Geodetic reanalysis of annual glaciological mass balances (2001–2011) of Hintereisferner, Austria

Klug, Christoph; Bollmann, E.; Galos, Stephan Peter; Nicholson, Lindsey; Prinz, Rainer; Rieg, Lorenzo; Sailer, Rudolf; Stötter, Johann; Kaser, Georg

doi:10.5194/tc-12-833-2018

Cited by 49 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 66 publications

(117 reference statements)

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“…South Cascade Gl., WA, USA 580 530-600 Bidlake et al 2010, Krimmel (1996) Figure 2. Snow depth versus snow water equivalent from 1 May provincial snow survey data.…”

Section: Locationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada

2019

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Abstract. Seasonal measurements of glacier mass balance provide insight into the relation between climate forcing and glacier change. To evaluate the feasibility of using remotely sensed methods to assess seasonal balance, we completed tandem airborne laser scanning (ALS) surveys and field-based glaciological measurements over a 4-year period for six alpine glaciers that lie in the Columbia and Rocky Mountains, near the headwaters of the Columbia River, British Columbia, Canada. We calculated annual geodetic balance using coregistered late summer digital elevation models (DEMs) and distributed estimates of density based on surface classification of ice, snow, and firn surfaces. Winter balance was derived using coregistered late summer and spring DEMs, as well as density measurements from regional snow survey observations and our glaciological measurements. Geodetic summer balance was calculated as the difference between winter and annual balance. Winter mass balance from our glaciological observations averaged 1.95±0.09 m w.e. (meter water equivalent), 4 % larger than those derived from geodetic surveys. Average glaciological summer and annual balance were 3 % smaller and 3 % larger, respectively, than our geodetic estimates. We find that distributing snow, firn, and ice density based on surface classification has a greater influence on geodetic annual mass change than the density values themselves. Our results demonstrate that accurate assessments of seasonal mass change can be produced using ALS over a series of glaciers spanning several mountain ranges. Such agreement over multiple seasons, years, and glaciers demonstrates the ability of high-resolution geodetic methods to increase the number of glaciers where seasonal mass balance can be reliably estimated.

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“…South Cascade Gl., WA, USA 580 530-600 Bidlake et al 2010, Krimmel (1996) Figure 2. Snow depth versus snow water equivalent from 1 May provincial snow survey data.…”

Section: Locationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada

2019

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“…In many cases this fraction will be inversely proportional to the DEM difference interval, suggesting that over short intervals, this formulation is likely to underestimate true uncertainty (e.g. Klug and others, 2018). In contrast, material density is better constrained for large volume changes (generally longer intervals), and the uncertainty is likely to be overestimated (Huss, 2013).…”

Section: Journal Of Glaciology 859mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reanalysis of the US Geological Survey Benchmark Glaciers: long-term insight into climate forcing of glacier mass balance

et al. 2019

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Mountain glaciers integrate climate processes to provide an unmatched signal of regional climate forcing. However, extracting the climate signal via intercomparison of regional glacier mass-balance records can be problematic when methods for extrapolating and calibrating direct glaciological measurements are mixed or inconsistent. To address this problem, we reanalyzed and compared long-term mass-balance records from the US Geological Survey Benchmark Glaciers. These five glaciers span maritime and continental climate regimes of the western United States and Alaska. Each glacier exhibits cumulative mass loss since the mid-20th century, with average rates ranging from −0.58 to −0.30 m w.e. a−1. We produced a set of solutions using different extrapolation and calibration methods to inform uncertainty estimates, which range from 0.22 to 0.44 m w.e. a−1. Mass losses are primarily driven by increasing summer warming. Continentality exerts a stronger control on mass loss than latitude. Similar to elevation, topographic shading, snow redistribution and glacier surface features often exert important mass-balance controls. The reanalysis underscores the value of geodetic calibration to resolve mass-balance magnitude, as well as the irreplaceable value of direct measurements in contributing to the process-based understanding of glacier mass balance.

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“…In times of a simultaneous availability of both direct glaciological and geodetical glacier mass balances (e.g., Thibert et al, 2008;Huss et al, 2009;Klug et al, 2018), the apparent mass balance as the difference between both, and thus the actual state of the glaciers, can be estimated. We applied a simple direct determination of apparent mass balance gradients using data of the glaciological and geodetical mass balance in 100 m elevation bands to Hintereisferner, Kesselwandferner and Vernagtferner for the periods between the three GIs ( Table 5).…”

Section: Observed Modelledmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calibrated Ice Thickness Estimate for All Glaciers in Austria

2019

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Knowledge on ice thickness distribution and total ice volume is a prerequisite for computing future glacier change for both glaciological and hydrological applications. Various ice thickness estimation methods have been developed but regional differences in fundamental model parameters are substantial. Parameters calibrated with measured data at specific points in time and space can vary when glacier geometry and dynamics change. This study contributes to a better understanding of accuracies and limitations of modeled ice thicknesses by taking advantage of a comprehensive data set of in-situ ice thickness measurements from 58 glaciers in the Austrian Alps and observed glacier geometries of three Austrian glacier inventories (GI) between 1969 and 2006. The field data are used to calibrate an established ice thickness model to calculate an improved ice thickness data set for the Austrian Alps. A cross-validation between modeled and measured point ice thickness indicates a model uncertainty of 25-31% of the measured point ice thickness. The comparison of the modeled and measured average glacier ice thickness revealed an underestimation of 5% with a mean standard deviation of 15% for the glaciers with calibration data. The apparent mass balance gradient, the primary model parameter accounting for the effects of surface mass balance distribution as well as ice flux, substantially decreases over time and has to be adjusted for each temporal increment to correctly reproduce observed ice thickness. This reflects the general stagnation of glaciers in Austria. Using the calibrated parameter set, 93% of the observed ice thickness change on a glacier-specific scale could be captured for the periods between the GI. We applied optimized apparent mass balance gradients to all glaciers of the latest Austrian glacier inventory and found a volume of 15.9 km 3 for the year 2006. The ten largest glaciers account for 25% of area and 35% of total ice volume. An estimate based on mass balance measurements from nine glaciers indicates an additional volume loss of 3.5 ± 0.4 km 3 (i.e., 22 ± 2.5%) until 2016. Relative changes in area and volume were largest at glaciers smaller than 1 km 2 , and relative volume changes appear to be higher than relative area changes for all considered time periods.

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Geodetic reanalysis of annual glaciological mass balances (2001–2011) of Hintereisferner, Austria

Cited by 49 publications

References 66 publications

Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada

Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada

Reanalysis of the US Geological Survey Benchmark Glaciers: long-term insight into climate forcing of glacier mass balance

Calibrated Ice Thickness Estimate for All Glaciers in Austria

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