Glacier Elevation Changes Research Articles

Ice thickness measurements of Guliya ice cap, western Kunlun Mountains (Tibetan Plateau), China

ABSTRACTDespite their high value and importance for various glaciological applications, detailed ice thickness measurements of alpine glaciers are still very limited. Knowledge of bedrock topography is essential for paleoglaciological studies. The Guliya ice cap located on the Tibetan Plateau is one of the highest and largest ice caps in mid-low latitude regions. A detailed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey was conducted on the Guliya ice cap in 2015 using 20 and 40 MHz frequency antennas. An empirical Bayesian kriging method was used for ice thickness interpolation and uncertainty assessment. GPR measurements revealed complex basal topography of the Guliya glacier with a maximum thickness of 371.12 ± 13 m. The internal reflections caused by changes in the dielectric properties were registered on the 40 MHz radargrams at the summit and were attributed to density variations. As a result of this fieldwork, one of the largest ice thickness datasets in High Mountain Asia was obtained. Guliya glacier elevation changes were assessed by differencing digital elevation models. The glacier gained mass from 2000 to 2015 with an average rate of 0.270 ± 0.11 m w.e. a−1at the summit and 0.279 ± 0.11 m w.e. a−1at the lower elevations.

A dataset of glacier elevation changes in the Kangri Karpo Mountains during 1980 – 2014

A dataset of glacier elevation changes in the Kangri Karpo Mountains during 1980 – 2014

A dataset of glacier elevation change in Muztag Ata and Kongur Tagh from 1971 to 2014

A dataset of glacier elevation change in Muztag Ata and Kongur Tagh from 1971 to 2014

Glacier anomaly over the western Kunlun Mountains, Northwestern Tibetan Plateau, since the 1970s

ABSTRACTWestern Kunlun Mountain (WKM) glaciers show balanced or even slightly positive mass budgets in the early 21st century, and this is anomalous in a global context of glacier reduction. However, it is unknown whether the stability prevails at longer time scales because mass budgets have been unavailable before 2000. Here topographical maps, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and Landsat data are used to examine the area and surface elevation changes of glaciers on the WKM since the 1970s. Heterogeneous glacier behaviors are observed not only in the changes of length and area, but also in the spatial distribution of surface elevation changes. However, on average, glacier area and elevation changes are not significant. Glaciers reduce in the area by 0.07 ± 0.1% a−1 from the 1970s to 2016. Averaged glacier mass loss is −0.06 ± 0.13 m w.e. a−1 from the 1970s to 1999. These findings show that the WKM glacier anomaly extends back at least to the 1970s.

Early 21st century spatially detailed elevation changes of Jammu and Kashmir glaciers (Karakoram–Himalaya)

Abstract Although a number of studies indicate the regional heterogeneity of the glacier elevation and mass changes in high-mountain Asia in the early 21st century, little is known about these changes with high spatial detail for some of the regions. In this study we present respective glacier elevation and mass change estimates in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (JK) for the period 2000–2012. Our estimates are based on the interferometric analysis of SRTM DEM and the bistatic TanDEM-X data. On an average the JK East (Karakoram) glaciers showed less negative elevation changes (− 0.19 ± 0.22 m yr−1) compared to the JK West (Himalaya) glaciers (− 0.50 ± 0.28 m yr−1). This agrees very well with previous studies that show a transition from larger changes in the western Himalaya to a steady-state situation in the Karakoram. We observe distinct elevation change patterns on a glacier scale that is most likely linked to debris insulation and the enhanced ice melting due to supraglacial lakes, ponds and ice cliffs. We also found 16 surge-type glaciers in the JK East which were not documented before. In total, 25 glaciers surged and 4 others appeared to be in a quiescent phase in the observation period. Our results also reveal that the glacier-averaged elevation change rates of surge-type and non surge-type glaciers in the JK East region are not significantly different.

Recent glacier mass balance and area changes in the Kangri Karpo Mountains from DEMs and glacier inventories

Abstract. Due to the influence of the Indian monsoon, the Kangri Karpo Mountains in the south-east of the Tibetan Plateau is in the most humid and one of the most important and concentrated regions containing maritime (temperate) glaciers. Glacier mass loss in the Kangri Karpo is an important contributor to global mean sea level rise, and changes run-off distribution, increasing the risk of glacial-lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Because of its inaccessibility and high labour costs, information about the Kangri Karpo glaciers is still limited. Using geodetic methods based on digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from 1980 topographic maps from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) (2000) and from TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X (2014), this study has determined glacier elevation changes. Glacier area and length changes between 1980 and 2015 were derived from topographical maps and Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI images. Results show that the Kangri Karpo contained 1166 glaciers with an area of 2048.50 ± 48.65 km2 in 2015. Ice cover diminished by 679.51 ± 59.49 km2 (24.9 ± 2.2 %) or 0.71 ± 0.06 % a−1 from 1980 to 2015, although nine glaciers advanced. A glacierized area of 788.28 km2, derived from DEM differencing, experienced a mean mass loss of 0.46 ± 0.08 m w.e. a−1 from 1980 to 2014. Shrinkage and mass loss accelerated significantly from 2000 to 2015 compared to 1980–2000, consistent with a warming climate.

1985–2012 年におけるグリーンランド北西部・海洋性溢流氷河の表面高度変化

1985–2012 年におけるグリーンランド北西部・海洋性溢流氷河の表面高度変化

Large‐Scale Seasonal Changes in Glacier Thickness Across High Mountain Asia

AbstractRecently, increased efforts have been made to estimate the mass budgets of glaciers in High Mountain Asia (HMA). However, seasonal changes in glaciers are poorly understood, despite the fact that seasonal meltwater released from glaciers is a crucial local water resource in HMA. Utilizing satellite altimetry and gravimetry data, we constructed annual changes in glacier elevation and identified two general patterns of the seasonality of glacier elevation changes. Glaciers in the periphery of HMA (except for those in the eastern Himalayas) thicken from approximately December to April–June, thus exhibiting winter and spring accumulation. Glaciers in the inner Tibetan Plateau, especially those in Western Kunlun and Tanggula, accumulate from approximately March to approximately August, thus exhibiting spring and summer accumulation. The amounts of seasonal glacier ablation were obtained using a new approach of direct observations of glacier changes, rather than inferring changes using a climate model.

Glacier elevation changes in the western Nyainqentanglha Range of the Tibetan Plateau as observed by TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X images

ABSTRACTGlobal warming greatly affects glacier retreat, which in turn influences local water resources and sea level altitudes. We used Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) images to extract glacier outlines in the western Nyainqentanglha Range, then used TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X images and SRTM-C DEM to calculate changes in glacier elevation using a differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) approach. The decreasing rate of glacier elevation in the western Nyainqentanglha Range was −0.30 ± 0.07 m per year (m yr−1) from 2000 to 2014. The annual thinning rate of the northern slope (−0.46 ± 0.07 m yr−1) was faster than that of the southern slope (−0.24 ± 0.07 m yr−1). We investigated two exemplary glacier sites in details: Zhadang glacier on the northern slope and Gurenhekou glacier on the southern slope. The annual elevation change of 39 points on Zhadang glacier calculated by the DInSAR and Real Time Kinematic Global Position System (RTK-GPS) seperately have a correlation coefficient of 0.88. The mass balance change of Gurenhekou glacier is −0.21 ± 0.06 m water equivalent per year (m w.e. yr−1) from DInSAR, which is similar to the value of −0.31 m w.e. yr−1 determined via stakes and snow pits from 2005 to 2010.

High-resolution digital elevation models from single-pass TanDEM-X interferometry over mountainous regions: A case study of Inylchek Glacier, Central Asia

This study demonstrates the potential of using single-pass TanDEM-X (TDX) radar imagery to analyse inter- and intra-annual glacier changes in mountainous terrain. Based on SAR images acquired in February 2012, March 2013 and November 2013 over the Inylchek Glacier, Kyrgyzstan, we discuss in detail the processing steps required to generate three reliable digital elevation models (DEMs) with a spatial resolution of 10m that can be used for glacial mass balance studies. We describe the interferometric processing steps and the influence of a priori elevation information that is required to model long-wavelength topographic effects. We also focus on DEM alignment to allow optimal DEM comparisons and on the effects of radar signal penetration on ice and snow surface elevations. We finally compare glacier elevation changes between the three TDX DEMs and the C-band shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) DEM from February 2000. We introduce a new approach for glacier elevation change calculations that depends on the elevation and slope of the terrain. We highlight the superior quality of the TDX DEMs compared to the SRTM DEM, describe remaining DEM uncertainties and discuss the limitations that arise due to the side-looking nature of the radar sensor.

Monitoring elevation change of glaciers on Geladandong Mountain using TanDEM-X SAR interferometry

Glaciers play an important role in the climate system. The elevation change of a glacier is an important parameter in studies of glacier dynamics. Only a few ground-based measurements of high mountain glaciers are available due to their remoteness, high elevation, and complex topography. The acquisition from the German TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement) SAR imaging configuration provides a reliable data sources for studying the elevation change of glaciers. In this study, the bistatic TanDEM-X data that cover the Geladandong Mountain on the Tibetan Plateau were processed with SAR interferometry technique and the elevation changes of the mountain’s glaciers during 2000–2014 were obtained. The results indicated that although distinct positive and negative elevation changes were found for different glacier tongues, the mean elevation change was about -0.14±0.26 m a-1. Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) data were obtained for comparison and verification. The investigation using GLAS data demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed method in determining glacier elevation change. Thus, the presented approach is appropriate for monitoring glacier elevation change and it constitutes a valuable tool for studies of glacier dynamics.

Decline of Geladandong Glacier Elevation in Yangtze River’s Source Region: Detection by ICESat and Assessment by Hydroclimatic Data

Several studies have indicated that glaciers in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau are thinning, resulting in reduced water supplies to major rivers such as the Yangtze, Yellow, Lancang, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra in China, and south Asia. Three rivers in the upstream of Yangtze River originate from glaciers around the Geladandong snow mountain group in central Tibet. Here we used elevation observations from Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and reference elevations from a 3-arc-second digital elevation model (DEM) of Shuttle Radar Terrestrial Mission (SRTM), assisted with Landsat-7 images, to detect glacier elevation changes in the western (A), central (B), and eastern (C) regions of Geladandong. Robust fitting was used to determine rates of glacier elevation changes in regions with dense ICESat data, whereas a new method called rate averaging was employed to find rates in regions of low data density. The rate of elevation change was −0.158 ± 0.066 m·a−1 over 2003–2009 in the entire Geladandong and it was −0.176 ± 0.102 m·a−1 over 2003–2008 in Region C (by robust fitting). The rates in Regions A, B, and C were −0.418 ± 0.322 m·a−1 (2000–2009), −0.432 ± 0.020 m·a−1 (2000–2003), and −0.321 ± 0.139 m·a−1 (2000–2008) (by rate averaging). We used in situ hydroclimatic dataset to assess these negative rates: the glacier thinning was caused by temperature rises around Geladandong, based on the temperature records over 1979–2009, 1957–2013, and 1966–2013 at stations Tuotuohe, Wudaoliang, and Anduo. The thinning Geladandong glaciers led to increased discharges recorded at the river gauge stations Tuotuohe and Chumda over 1956–2012. An unabated Geladandong glacier melting will reduce its long-term water supply to the Yangtze River Basin, causing irreversible socioeconomic consequences and seriously degrading the ecological system of the Yangtze River Basin.

Mapping Glacier Elevations and Their Changes in the Western Qilian Mountains, Northern Tibetan Plateau, by Bistatic InSAR

Accurate measurements of glacier surface topography and their changes play an essential role in various glaciological studies related to glacier dynamics and mass balance. The focus of this study is on mapping glacier digital elevation model (DEM) and elevation changes in the western Qilian Mountains, northern Tibetan Plateau, by synergistically using the TanDEM-X (TDX) bistatic Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data in 2013 and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM in 2000. The first high-resolution and high-precision glacier DEM is derived in this region by a TDX InSAR procedure with a nonlocal (NL) filter. Validated against the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) height references, the absolute height error of the TanDEM-X DEM derived with the NL filter and the Goldstein filter with the parameters investigated is, respectively, 1.493 ± 0.747 and 1.857 ± 1.709 m. Further, four combinations of differential phase method (DiffPha) and DEM differencing method (DiffDem) with Goldstein filter and NL filter are applied to estimate glacier elevation changes between 2000 and 2013. The synergistic use of the DiffPha method and the NL filter is superior to other three combinations in terms of uncertainty and noise reduction. Generally, a clear surface thinning can be found in most glacier tongue regions, the maximum value of elevation lowering up to approximately −40 m, whereas a slight thickening is detected in accumulation areas, which are in agreement with the height difference results between GPS measurements and SRTM DEM over Laohugou Glacier No.12. This study demonstrates the potential of the TanDEM-X bistatic InSAR in mapping surface topography and elevation changes of valley glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau.

Mass changes of alpine glaciers at the eastern margin of the Northern and Southern Patagonian Icefields between 2000 and 2012

ABSTRACTDespite renewed efforts to better understand glacier change and recognize glacier change trends in the Andes, relatively large areas in the Andes of Argentina and Chile are still not investigated. In this study, we report on glacier elevation and mass changes in the outer region of the Northern and Southern Patagonian Icefields in the Southern Patagonian Andes. A newly-compiled Landsat ETM+ derived glacier inventory (consisting of 2253 glaciers and ~1314 ± 66 km2of ice area) and differencing of the SRTM and SPOT5 DEMs were used to derive glacier-specific elevation changes over the 2000–12 period. The investigated glaciers showed a volume change of −0.71 ± 0.55 km3a−1, yielding a surface lowering of 0.52 ± 0.35 m a−1on average and an overall mass loss of 0.46 ± 0.37 m w.e. a−1. Highly variable individual glacier responses were observed and interestingly, they were less negative than previously reported for the neighboring Patagonian Icefields.

Elevation Change Rates of Glaciers in the Lahaul-Spiti (Western Himalaya, India) during 2000–2012 and 2012–2013

Previous studies have shown contrasting glacier elevation and mass changes in the sub-regions of high-mountain Asia. However, the elevation changes on an individual catchment scale can be potentially influenced by supraglacial debris, ponds, lakes and ice cliffs besides regionally driven factors. Here, we present a detailed study on elevation changes of glaciers in the Lahaul-Spiti region derived from TanDEM-X and SRTM C-/X-band DEMs during 2000–2012 and 2012–2013. We observe three elevation change patterns during 2000–2012 among glaciers with different extent of supraglacial debris. The first pattern (<10% debris cover, type-1) indicates maximum thinning rates at the glacier terminus and is observed for glaciers with no or very low debris cover. In the second pattern (>10% debris cover, type-2), maximum thinning is observed up-glacier instead of glacier terminus. This is interpreted as the insulating effect of a thick debris cover. A third pattern, high elevation change rates near the terminus despite high debris cover (>10% debris cover, type-3) is most likely associated with either thinner debris thickness or enhanced melting at supraglacial ponds and lakes as well as ice cliffs. We empirically determined the SRTM C- and X-band penetration differences for debris-covered ice, clean ice/firn/snow and correct for this bias in our elevation change measurements. We show that this penetration bias, if uncorrected, underestimates the region-wide elevation change and geodetic mass balance by 20%. After correction, the region-wide elevation change (1712 km 2 ) was estimated to be −0.65 ± 0.43 m yr − 1 during 2000–2012. Due to the short observation period, elevation change measurements from TanDEM-X for selected glaciers in the period 2012–2013 are subject to large uncertainties. However, similar spatial patterns were observed during 2000–2012 and 2012–2013, but at different magnitudes. This study reveals that the thinning patterns of debris-covered glaciers cannot be generalized and spatially detailed mapping of glacier elevation change is required to better understand the impact of different surface types under changing climatic conditions.

Glacier elevation changes (2012–2016) of the Puruogangri Ice Field on the Tibetan Plateau derived from bi-temporal TanDEM-X InSAR data

ABSTRACTThis study aims to evaluate the potential of TerraSAR-X (TSX) add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement (TanDEM-X) bi-static synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data sets for the retrieval of glacier digital elevation models (DEMs) and elevation changes over mountain regions. We exploited two pairs of TanDEM-X SAR data sets acquired in 2012 and 2016 over the Puruogangri Ice Field (PIF), which is the largest modern glacier on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Two fine-detail and high-precision DEMs for 2012 and 2016 over the PIF were generated by differential interferometric processing, and were validated against height measurements from global positioning system (GPS) and Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) altimetry, yielding a vertical accuracy of 1.91 ± 0.76 m and 1.69 ± 0.83 m, respectively. The elevation changes were derived by differencing the bi-temporal TanDEM-X DEMs and revealed predominant glacier surface thinning on the PIF. An annual surface thinning rate of −0.317 ± 0.027 m year−1 was estimated in the period 2012–2016, which is much larger than the estimate of −0.049 ± 0.200 m year−1 for the period 2000–2012 reported in previous studies. This accelerating trend of glacier surface thinning might be attributable to the continued increase in summer temperature since the 1980s and decrease in annual precipitation between two periods of investigation. This study demonstrates that comparison of the bi-temporal TanDEM-X DEMs is an efficient method for accurate and detailed retrieval of the latest surface elevation changes of mountain glaciers.

ICESat laser altimetry over small mountain glaciers

Abstract. Using sparsely glaciated southern Norway as a case study, we assess the potential and limitations of ICESat laser altimetry for analysing regional glacier elevation change in rough mountain terrain. Differences between ICESat GLAS elevations and reference elevation data are plotted over time to derive a glacier surface elevation trend for the ICESat acquisition period 2003–2008. We find spatially varying biases between ICESat and three tested digital elevation models (DEMs): the Norwegian national DEM, SRTM DEM, and a high-resolution lidar DEM. For regional glacier elevation change, the spatial inconsistency of reference DEMs – a result of spatio-temporal merging – has the potential to significantly affect or dilute trends. Elevation uncertainties of all three tested DEMs exceed ICESat elevation uncertainty by an order of magnitude, and are thus limiting the accuracy of the method, rather than ICESat uncertainty. ICESat matches glacier size distribution of the study area well and measures small ice patches not commonly monitored in situ. The sample is large enough for spatial and thematic subsetting. Vertical offsets to ICESat elevations vary for different glaciers in southern Norway due to spatially inconsistent reference DEM age. We introduce a per-glacier correction that removes these spatially varying offsets, and considerably increases trend significance. Only after application of this correction do individual campaigns fit observed in situ glacier mass balance. Our correction also has the potential to improve glacier trend significance for other causes of spatially varying vertical offsets, for instance due to radar penetration into ice and snow for the SRTM DEM or as a consequence of mosaicking and merging that is common for national or global DEMs. After correction of reference elevation bias, we find that ICESat provides a robust and realistic estimate of a moderately negative glacier mass balance of around −0.36 ± 0.07 m ice per year. This regional estimate agrees well with the heterogeneous but overall negative in situ glacier mass balance observed in the area.

Glacier changes in Glacier Bay, Alaska, during 2000–2012

ABSTRACTThis article presents measurements of glacier surface areas, mean snow line altitude (MSLA) values, mean snow accumulation area ratio (MAAR) values, and elevation changes in the Glacier Bay, Alaska, using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)/Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images and digital elevation models (DEMs) from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR) data during 2000–2012. Glacier area estimation results showed that Desolation glacier and Fairweather glacier have lost 2.6% and 2.2% of the glacier area, respectively. Only minor surface area changes were seen in Cascade glacier, Crillon glacier, and Lituya glacier during the study period. The results of MSLA and MAAR showed that the MSLA of Fairweather glacier, Lituya glacier, and Desolation glacier increased by about 120–289 m and the MAAR of Fairweather glacier, Lituya glacier, and Desolation glacier decreased by about 3–6%. In contrast, MSLA and MAAR of Crillon glacier decreased by about 70 m and increased by about 1%, respectively. Glacier elevation change results showed that 7.7 m, 4.6 m and 1.5 m of mean thinning change were observed, respectively, on Fairweather glacier, Lituya glacier, and Desolation glacier. However, 7 m and 0.65 m of mean thickening were, respectively, experienced on Cascade glacier and Crillon glacier in the same period. Results from the study indicated that glacier retreat (Fairweather glacier, Lituya glacier, and Desolation glacier) affected by higher temperatures probably dominates with over-increased precipitation. However, increasing debris cover on the glacier surface can also modify the glacier dynamic, resulting in a different response to global warming.

Glacier elevation and mass changes over the central Karakoram region estimated from TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR digital elevation models

AbstractSnow cover and glaciers in the Karakoram region are important freshwater resources for many down-river communities as they provide water for irrigation and hydropower. A better understanding of current glacier changes is hence an important informational baseline. We present glacier elevation changes in the central Karakoram region using TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR DEM differences between 2000 and 2012. We calculated elevation differences for glaciers with advancing and stable termini or surge-type glaciers separately using an inventory from a previous study. Glaciers with stable and advancing termini since the 1970s showed nearly balanced elevation changes of -0.09 ±0.12 m a-1 on average or mass budgets of -0.01 ±0.02Gt a-1 (using a density of 850 kg m-3). Our findings are in accordance with previous studies indicating stable or only slightly negative glacier mass balances during recent years in the Karakoram. The high-resolution elevation changes revealed distinct patterns of mass relocation at glacier surfaces during active surge cycles. The formation of kinematic waves at quiescent surge-type glaciers could be observed and points towards future active surge behaviour. Our study reveals the potential of the TanDEM-X mission to estimate geodetic glacier mass balances, but also points to still existing uncertainties induced by the geodetic method.

Recent changes in glacier velocities and thinning at Novaya Zemlya

Abstract Ice loss from the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya (NVZ) is the dominant contributor to sea level for the Russian Arctic. Here we present maps of glacier elevation change rates ( dh dt ) and velocities at Novaya Zemlya that reveal evidence of the impact of both calving flux and surface melt on ice mass loss. dh dt are calculated by applying a weighted linear regression to stacked digital elevation models (DEMs) from a 1952 map and DEMs created from stereo-pairs of WorldView images acquired between 2012 and 2014. The ~ 60-year average mass change rate is − 0.23 ± 0.04 m w.e. yr− 1. The recent, short-term (2012–2013/2014) average mass change rate is − 0.40 ± 0.09 m w.e. yr− 1. We apply the same weighted linear regression to stacked WorldView DEMs and ICESat elevations from 2003 to 2009, as well as stacked WorldView DEMs and ASTER DEMs from 2000 to 2013. The dh dt from both datasets confirm that thinning has been more rapid than the 60-year average since 2000. Average mass loss has accelerated at the lower elevations of land-terminating glaciers, suggesting that recent near-surface warming and increased melt have led to greater thinning. Marine-terminating glaciers along the Barents Sea coast have substantially higher thinning rates near their termini in recent years than adjacent land-terminating glaciers, suggesting that calving flux is an important contributor to overall ice mass loss in the region. Flow velocities are generated by feature tracking on optical and radar image pairs. Marine-terminating glaciers along the Barents Sea coast have the highest frontal velocities of any glaciers on NVZ. Our surface velocity measurements constrain the calving flux at the two fastest-retreating glaciers, Inostrantseva (INO) and Vil'kitskogo (VIS), which are both on the Barents Sea coast. We find that the calving flux is high enough to drive frontal thinning and retreat at those two glaciers. Summer terminus speeds at Inostrantseva Glacier have accelerated from a 2006 maximum of 3 m day− 1 to a 2012 maximum of 9 to 10 m day− 1 and the front has retreated by more than 3 km between 2006/06/27 and 2013/08/17.