You are browsing the archive for alaska glacier melt Archives - Page 2 of 2 - From a Glacier's Perspective.
June 30, 2014
West Speel Glacier Retreat and Lake Formation, Southeast Alaska
West Speel Glacier is an unnamed glacier that drains the same icefield as the Wright and Speel Glacier 45 km southeast of Juneau, Alaska. Here we examine the changes in this glacier from 1984-2013 using Landsat imagery. Google Earth image In 1984 the glacier ended on an outwash plain at the head of a branch of Speel River. The red arrow indicates the 1984 terminus for each image, the purple …
February 9, 2012
Speel Glacier Retreat, Coast Range Alaska
Speel Glacier a 3.2 km retreat from 1984-2013, lake expansion and tributary separation. In 1984 I had a good chance to observe Speel Glacier while flying into Juneau, AK to work with the Juneau Icefield Research Program on the Juneau Icefield. Speel Glacier is south of the Taku Inelt east of Juneau, Alaska. Unlike the map on my lap, there was now a big lake at the terminus of the …
November 22, 2011
Field Glacier, Alaska Retreat, Lake expansion, tributary separation
Above is a paired Landsat image from 1984 left and 2013 right, indicating a 2300 m retreat in this period, below is further detailed examination. The Field Glacier flows from the northwest side of the Juneau Icefield, and is named for Alaskan glaciologist and American Geographical Society leader William O. Field. Bill also helped initiate the Juneau Icefield Research Program, which Maynard Miller then ably managed for more than 50 …
September 25, 2011
Eagle Glacier Retreat, Juneau Icefield Alaska
Above is a paired Landsat image from 1984 left and 2013 right indicating the 1100 m retreat during this period of Eagle Glacier.My first visit to the Eagle Glacier was in 1982 with the, ongoing and important, Juneau Icefield Research Program, that summer I just skied on the glacier. In 1984 we put a test pit at 5000 feet near the crest of the Eagle Glacier to assess the snowpack …
June 27, 2011
Brady Glacier Retreat Leads to Rapid Lake Expansion 2004-2010
This post details changes in Brady Glacier between the 2004 Google Earth imagery and a 2010 Landsat image and that are examined in more detail by (Pelto et al, 2013). A detailed look at retreat up to 2004 is detailed in a previous post on Brady Glacier.. Brady Glacier is a large glacier at the south end of the Glacier Bay region, Alaska. When first seen by George Vancouver it …
June 12, 2011
Chickamin Glacier, Alaska Extensive Retreat
Chickamin Glacier in southeast Alaska has undergone a 3 kilometer retreat since 1955. The glacier drains south from an icefield near Portland Canal and straddling the border with British Columbia. The glacier ended on an outwash plain in 1955 at 250 meters. The Through Glacier at this time is a large tributary feeder joining Chickamin at the elbow where it turns west, (bottom image) Shortly thereafter a lake began to …
February 4, 2011
Grand Plateau Glacier Retreat, Alaska
Grand Plateau Glacier in 1984 and 2015 Landsat images. Red arrow is the 1984 terminus location and yellow arrows the 2015 terminus locations. D=Distributary tongue, NF=North Fork, N=Nunatak, GP=Grand Plateau Grand Plateau Glacier drains southwest from Mount Fairweather in southeast Alaska. The glacier advanced during the Little Ice age to the Alaskan coastline. Early maps from 1908 show no lake at the terminus of the glacier. The 1948 map shows …
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.