You are browsing the archive for climate change glacier retreat Archives - Page 2 of 9 - From a Glacier's Perspective.
August 27, 2020
Hochstetter Ice Cap Loses All Snowcover in 2020, Franz Josef Land
Landsat images from 1999, 2015 and 2020 of Hochstetter ice Cap. Snowcover=100% in 1999, 80% in 2015 and 0% in 2020. Hochstetter Ice Cap covers most of Hocstetter Island (Ostrov Khokhshtettera) in the the southern part of the Franz Josef Land archipelago. Situated ~1000 km from the North Pole this area is known for its white ice caps and cold summer temperature averaging 2 C. The lack of sea ice …
August 17, 2019
Alpine Glaciers-BAMS State of Climate 2018
Figure 1. Global Alpine glacier annual mass balance record of reference glaciers submitted to the World Glacier Monitoring Service, with a minimum of 30 reporting glaciers. For the last decade I have written the section on Alpine Glaciers for the BAMS State of the Climate report, the 2018 report was published this week, below is the section on alpine glaciers. The key data resources is the World Glacier Monitoring Service …
June 10, 2019
Asejiaguo Glacier, China Retreat and Lake Expansion
Asejiaguo Glacier in Landsat images from 1993 and 2018. The yellow arrow indicates the 2018 terminus and the red arrow the 1993 terminus location. Point 1 and 2 are areas of expanding bedrock in the 5400-5600 m. Asejiaguo Glacier drains east from the China-Nepal Border and is at the headwaters of the Yarlung Tsangpo, which becomes the Brahmaputra River. The Yarlung Tsangpo powers the 510 MW Zangmu Hydropower Station. Gardelle …
March 18, 2019
Soranano Glacier, Peru Separation and Retreat 1995-2018
Western Soranano (WS) and Eastern Soranano Glacier (ES) in 1995 and 2000 Landsat images and 2018 Sentinel image, with red arrows indicating the terminus in 1995, and yellow arrows the 2018 terminus. Here we examine the west and east Soranano Glacier glacier descending south from the 5800 m summit of Jatunnano (Hatun Nana Punta). The glaciers are just east of Laguna Sibinacocha, which drains into the Rio Vilcanota. Retreat of …
May 24, 2018
Suhai Hu Ice Cap, China Outlet Glacier Retreat
Suhai Hu, Quilian Mountains Ice Cap in 1999 and 2016 Landsat image indicating five different outlet glacier termini that all ended in proglacial lakes in 1999 and all retreated significantly by 2016. Here we examine an unnamed icecap that I refer to as the “Suhai Hu” Ice Cap and five of its largest outlet glaciers in the Qilian Mountains in northwest China, with Landsat imagery from 1999-2016. The northern outlet …
January 3, 2018
Tajuco Glacier Lake, China Expands with Glacier Retreat
Tajuco Glacier terminating in Tajuco Lake retreat in 1994 and 2017 Landsat comparison. Red arrow is 1997 terminus location, yellow arrow is the 2017 terminus location and the purple dots are the snowline in 2017. Tajuco Glacier Lake is a moraine dammed glacier lake in the Tingri district of China. It drains into the Amur River which flows south into Nepal. Shijin et al (2015) reported on the expansion of …
December 4, 2017
Global Glacier Change Bulletin-Many Glaciers Same Story
Cumulative glacier mass balance losses reported by WGMS by region, all glacier, reference glaciers and geodetic mass balance (Sholes Glacier, WA in background). The data set size, location and type changes but the story remains the same, mass loss resulting from global temperature increase. The World Glacier Monitoring Service has released the second bulletin of Global Glacier Change. The bulletin provides detailed global and regional information on alpine glaciers …
October 24, 2017
Gangge’er Glacier, Retreat & Tributary Separation Qilian Mt. China
Gangge’er Glacier, Qilian Mt., China comparison in 1997 and 2017 Landsat Images. Yellow arrows indicates 2017 terminus, red arrows the 1990 terminus, and purple arrows tributaries that have detached. The snowline is purple dots and Points 1-3 indicate bare rock areas amidst the glacier. The largest glacier in the Gangge’er Xiaoheli Shan range of the the Qilian Mountains in China, here referred to as Gangge’er Glacier, drains northwest into the …
June 27, 2017
Mensu Glacier, Siberia Russia Retreat 1994-2016
Mensu Glacier, Russia in comparison of 1994 and 2016 Landsat images. Red arrow is the 1994 terminus, yellow arrow 2016 terminus, purple arrow a tributary and purple dots the snowline. Mensu Glacier (Lednik Mensu) drains northeast from Gora Belukha in the Russian Altai. The glacier drains into the Ob River and then the Arctic Ocean. This glacier has not been the focus of detailed research to date. Khromova et al (2014) report …
April 19, 2017
Nuusuaq Peninsula West Greenland Glacier Disintegration
Comparison of alpine glaciers on Nuussuaq Peninsula in 1990 and 2016 Landsat images. Each arrow is at a specific location in both images exhibiting glacier separation/disintegration. The Nuussuaq Peninsula is just north of Disko Island in West Greenland and is home to many alpine glaciers and small ice caps. Here we examine the furthest west group of alpine glaciers on the peninsula. This group is 125 km west of the ice …
Dean of Academic Affairs at Nichols College and Professor of Environmental Science at Nichols College in Massachusetts since 1989. Glaciologist directing the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project since 1984. This project monitors the mass balance and behavior of more glaciers than any other in North America.