April 28, 2023
Jacobsen Glacier, BC Diminishes to Smallest Size in Thousands of Years
Written with Dan Smith Jacobsen Glacier in Landsat images from 1987 and 2019. Red arrow 1987 terminus location, yellow arrow 2022 terminus location and purple dots the snowline. Point A indciates ice marginal lake in 1987, Point C is the glacier junction, Point B an emerging rock rib and Point D a nunatak. Jacobsen Glacier is a large outlet glacier flowing from the Monarch Icefield in the Pacific Ranges of …
April 18, 2023
Tyndall Glacier, Chile April 2023 Calving Retreat
Tyndall Glacier in Sentinel images from March 11, 2023 and April 12, 2023 indicating the calving event and three icebergs generated. Tyndall Glacier is a large outlet glacier of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI). This glacier has an area of over 300 km². The main glacier terminus is in Lago Geikie, which began to form around 1940, and the east terminus previously terminated in Lago Tyndall. Laboratorie de Glaciologie reports …
April 10, 2023
Glaciers Across the Central Andes Snowcover Free Summer 2023
Bajo del Plomo Glacier, Argentina in Sentinel image with no retained snowcover this summer, and rapid bedrock expansion at Point A-C. This is 2nd consecutive year without retained snowcover for this glacier at the head of the Rio Plomo. For an alpine glacier to thrive it must remain 50-60% snowcovered throughout the year, even at the end of the summer. To survive it must have consistent significant snowcover at the …
April 3, 2023
Sierra Nevada, California Glaciers Rapid Decline 2018-2022
MacClure and Lyell Glacier in 2018 and 2022 Sentinel images illustrating a decline from 0.09 to 0.06 km² The Sierra Nevada, California has a number of small glaciers that have clung to the north facing slopes of the High Sierra. An inventory of these glaciers completed by Basagic and Fountain (2011) identified glacier area in 2004, which had declined by 55% since 1903. At that time the MacClure Glacier had …
March 27, 2023
Soler Glacier, Chile Terminus Tongue Breakup in 2023
Soler Glacier, Chile terminus tongues is 1.9 km long on 12-26-2022 and by 3-21-2023 it has broken up, with four larger bergs A-D. False color Sentinel images. In 2020 I noted that the Soler Glacier “terminus tongue in its lowest 1.5 km continue to thin and will collapse in the lake in the near future.” Here the breakup of this tongue in 2023 is reported. Soler Glacier is an outlet …
March 20, 2023
Snowcover Free Glaciers in Antarctica in 2023
Eastern Ice Cap on Vega Ice Cap is snow free in Feb. 19, 2023 Sentinel images. Bedrock areas at Point A and B will expand with snow free conditions. In 2023 the near complete loss of snowcover is apparent on a number glacier and ice caps In Antarctica, on several islands along the Antarctic Peninsula. This yields a more extensive bare ice and firn surface area, that increses melt rate …
March 17, 2023
Eagle Island Ice Cap, Antarctica Loses its Snowcover in 2023
Eagle Island Ice Cap in Sentinel image from Feb. 19, 2023 illustrating only small patches of snowcover left, 5-10% of ice cap. On February 19, 2023 Eagle Island Ice Cap, Antarctica has less than 10% snowcover. This is less snowcover than observed even after the period of record warm weather over the Antarctic Peninsula in February 2020. Temperature when the all time Antaractica temperature record was set at Esperenza Base. …
March 15, 2023
Volcan Peteroa Glaciers Argentina/Chile Fragment During Snow Cover Free Summers
Volcan Peteroa glaciers in Sentinel images from March 2016 (below) and March 2023 (above). This illustrates fragmentation, 50% area loss, and a new lake formation. All the result of repeated snowcover free glaciers. For an alpine glacier to survive it must remain mostly snowcovered throughout the year, even at the end of the summer. This is one reason for the majesty of glaciated mountains, they shine brightly even in summer. …
March 6, 2023
Snowcover Free Glaciers Generates Fragmenting in Central Andes, Chile
Snowcover free glaciers in the Central Andes in 2014 ad 2023 Landsat images. The ongoing fragmentation and retreat is evident at Point A-H, see closeup details below. The glacier as Point B has melted away, At Point G and H glacier tributaries have separated from the Norte Cipreses Glacier in the valley below. At Point D-F expanding bedrock areas amidst glacier driving further fragmentation. Glaciers at Point A and C …
February 26, 2023
Glacier O’Higgins, Chile Rapid Calving Retreat 2016-2023
Glacier O’Higgins in February 16, 2023 Sentinel image with the 2002, 2016 and 2019 terminus also indicated. Point D marks a detached lobe on of ice on the northern margin in 2023. Point F marks the southern margin terminus front. Glacier O’Higgins is a large outlet glacier of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI) that terminates in Lago O’Higgins. Cassasa et al (1997) report that from 1896-1979 the glacier had retreated 13.8 …
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.