguth, 26 Oct 2022
    • AC8: 'Reply on RC4', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • CC4: 'Glacial Melting over the South Col Glacier: Observations from S1-SAR', Nicholas Steiner, 27 Oct 2022
    • AC9: 'Reply on CC4', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023
  • CC5: 'Comment on tc-2022-166 -- response to Macguth and Mattea, w/ref to Steiner', Tom Matthews, 28 Oct 2022
    • AC10: 'Reply on CC5', Fanny Brun, 13 Jan 2023

Fanny Brun et al.

Fanny Brun et al.

Viewed

Total article views: 2,106 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
1,422 635 49 2,106 12 7
  • HTML: 1,422
  • PDF: 635
  • XML: 49
  • Total: 2,106
  • BibTeX: 12
  • EndNote: 7
Views and downloads (calculated since 08 Sep 2022)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 08 Sep 2022)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 2,036 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 2,036 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 20 Apr 2023
Download
Short summary
The South Col Glacier is an iconic small body of ice and snow located on the southern ridge of Mt. Everest. A recent study proposed that South Col Glacier is rapidly losing mass. In this study, we examined the glacier thickness change for the period 1984–2017, and found no thickness change. To reconcile these results, we investigate wind erosion and surface energy and mass balance, and find that melt is unlikely a dominant process, contrary to previous findings.