Climatological and Photogrammetric Speculations on Mass-balance Changes of McCall, Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska

Dorrer, Egon; Wendler, Gerd

doi:10.3189/s0022143000013757

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…Despite the larger error inherent in the coarser contour interval (100 ft or 30.5 m), this comparison gave an estimate of –17 ± 6 cm for the long-term average balance from 1956 to 1972. This value is close to that of Dorrer and Wendler (1976) and, combining the two estimates, we obtain a value of –15 ± 5 cm for the 1958–72 average annual net balance.…”

Section: Mass-balance Record Of Mccall Glaciersupporting

confidence: 85%

“…A direct photogrammetric comparison by Dorrer and Wendler (1976) gave a value of –13 cm for the long-term average annual balance from 1958 to 1971, a somewhat less negative value than the average of the 1970s net balances (–19 cm). In another study, Rabus and others (1995) compared the elevations at about 60 locations on the glacier surface, as surveyed in 1972 personal communication from D. Trabant), with a 1958 topographic map (American Geographical Society 1960).…”

Section: Mass-balance Record Of Mccall Glaciermentioning

confidence: 95%

“…These monitoring programs generally involved annual balance measurements using the Glaciological method. In addition, average balances over longer periods were determined using the topographic method, as described by Dorrer and Wendler (1976) and Rabus and others (1995). In this section, we present the results of these programs in an internally consistent framework.…”

Section: Mass-balance Record Of Mccall Glaciermentioning

confidence: 99%

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The mass balance of McCall Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska, U.S.A.; its regional relevance and implications for climate change in the Arctic

Rabus

Echelmeyer

1998

J. Glaciol.

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McCall Glacier has the only long-term mass-balance record in Arctic-Alaska. Average annual balances over the periods 1958–72 and 1972–93 were –15 and –33cm, respectively; recent annual balances (1993–96) are about –60 cm, and the mass-balance gradient has increased. For an Arctic glacier, with its low mass-exchange rate, this marks a significant negative trend.Recently acquired elevation profiles of McCall Glacier and ten other glaciers within a 30 km radius were compared with topographic maps made in 1956 or 1973. Most of these glaciers had average annual mass balances between –25 and –33 cm, while McCall Glacier averaged –28 cm for 1956–93, indicating that it is representative of the region. In contrast, changes in terminus position for the different glaciers vary markedly. Thus, mass-balance trends in this region cannot be estimated from fractional length changes at time-scales of a few decades.We developed a simple degree-day/accumulation mass-balance model for McCall Glacier. The model was tested using precipitation and radiosonde temperatures from weather stations at Inuvik, Canada, and Barrow, Kaktovik and Fairbanks, Alaska, and was calibrated with the measured balances. The Inuvik data reproduce all measured mass balances of McCall Glacier well and also reproduce the long-term trend towards more negative balances. Data from the other stations do not produce satisfactory model results. We speculate that the Arctic Front, oriented east–west in this region, causes the differences in model results.

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Section: Mass-balance Record Of Mccall Glaciersupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Mass-balance Record Of Mccall Glaciermentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Mass-balance Record Of Mccall Glaciermentioning

confidence: 99%

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The mass balance of McCall Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska, U.S.A.; its regional relevance and implications for climate change in the Arctic

Rabus

Echelmeyer

1998

J. Glaciol.

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“…Table 1 presents inputs and results of our model experiments, with each row representing one set of input parameters. The surface lowering v sl is well known over the periods 1972–93 and 1958–72 (Dorrer and Wendler, 1976; Rabus and Echelmeyer, 1998). We varied either v or Δ T S until the model reproduced the observed change in T 10 .…”

Section: Interpretation Of the Observed Ice-temperature Changes: Climmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increase of 10 m ice temperature: climate warming or glacier thinning?

Rabus¹,

Echelmeyer²

2002

J. Glaciol.

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In 1972 and 1995, shallow ice temperatures were measured at identical locations and depths on polythermal McCall Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska, U.S.A. Mean annual ice temperatures at 10 m depth ( " T IH ) have systematically increased by 41K for the ablation area (1400^1900 m), while closer to the firn area, where meltwater percolation and refreezing play a role, they remained approximately unchanged. Interpreting these findings in terms of climate change requires careful consideration of the observed thinning of the glacier, which causes lowering of the surface through an existing vertical temperature gradient. Such temperature gradients can be particularly large in the ablation areas of polythermal glaciers; on McCall Glacier they are on the order of 0.2 K m^1. We also study the evolution of a 75 m deep temperature profile measured at one location in 1972 using a one-dimensional heat-diffusion model. We find that this profile was in approximate equilibrium with the mean surface temperature extrapolated from the 1972 data. Using the observed rate of surface lowering and measured rates of vertical advection, we find that both the measured temperature change and the vertical temperature gradient at 10 m depth can be reproduced only if the mean annual surface temperature on McCall Glacier has increased by 1.1 AE 0.3 K between 1972 and 1995. This result is consistent with the observed trend toward more negative mass balances on the glacier in the 1990s.

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“…For example, terrestrial photogrammetry was used by Finsterwalder (1931) in measuring glacier flow, and has subsequently been applied by Voigt (1966),Konecny (1964, 1966), and Arnold (1981). Aerial photogrammetry has been employed in mass-balance studies (Morgan, 1973; Dorrer and wendler, 1976), and to map long-term development of glacial landforms in front of retreating Icelandic glaciers. In order to determine small short-term fluctuations in the snout of Bas Glacier d’Arolla, Stirling (1982) developed a technique for constructing very accurate cross-profiles from ground-based stereo photographs.…”

Section: Present Rates Of Moraine Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rates of Deposition on Lateral Moraine Embankments, Glacier De Tsidjiore Nouve, Valais, Switzerland

1984

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In the last decade deposition on lateral moraine embankments of glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve has been re-activated on a large scale. An attempt has been made to reconstruct, from the dimensions of the embankments, average rates of debris accumulation on the moraines during the Neoglacial period. These are compared with rates of deposition over the period 1977–82, calculated from detailed changes in moraine profiles (surveyed by ground- and air-based photogrammetry) and measured rates of ice-margin ablation. At present total output of sediment, by marginal deposition and transport by melt-water streams, from glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve is in the order of 6400–9500m3/a; this suggests the possibility of a high average erosion rate within the glacier catchment of 1.55–2.29 mm/a.

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Climatological and Photogrammetric Speculations on Mass-balance Changes of McCall, Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

The mass balance of McCall Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska, U.S.A.; its regional relevance and implications for climate change in the Arctic

The mass balance of McCall Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska, U.S.A.; its regional relevance and implications for climate change in the Arctic

Increase of 10 m ice temperature: climate warming or glacier thinning?

Rates of Deposition on Lateral Moraine Embankments, Glacier De Tsidjiore Nouve, Valais, Switzerland

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