Glacier mass‐balance standards

Fountain, Andrew G.; Trabant, Dennis C.; Brugman, Melinda M.; Ommanney, C. Simon L.; Monroe, Stephen

doi:10.1029/90eo00361

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…For the IGY, a number of benchmark glaciers around the world were chosen where mass balance would be monitored. This network has proven valuable, but in many areas, the number of glacier is limited; for example, there is just one benchmark glacier in the conterminous United States South Cascade Glacier (Figure 1) (Fountain et al, 1991). Glacier mass balance varies because of geographic characteristics such as aspect, elevation and location with respect to prevailing winds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Glacier mass balance varies because of geographic characteristics such as aspect, elevation and location with respect to prevailing winds. Because no single glacier is representative of all others to understand the causes and nature of changes in glacier surface mass balance throughout a mountain range, it is necessary to monitor a significant number of glaciers (Fountain et al, 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mass balance loss of Mount Baker, Washington glaciers 1990–2010

Pelto

Brown

2012

Hydrological Processes

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Mount Baker, North Cascades, WA, has a current glacierized area of 38.6 km2. From 1984 to 2010, the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project has monitored the annual mass balance (Ba), accumulation area ratio (AAR), terminus behaviour and longitudinal profiles of Mount Baker glaciers. The Ba on Rainbow, Easton and Sholes Glaciers from 1990 to 2010 averaged −0.52 m w.e. a−1(m a−1). Terminus observations on nine principal Mount Baker glaciers, 1984–2009, indicate retreat ranging from 240 to 520 m, with a mean of 370 m or 14 m a−1. AAR observations on Rainbow, Sholes and Easton Glaciers for 1990–2010 indicate a mean AAR of 0.55 and a steady state AAR of 0.65. A comparison of Ba and AAR on these three glaciers yields a relationship that is used in combination with AAR observations made on all Mount Baker glaciers during 7 years to assess Mount Baker glacier mass balance. Utilizing the AAR–Ba relationship for the three glaciers yields a mean Ba of −0.55 m a−1 for the 1990–2010 period, 0.03 m a−1 higher than the measured mean Ba. The mean Ba based on the AAR–Ba relationship for the entire mountain from 1990 to 2010 is −0.57 m a−1. The product of the mean observed mass balance gradient determined from 11 000 surface mass balance measurements and glacier area in each 100‐m elevation band on Mount Baker yields a Ba of −0.50 m a−1 from 1990–2010 for the entire mountain. The median altitude of the three index glaciers is lower than that of all Mount Baker glaciers. Adjusting the balance gradient for this difference yields a mean Ba of −0.77 m a−1 from 1990 to 2010. All but one estimate converge on a loss of −0.5 m a−1 for Mount Baker from 1990 to 2010. This equates to an 11‐m loss in glacier thickness, 12–20% of the entire 1990 volume of glaciers on Mount Baker. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass balance loss of Mount Baker, Washington glaciers 1990–2010

Pelto

Brown

2012

Hydrological Processes

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“…A series of benchmark glaciers around the world was chosen where annual mass balance would be monitored. This network has proven valuable, though too sparse in its coverage, with just two index glaciers in the USA with ongoing measurements: Lemon Creek Glacier, Alaska, and South Cascade Glacier, North Cascades, Washington (Fountain et al, 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A glacier's mass balance, and hence its response to climate, is complicated by its geographic characteristics. No single glacier is representative of all others; thus, to understand the causes and nature of changes in glacier mass balance throughout a mountain range it is necessary to monitor a significant number of glaciers (Fountain et al, 1991). Even in areas where the correlation in annual mass balance is high, the range in annual mass balance and consequent glacier terminus response can still be significantly different (Tangborn, 1980;Pelto, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variations in annual balance of North Cascade glaciers, Washington 1984–2000

Pelto

Riedel

2001

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:Since 1984, annual glacier mass balance measurements have been conducted on eight glaciers by the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project (NCGCP). Since 1993 the National Park Service (NPS) has monitored the mass balance of four glaciers, and the NCGCP an additional two glaciers. This 14 glacier monitoring network, covering an area of 14 000 km 2 , represents the most extensive network of mass balance measurements for alpine glaciated areas in the world. The breadth of the record allows determination of the annual variability of annual balance from glacier to glacier, and from year to year.Data indicate a broad regional continuity in the response of these glaciers to climate. All cross-correlation values between any pair of the 14 glaciers ranged from 0Ð80 to 0Ð98. This strong degree of correlation indicates that regionalscale climate conditions, not local microclimates, are the primary control of glacier annual balance in the North Cascades.Data also indicate that the annual mass balance trend for glaciers was strongly negative from 1984 to 1994 and slightly positive from 1995 to 2000. The cumulative annual mass balance for eight glaciers between 1984 and 1994 was 0Ð39 m year 1 . From 1995 to 2000 the cumulative annual mass balance of the same eight glaciers was C0Ð10 m year 1 , and C0Ð15 m year 1 for all 14 glaciers in this study. The correlation coefficients indicate the strongly similar response, not that the specific magnitude of the annual mass balance for each glacier is the same. There is a significant annual range in the individual glacier balances, averaging 1Ð01 m, and in the mean annual mass balance between glaciers. All of the glaciers with more positive annual mass balances since 1995 had either significant accumulation areas extending above 2300 m, and/or are east of the zone of maximum precipitation. The glaciers with the most negative annual mass balance are those with the lowest mean elevation. The record is, as yet, too short to explain the variability of mass balance fully using climate data and seasonal mass balance data.

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“…No single glacier is representative of all others. Therefore, to understand the causes and nature of changes in glacier surface mass balance throughout a mountain range, it is necessary to monitor a significant number of glaciers (Fountain et al, 1991). The North Cascade Glacier Climate Project (NCGCP) was founded in 1983 to monitor glaciers throughout the range and identify the response of North Cascade Range, Washington glaciers to regional climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%