Glacier inventory

A glacier inventory is an important instrument to better know the Alpine glacierized environment. After the glacier inventory realized by the Comitato Glaciologico Italiano (CGI, 1959-1962), only regional and local glacier inventories have been developed. In this work, we briefly present the New Italian Glacier Inventory which has been developed by analyzing high resolution color orthophotos acquired in the 2005-2011 time frame. In the New Italian Glacier Inventory 903 glaciers are listed, covering a total area of 369.90 km 2 . The largest part of the glacier area is located in the Aosta Valley Region (36.15% of the total), followed by the Lombardy Region (23.71%) and by the Province of Bolzano (23.01%). The highest number of glaciers is in Lombardy (230), followed by the Province of Bolzano (212), the Region of Aosta Valley (192), the Province of Trento (115). About 84% of the total glacier inventory is given by glaciers under 0.5 km 2 covering only 21% of the total area. Glaciers ...

There have been numerous studies of glaciers in the Greater Caucasus, but none that have generated a modern glacier database across the whole mountain range. Here, we present an updated and expanded glacier inventory at three time periods (1960, 1986, 2014) covering the entire Greater Caucasus. Large-scale topographic maps and satellite imagery (Corona, Landsat 5, Landsat 8 and ASTER) were used to conduct a remote-sensing survey of glacier change, and the 30 m resolution Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM; 17 November 2011) was used to determine the aspect, slope and height distribution of glaciers. Glacier margins were mapped manually and reveal that in 1960 the mountains contained 2349 glaciers with a total glacier surface area of 1674.9 ± 70.4 km 2. By 1986, glacier surface area had decreased to 1482.1 ± 64.4 km 2 (2209 glaciers), and by 2014 to 1193.2 ± 54.0 km 2 (2020 glaciers). This represents a 28.8 ± 4.4 % (481 ± 21.2 km 2) or 0.53 % yr −1 reduction in total glacier surface area between 1960 and 2014 and an increase in the rate of area loss since 1986 (0.69 % yr −1) compared to 1960-1986 (0.44 % yr −1). Glacier mean size decreased from 0.70 km 2 in 1960 to 0.66 km 2 in 1986 and to 0.57 km 2 in 2014. This new glacier inventory has been submitted to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) database and can be used as a basis data set for future studies.

A number of glaciological observations on debris-covered glaciers around the globe have shown a delayed length and mass adjustment in relation to climate variability, a behavior normally attributed to the ice insulation effect of thick debris layers. Dynamic interactions between debris cover, geometry and surface topography of debris-covered glaciers can nevertheless govern glacier velocities and mass changes over time, with many glaciers exhibiting high thinning rates in spite of thick debris cover. Such interactions are progressively being incorporated into glacier evolution research. In this paper we reconstruct changes in debris-covered area, surface velocities and surface features of three glaciers in the Patagonian Andes over the 1958–2020 period, based on satellite and aerial imagery and Digital Elevation Models. Our results show that debris cover has increased from 40 ± 0.6 to 50 ± 6.7% of the total glacier area since 1958, whilst glacier slope has slightly decreased. The ge...

Surpaglacial debris cover plays an increasingly important role impacting on glacier ablation, while there have been limited recent studies for the assessment of debris covered glaciers in the 20 Greater Caucasus mountains. We selected 559 glaciers according to the sections and macroslopes in the Greater Caucasus main watershed range and the Elbrus massif to assess supraglacial debris cover (SDC) for the years 1986, 2000 and 2014. Landsat (Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+, Landsat 8 OLI) and SPOT satellite imagery were analysed to generate glacier outlines using manual and semi-automated methods, along with slope information from a Digital Elevation 25 Model. The study shows there is greater SDC area on the northern than the southern macroslope, and more in the eastern section than the western and central. In 1986-2000-2014, the SDC area increased from 6.4%-8.2%-19.4% on the northern macroslope (apart from the eastern Greater Caucasus section), while on the southern macroslope, SDC increased from 4.0%-4.9%-9.2%. Overall, debris covered glacier numbers increased from 122-143-172 (1986-2000-2014) for 559 30 selected glaciers. Despite the total glacier area decrease, the SDC glacier area and numbers increased as a function of slope inclination, aspect, glacier morphological type, Little Ice Age (LIA) moraines, rock structure and elevation. The datasets are available for public download at

Based on the recently released National Glacier Inventory (NGI), we analyzed the characteristics and the mass balance rates of ice masses in the Argentinean Central Andes (ca. 30°–37° S). The NGI provides unprecedented information on area, number and distribution of different ice masses, including debris-covered glaciers and rock glaciers. In the Central Andes, a number of 8,076 ice masses were identified covering a total area of 1767 km2. For the period 2000–2018, a general lowering of the ice surface was observed with a region-wide mass balance rate of −0.18 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1. Clear differences depending on the debris coverage of the different ice masses were identified, with mass balance rates ranging from −0.36 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1 for partly debris-covered glaciers to −0.02 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1 for rock glaciers. Considering different sub-periods, the region-wide mass balance rate was slightly positive (+0.12 ± 0.23 m w. e. yr−1) from 2000 to 2009 and negative (−0.21 ± 0.30 m w.e....

Knowledge of supra-glacial debris cover and its changes remain incomplete in the Greater Caucasus, in spite of recent glacier studies. Here we present data of supraglacial debris cover for 659 glaciers across the Greater Caucasus based on Landsat and SPOT images from the years 1986, 2000 and 2014. We combined semi-automated methods for mapping the clean ice with manual digitization of debris-covered glacier parts and calculated supraglacial debris-covered area as the residual between these two maps. The accuracy of the results was assessed by using high-resolution Google Earth imagery and GPS data for selected glaciers. From 1986 to 2014, the total glacier area decreased from 691.5 ± 29.0 to 590.0 ± 25.8 km 2 (15.8 ± 4.1 %, or ∼ 0.52 % yr −1), while the clean-ice area reduced from 643.2 ± 25.9 to 511.0 ± 20.9 km 2 (20.1 ± 4.0 %, or ∼ 0.73 % yr −1). In contrast supra-glacial debris cover increased from 7.0 ± 6.4 %, or 48.3 ± 3.1 km 2 , in 1986 to 13.4 ± 6.2 % (∼ 0.22 % yr −1), or 79.0 ± 4.9 km 2 , in 2014. Debris-free glaciers exhibited higher area and length reductions than debris-covered glaciers. The distribution of the supra-glacial debris cover differs between the northern and southern and between the western, central and eastern Greater Caucasus. The observed increase in supra-glacial debris cover is significantly stronger on the northern slopes. Overall, we have observed up-glacier average migration of supra-glacial debris cover from about 3015 to 3130 m a.s.l. (metres above sea level) during the investigated period.

Himalayan glaciers show large uncertainty regarding their present and future state due to their sensitive reaction towards change in climatic condition. Himalayan glaciers are unique as they are located in tropical, high altitude regions, predominantly valley type and many are covered with debris. The great northern plains of India sustain on the perennial melt of glaciers meeting the water requirements of agriculture, industries, domestic sector even in the months of summer when large tracts of the country go dry. Therefore, it is important to monitor and assess the state of snow and glaciers and to know the sustainability of glaciers in view of changing global scenarios of climate and water security of the nation. Any information pertaining to Himalayan glaciers is normally difficult to be obtained by conventional means due to its harsh weather and rugged terrains. Due to the ecological diversity and geographical vividness, major part of the Indian Himalaya is largely un-investigated. Considering the fact that Himalayan glaciers are situated in a harsh environment, conventional techniques of their study is challenging and difficult both in terms of logistics and finances whereas the satellite remote sensing offers a potential mode for monitoring glaciers in long term. In order to gain an updated overview of the present state of the glacier cover and its changes since the previous inventories, an attempt has been made to generate a new remotesensing-derived glacier inventory on 1:50,000 scale for Bhaga basin (N32 • 28 19.7-N33 • 0 9.9 ; E76 • 56 16.3-E77 • 25 23.7) Western Himalaya covering an area of 1695.63 km 2. having 231 glaciers and occupying glacierized area of 385.17 ±3.71 km 2. ranging from 0.03 km 2. to 29.28 km 2. Glacier inventory has been carried out using high resolution IRS P6 LISS III data of 2011, ASTER DEM and other ancillary data. Specific measurements of mapped glacier features are the inputs for generating the glacier inventory data sheet with 37 parameters as per the UNESCO/TTS format, 11 additional parameters associated with the de-glaciated valley as per the suggestions of Space Application Center Ahmadabad and 9 newly introduced parameters of present study. The data sheet provides glacier wise details for each glacier on the significant glacier parameters like morphology, dimensions, orientation, elevation, etc. for both the active glacier component as well as the associated de-glaciated valley features. Assessment of recent variation in the glacierized area between 2001 and 2011. Results indicate that 231 glaciers covering an area of 391.56 ±3.76 km 2. in 2001 has been reduced to 385.17 ±3.71 km 2. in 2011; a loss of 1.63 ±1.0% in glacierized area within a period of 10 years. The present paper brings out the methodology adopted and salient results of the glacier inventory carried out which will help to enrich the existing database required for water resources assessment of the country and also meet the requirements of various researches working on climate change related studies.

The alpine snow cover exhibits a high spatial variability in the horizontal and vertical directions even on a very small scale, mainly caused by the high variability of alpine terrain. To quantify the annual and inter-annual snow dynamics continuously reliable measurements of the temporal and spatial variability are required. While remote sensing from satellite and aerial platforms have been successfully used to estimate snow cover at larger scales, especially in mountain areas spatial and temporal resolution are too low to capture local changes. In the alpine region, webcam images are freely available for touristic purposes capturing images at high frequency intervals. Within the WebSnow project the feasibility of using such images for the detection of snow was investigated. With the developed workflow, processing times could be reduced and satisfactory results obtained. Our results show, that webcam networks have the potential for monitoring snow at high spatial and temporal resolution.

Remote sensing investigations permit to map and describe at a regional scale and with a multi-temporal approach mountain glaciers. In this work, we present some results from the New Italian Glacier Inventory which we developed by analyzing high-resolution color orthophotos acquired in the timeframe 2005–2011. In particular, in this paper we focused on each Italian Alpine Region, describing in detail glacier extent and features of each mountain group. Although Italian glaciologists were the first to produce glacier inventories (developing a glacier database as early as the beginning of the 20th century), during the last three decades only regional and local glacier lists have been developed. Therefore, a comprehensive study describing the actual whole Italian glaciation has been lacking. The New Italian Glacier Inventory describes 903 glaciers covering altogether an area of 368.10 km2 ± 2%. We found that about 84% of the total number of ice bodies is composed of glaciers smaller than...

Based on the recently released National Glacier Inventory (NGI), we analyzed the characteristics and the mass balance rates of ice masses in the Argentinean Central Andes (ca. 30°–37° S). The NGI provides unprecedented information on area, number and distribution of different ice masses, including debris-covered glaciers and rock glaciers. In the Central Andes, a number of 8,076 ice masses were identified covering a total area of 1767 km2. For the period 2000–2018, a general lowering of the ice surface was observed with a region-wide mass balance rate of −0.18 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1. Clear differences depending on the debris coverage of the different ice masses were identified, with mass balance rates ranging from −0.36 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1 for partly debris-covered glaciers to −0.02 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1 for rock glaciers. Considering different sub-periods, the region-wide mass balance rate was slightly positive (+0.12 ± 0.23 m w. e. yr−1) from 2000 to 2009 and negative (−0.21 ± 0.30 m w.e....

Based on the recently released National Glacier Inventory (NGI), we analyzed the characteristics and the mass balance rates of ice masses in the Argentinean Central Andes (ca. 30°–37° S). The NGI provides unprecedented information on area, number and distribution of different ice masses, including debris-covered glaciers and rock glaciers. In the Central Andes, a number of 8,076 ice masses were identified covering a total area of 1767 km2. For the period 2000–2018, a general lowering of the ice surface was observed with a region-wide mass balance rate of −0.18 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1. Clear differences depending on the debris coverage of the different ice masses were identified, with mass balance rates ranging from −0.36 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1 for partly debris-covered glaciers to −0.02 ± 0.19 m w.e. yr−1 for rock glaciers. Considering different sub-periods, the region-wide mass balance rate was slightly positive (+0.12 ± 0.23 m w. e. yr−1) from 2000 to 2009 and negative (−0.21 ± 0.30 m w.e....

The Tavan Bogd mountains (of which, the main peak, Khuiten Uul, reaches 4374 m a.s.l.) are situated in the central part of the Altai mountain system, in the territories of Russia, Mongolia and China. The massif is the largest glacierized area of Altai. The purposes of this study were to provide a full description of the scale and structure of the modern glacierized area of the Tavan Bogd massif, to reconstruct the glaciers of the Little Ice Age (LIA), to estimate the extent of the glaciers in 1968, and to determine the main glacial trends, and their causes, from the peak of the LIA. This work was based on the results of long-term field studies and analysis of satellite and aerial data. At the peak of the LIA, Tavan Bogd glaciation comprised 243 glaciers with a total area of 353.4 km2. From interpretation of Corona images, by 1968 the number of glaciers had decreased to 236, with a total area of 242 km2. In 2010, there were 225 glaciers with a total area of 201 km2. Thus, since the p...

The study is based on the results of long-term field studies, satellite and aerial data analysis. In the maximum of the Little Ice Age (LIA) 243 glaciers with a total area of 353.4 km2 were reconstructed. By the results of interpretation of Corona images by 1968 the number of glaciers increased (236), the total area reduced to 242 km2. In 2010 glaciation was represented by 237 glaciers with a total area of 201 km2. Thus, from the maximum of the LIA, the glaciation of the Tavan-Bogd mountains decreased by 43%, which is somewhat less than the neighboring glacial centers (Ikh-Turgen, Tsambagarav, Tsengel-Khayrkhan and Mongun-Taiga mountains). The probable cause is the predominance of larger glaciers relatively resistant to warming and higher altitudes. The effect of glacier size on their stability is supported by differences in the relative shrinkage of glaciers in different parts of the Tavan-Bogdo-Ola massif: the smallest decline occurred in the basins of the Tsagan-Gol (31.7%) and S...

Remote sensing investigations permit to map and describe at a regional scale and with a multi-temporal approach mountain glaciers. In this work, we present some results from the New Italian Glacier Inventory which we developed by analyzing high-resolution color orthophotos acquired in the timeframe 2005–2011. In particular, in this paper we focused on each Italian Alpine Region, describing in detail glacier extent and features of each mountain group. Although Italian glaciologists were the first to produce glacier inventories (developing a glacier database as early as the beginning of the 20th century), during the last three decades only regional and local glacier lists have been developed. Therefore, a comprehensive study describing the actual whole Italian glaciation has been lacking. The New Italian Glacier Inventory describes 903 glaciers covering altogether an area of 368.10 km2 ± 2%. We found that about 84% of the total number of ice bodies is composed of glaciers smaller than...

The Karakoram Range is one of the most glacierized mountain regions in the world, and glaciers there are an important water resource for Pakistan. The attention paid to this area is increasing because its glaciers remained rather stable in the early twenty-first century, in contrast to the general glacier retreat observed worldwide on average. This condition is also known as “Karakoram Anomaly”. Here we focus on the recent evolution of glaciers within the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP, area: *13,000 km2) to assess their status in this region with respect to the described anomaly. A glacier inventory was produced for the years 2001 and 2010, using Landsat images. In total, 711 ice-bodies were detected and digitized, covering an area of 4605.9 ± 86.1 km2in 2001 and 4606.3 ± 183.7 km2in 2010, with abundant supraglacial debris cover. The difference between the area values of 2001 and 2010 is not significant (+0.4 ± 202.9 km2), confirming the anomalous behavior of glaciers in thi...

A glacier inventory is an important instrument to better know the Alpine glacierized environment. After the glacier inventory realized by the Comitato Glaciologico Italiano (CGI, 1959-1962), only regional and local glacier inventories have been developed. In this work, we briefly present the New Italian Glacier Inventory which has been developed by analyzing high resolution color orthophotos acquired in the 2005-2011 time frame. In the New Italian Glacier Inventory 903 glaciers are listed, covering a total area of 369.90 km 2 . The largest part of the glacier area is located in the Aosta Valley Region (36.15% of the total), followed by the Lombardy Region (23.71%) and by the Province of Bolzano (23.01%). The highest number of glaciers is in Lombardy (230), followed by the Province of Bolzano (212), the Region of Aosta Valley (192), the Province of Trento (115). About 84% of the total glacier inventory is given by glaciers under 0.5 km 2 covering only 21% of the total area. Glaciers ...

Remote sensing investigations permit to map and describe at a regional scale and with a multi-temporal approach mountain glaciers. In this work, we present some results from the New Italian Glacier Inventory which we developed by analyzing high-resolution color orthophotos acquired in the timeframe 2005–2011. In particular, in this paper we focused on each Italian Alpine Region, describing in detail glacier extent and features of each mountain group. Although Italian glaciologists were the first to produce glacier inventories (developing a glacier database as early as the beginning of the 20th century), during the last three decades only regional and local glacier lists have been developed. Therefore, a comprehensive study describing the actual whole Italian glaciation has been lacking. The New Italian Glacier Inventory describes 903 glaciers covering altogether an area of 368.10 km2 ± 2%. We found that about 84% of the total number of ice bodies is composed of glaciers smaller than...

This contribution examines glacier changes on the south side of Mt. Everest from 1962 to 2011 considering five intermediate periods using optical satellite imagery. The investigated glaciers cover ∼ 400 km 2 and present among the largest debris coverage (32 %) and the highest elevations (5720 m) of the world. We found an overall surface area loss of 13.0 ± 3.1 % (median 0.42 ± 0.06 % a −1), an upward shift of 182 ± 22 m (3.7 ± 0.5 m a −1) in snowline altitude (SLA), a terminus retreat of 403 ± 9 m (median 6.1 ± 0.2 m a −1), and an increase of 17.6 ± 3.1 % (median 0.20 ± 0.06 % a −1) in debris coverage between 1962 and 2011. The recession process of glaciers has been relentlessly continuous over the past 50 years. Moreover, we observed that (i) glaciers that have increased the debris coverage have experienced a reduced termini retreat (r = 0.87, p < 0.001). Furthermore, more negative mass balances (i.e., upward shift of SLA) induce increases of debris coverage (r = 0.79, p < 0.001); (ii) since early 1990s, we observed a slight but statistically insignificant acceleration of the surface area loss (0.35 ± 0.13 % a −1 in 1962-1992 vs 0.43 ± 0.25 % a −1 in 1992-2011), but an significant upward shift of SLA which increased almost three times (2.2 ± 0.8 m a −1 in 1962-1992 vs 6.1 ± 1.4 m a −1 in 1992-2011). However, the accelerated shrinkage in recent decades (both in terms of surface area loss and SLA shift) has only significantly affected glaciers with the largest sizes (> 10 km 2), presenting accumulation zones at higher elevations (r = 0.61, p < 0.001) and along the preferable south-north direction of the monsoons. Moreover, the largest glaciers present median upward shifts of the SLA (220 m) that are nearly double than that of the smallest (119 m); this finding leads to a hypothesis that Mt. Everest glaciers are shrinking, not only due to warming temperatures, but also as a result of weakening Asian monsoons registered over the last few decades. We conclude that the shrinkage of the glaciers in south of Mt. Everest is less than that of others in the western and eastern Himalaya and southern and eastern Tibetan Plateau. Their position in higher elevations have likely reduced the impact of warming on these glaciers, but have not been excluded from a relentlessly continuous and slow recession process over the past 50 years.

While there are a large number of glaciers in the Greater Caucasus, the region is not fully represented in modern glacier databases with previous incomplete inventories. Here, we present an expanded glacier inventory for this region over the 1960&ndash;1986&ndash;2014 period. Large scale topographic maps and satellite imagery (Landsat 5, Landsat 8 and ASTER) were used to conduct a remote sensing survey of glacier change in the Greater Caucasus mountains. Glacier margins were mapped manually and reveal that, in 1960, the mountains contained 2349 glaciers, with a total glacier surface area of 1674.9 ± 35.2&thinsp;km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. By 1986, glacier surface area had decreased to 1482.1 ± 32.2&thinsp;km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; (2209 glaciers), and by 2014, to 1193.2 ± 27.0&thinsp;km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; (2020 glaciers). This represents a 28.8 ± 2.2&thinsp;% (481 ± 10.6&thinsp;km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;) reduction in total glacier surface area between 1960 and 2014 and a mark...

The ongoing glacier shrinkage in the Alps requires frequent updates of glacier outlines to provide an accurate database for monitoring, modelling purposes (e.g. determination of runoff , mass balance, or future glacier extent), and other applications. With the launch of the first Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite in 2015, it became possible to create a consistent, Alpine-wide glacier inventory with an unprecedented spatial resolution of 10 m. The first S2 images from August 2015 already provided excellent mapping conditions for most glacierized regions in the Alps and were used as a base for the compilation of a new Alpine-wide glacier inventory in a collaborative team effort. In all countries, glacier outlines from the latest national inventories have been used as a guide to compile an update consistent with the respective previous interpretation. The automated mapping of clean glacier ice was straightforward using the band ratio method, but the numerous debris-covered glaciers required intense manual editing. Cloud cover over many glaciers in Italy required also including S2 scenes from 2016. The outline uncertainty was determined with digitizing of 14 glaciers several times by all participants. Topographic information for all glaciers was obtained from the ALOS AW3D30 digital elevation model (DEM). Overall, we derived a total glacier area of 1806 ± 60 km 2 when considering 4395 glaciers > 0.01 km 2. This is 14 % (−1.2 % a −1) less than the 2100 km 2 derived from Landsat in 2003 and indicates an unabated continuation of glacier shrinkage in the Alps since the mid-1980s. It is a lower-bound estimate, as due to the higher spatial resolution of S2 many small glaciers were additionally mapped or increased in size compared to 2003. Median elevations peak around 3000 m a.s.l., with a high variability that depends on location and aspect. The uncertainty assessment revealed locally strong differences in interpretation of debris-covered glaciers, resulting in limitations for change assessment when using glacier extents digitized by different analysts. The inventory is available at

Remote sensing investigations permit to map and describe at a regional scale and with a multi-temporal approach mountain glaciers. In this work, we present some results from the New Italian Glacier Inventory which we developed by analyzing high-resolution color orthophotos acquired in the timeframe 2005–2011. In particular, in this paper we focused on each Italian Alpine Region, describing in detail glacier extent and features of each mountain group. Although Italian glaciologists were the first to produce glacier inventories (developing a glacier database as early as the beginning of the 20th century), during the last three decades only regional and local glacier lists have been developed. Therefore, a comprehensive study describing the actual whole Italian glaciation has been lacking. The New Italian Glacier Inventory describes 903 glaciers covering altogether an area of 368.10 km2 ± 2%. We found that about 84% of the total number of ice bodies is composed of glaciers smaller than...

The Karakoram Range is one of the most glacierized mountain regions in the world, and glaciers there are an important water resource for Pakistan. The attention paid to this area is increasing because its glaciers remained rather stable in the early twenty-first century, in contrast to the general glacier retreat observed worldwide on average. This condition is also known as “Karakoram Anomaly”. Here we focus on the recent evolution of glaciers within the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP, area: *13,000 km2) to assess their status in this region with respect to the described anomaly. A glacier inventory was produced for the years 2001 and 2010, using Landsat images. In total, 711 ice-bodies were detected and digitized, covering an area of 4605.9 ± 86.1 km2in 2001 and 4606.3 ± 183.7 km2in 2010, with abundant supraglacial debris cover. The difference between the area values of 2001 and 2010 is not significant (+0.4 ± 202.9 km2), confirming the anomalous behavior of glaciers in thi...

Most glaciological studies in Argentina have focused on the large outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI); the numerous smaller neighboring glaciers have received significantly less attention. We present an inventory of 248 medium- to small-size glaciers (0.01–25 km2) adjacent to the northeast margin of the SPI, describe their change over the period 1979–2005 and assess local and regional climatic variations in an attempt to explain the observed glacier changes. Based on an ASTER mosaic from 20 February 2005 and the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, we identified a total glacier area of 187.2 ± 7.4 km2 between 600 and 2870 m a.s.l. Glaciers are largely debris-free and are concentrated in the western, more humid sector adjacent to the SPI. Using a 20 March 1979 US military intelligence Hexagon KH-9 satellite photograph, we measured a total areal reduction of ∼33.7 km2 (15.2%) between 1979 and 2005. Ablation season temperatures from the study area have followed a ...

We present a new glacier inventory for the high mountain Asia named &quot;Glacier Area Mapping for Discharge from the Asian Mountains&quot; (GAMDAM). Glacier outlines were delineated manually using more than 226 Landsat ETM+ scenes from the period 1999–2003, in conjunction with a digital elevation model (DEM) and high-resolution Google Earth imagery. Geolocations are consistent between the Landsat imagery and DEM due to systematic radiometric and geometric corrections made by the United States Geological Survey. We performed repeated delineation tests and rigorous peer review of all scenes used in order to maintain the consistency and quality of the inventory. Our GAMDAM Glacier Inventory (GGI) includes 82776 glaciers covering a total area of 87507 ± 13126 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; in the high mountain Asia. Thus, our inventory represents a greater number (+4%) of glaciers but significantly less surface area (−31%) than a recent…

Most glaciological studies in Argentina have focused on the large outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI); the numerous smaller neighboring glaciers have received significantly less attention. We present an inventory of 248 medium- to small-size glaciers (0.01–25 km2) adjacent to the northeast margin of the SPI, describe their change over the period 1979–2005 and assess local and regional climatic variations in an attempt to explain the observed glacier changes. Based on an ASTER mosaic from 20 February 2005 and the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, we identified a total glacier area of 187.2 ± 7.4 km2 between 600 and 2870 m a.s.l. Glaciers are largely debris-free and are concentrated in the western, more humid sector adjacent to the SPI. Using a 20 March 1979 US military intelligence Hexagon KH-9 satellite photograph, we measured a total areal reduction of ∼33.7 km2 (15.2%) between 1979 and 2005. Ablation season temperatures from the study area have followed a ...

The ongoing glacier shrinkage in the Alps requires frequent updates of glacier outlines to provide an accurate database for monitoring, modelling purposes (e.g. determination of runoff , mass balance, or future glacier extent), and other applications. With the launch of the first Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite in 2015, it became possible to create a consistent, Alpine-wide glacier inventory with an unprecedented spatial resolution of 10 m. The first S2 images from August 2015 already provided excellent mapping conditions for most glacierized regions in the Alps and were used as a base for the compilation of a new Alpine-wide glacier inventory in a collaborative team effort. In all countries, glacier outlines from the latest national inventories have been used as a guide to compile an update consistent with the respective previous interpretation. The automated mapping of clean glacier ice was straightforward using the band ratio method, but the numerous debris-covered glaciers required intense manual editing. Cloud cover over many glaciers in Italy required also including S2 scenes from 2016. The outline uncertainty was determined with digitizing of 14 glaciers several times by all participants. Topographic information for all glaciers was obtained from the ALOS AW3D30 digital elevation model (DEM). Overall, we derived a total glacier area of 1806 ± 60 km 2 when considering 4395 glaciers > 0.01 km 2. This is 14 % (−1.2 % a −1) less than the 2100 km 2 derived from Landsat in 2003 and indicates an unabated continuation of glacier shrinkage in the Alps since the mid-1980s. It is a lower-bound estimate, as due to the higher spatial resolution of S2 many small glaciers were additionally mapped or increased in size compared to 2003. Median elevations peak around 3000 m a.s.l., with a high variability that depends on location and aspect. The uncertainty assessment revealed locally strong differences in interpretation of debris-covered glaciers, resulting in limitations for change assessment when using glacier extents digitized by different analysts. The inventory is available at

Remote sensing investigations permit to map and describe at a regional scale and with a multi-temporal approach mountain glaciers. In this work, we present some results from the New Italian Glacier Inventory which we developed by analyzing high-resolution color orthophotos acquired in the timeframe 2005–2011. In particular, in this paper we focused on each Italian Alpine Region, describing in detail glacier extent and features of each mountain group. Although Italian glaciologists were the first to produce glacier inventories (developing a glacier database as early as the beginning of the 20th century), during the last three decades only regional and local glacier lists have been developed. Therefore, a comprehensive study describing the actual whole Italian glaciation has been lacking. The New Italian Glacier Inventory describes 903 glaciers covering altogether an area of 368.10 km2 ± 2%. We found that about 84% of the total number of ice bodies is composed of glaciers smaller than...

The Karakoram Range is one of the most glacierized mountain regions in the world, and glaciers there are an important water resource for Pakistan. The attention paid to this area is increasing because its glaciers remained rather stable in the early twenty-first century, in contrast to the general glacier retreat observed worldwide on average. This condition is also known as “Karakoram Anomaly”. Here we focus on the recent evolution of glaciers within the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP, area: *13,000 km2) to assess their status in this region with respect to the described anomaly. A glacier inventory was produced for the years 2001 and 2010, using Landsat images. In total, 711 ice-bodies were detected and digitized, covering an area of 4605.9 ± 86.1 km2in 2001 and 4606.3 ± 183.7 km2in 2010, with abundant supraglacial debris cover. The difference between the area values of 2001 and 2010 is not significant (+0.4 ± 202.9 km2), confirming the anomalous behavior of glaciers in thi...

A glacier inventory is an important instrument to better know the Alpine glacierized environment. After the glacier inventory realized by the Comitato Glaciologico Italiano (CGI, 1959-1962), only regional and local glacier inventories have been developed. In this work, we briefly present the New Italian Glacier Inventory which has been developed by analyzing high resolution color orthophotos acquired in the 2005-2011 time frame. In the New Italian Glacier Inventory 903 glaciers are listed, covering a total area of 369.90 km 2 . The largest part of the glacier area is located in the Aosta Valley Region (36.15% of the total), followed by the Lombardy Region (23.71%) and by the Province of Bolzano (23.01%). The highest number of glaciers is in Lombardy (230), followed by the Province of Bolzano (212), the Region of Aosta Valley (192), the Province of Trento (115). About 84% of the total glacier inventory is given by glaciers under 0.5 km 2 covering only 21% of the total area. Glaciers ...

Most glaciological studies in Argentina have focused on the large outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI); the numerous smaller neighboring glaciers have received significantly less attention. We present an inventory of 248 medium- to small-size glaciers (0.01–25 km2) adjacent to the northeast margin of the SPI, describe their change over the period 1979–2005 and assess local and regional climatic variations in an attempt to explain the observed glacier changes. Based on an ASTER mosaic from 20 February 2005 and the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, we identified a total glacier area of 187.2 ± 7.4 km2 between 600 and 2870 m a.s.l. Glaciers are largely debris-free and are concentrated in the western, more humid sector adjacent to the SPI. Using a 20 March 1979 US military intelligence Hexagon KH-9 satellite photograph, we measured a total areal reduction of ∼33.7 km2 (15.2%) between 1979 and 2005. Ablation season temperatures from the study area have followed a ...

Most glaciological studies in Argentina have focused on the large outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI); the numerous smaller neighboring glaciers have received significantly less attention. We present an inventory of 248 medium- to small-size glaciers (0.01–25 km2) adjacent to the northeast margin of the SPI, describe their change over the period 1979–2005 and assess local and regional climatic variations in an attempt to explain the observed glacier changes. Based on an ASTER mosaic from 20 February 2005 and the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, we identified a total glacier area of 187.2 ± 7.4 km2 between 600 and 2870 m a.s.l. Glaciers are largely debris-free and are concentrated in the western, more humid sector adjacent to the SPI. Using a 20 March 1979 US military intelligence Hexagon KH-9 satellite photograph, we measured a total areal reduction of ∼33.7 km2 (15.2%) between 1979 and 2005. Ablation season temperatures from the study area have followed a ...

The alpine snow cover exhibits a high spatial variability in the horizontal and vertical directions even on a very small scale, mainly caused by the high variability of alpine terrain. To quantify the annual and inter-annual snow dynamics continuously reliable measurements of the temporal and spatial variability are required. While remote sensing from satellite and aerial platforms have been successfully used to estimate snow cover at larger scales, especially in mountain areas spatial and temporal resolution are too low to capture local changes. In the alpine region, webcam images are freely available for touristic purposes capturing images at high frequency intervals. Within the WebSnow project the feasibility of using such images for the detection of snow was investigated. With the developed workflow, processing times could be reduced and satisfactory results obtained. Our results show, that webcam networks have the potential for monitoring snow at high spatial and temporal resolution.

CryoLand (2011-2015) is a project carried out within the 7th Framework of the European Commission aimed at developing downstream services for monitoring seasonal snow, glaciers and lake/river ice primarily based on satellite remote sensing. The services target private and public users from a wide variety of application areas, and aim to develop sustainable services after the project is completed. The project has performed a thorough user requirement survey in order to derive targeted requirements for the service and provide recommendations for the design and priorities of the service. In this paper we describe the methods used, the major findings in this user survey, and how we used the results to design and specify the CryoLand snow and land ice service. The user requirement analysis shows that a European operational snow and land ice service is required and that there exists developed cryosphere products that can meet the specific needs. The majority of the users were mainly interested not only in the snow services, but also the lake/river ice products and the glacier products were desired.

Most glaciological studies in Argentina have focused on the large outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI); the numerous smaller neighboring glaciers have received significantly less attention. We present an inventory of 248 medium- to small-size glaciers (0.01–25 km2) adjacent to the northeast margin of the SPI, describe their change over the period 1979–2005 and assess local and regional climatic variations in an attempt to explain the observed glacier changes. Based on an ASTER mosaic from 20 February 2005 and the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, we identified a total glacier area of 187.2 ± 7.4 km2 between 600 and 2870 m a.s.l. Glaciers are largely debris-free and are concentrated in the western, more humid sector adjacent to the SPI. Using a 20 March 1979 US military intelligence Hexagon KH-9 satellite photograph, we measured a total areal reduction of ∼33.7 km2 (15.2%) between 1979 and 2005. Ablation season temperatures from the study area have followed a ...

Himalayan glaciers show large uncertainty regarding their present and future state due to their sensitive reaction towards change in climatic condition. Himalayan glaciers are unique as they are located in tropical, high altitude regions, predominantly valley type and many are covered with debris. The great northern plains of India sustain on the perennial melt of glaciers meeting the water requirements of agriculture, industries, domestic sector even in the months of summer when large tracts of the country go dry. Therefore, it is important to monitor and assess the state of snow and glaciers and to know the sustainability of glaciers in view of changing global scenarios of climate and water security of the nation. Any information pertaining to Himalayan glaciers is normally difficult to be obtained by conventional means due to its harsh weather and rugged terrains. Due to the ecological diversity and geographical vividness, major part of the Indian Himalaya is largely un-investiga...

An updated glacier inventory is important for understanding glacier behavior given the accelerating glacier retreat observed around the world. Here, we present data from new glacier inventory at two time periods (2000, 2020) covering the entire Greater Caucasus (Georgia, Russia, and Azerbaijan). Satellite imagery (Landsat, Sentinel, SPOT) was used to conduct a remote-sensing survey of glacier change. The 30 m resolution Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM; 17 November 2011) was used to determine aspect, slope and elevations, for all glaciers. Glacier margins were mapped manually and reveal that in 2000 the mountain range contained 2186 glaciers with a total glacier surface area of 1381.5±58.2 km 2 . By 2020, glacier surface area had decreased to 1060.9±33.6 km 2 . Of the 2223 glaciers, fourteen have an area >10 km 2 resulting the 221.9 km 2 or 20.9% of total glacier area in 2020. The Bezingi Glacier with an area of 39.4±0.9 km 2 was the largest glacier mapped in 2020 database. Our result represents a 23.2±3.8% (320.6±45.9 km 2 ) or -1.16% yr -1 reduction in total glacier surface area over the last twenty years in the Greater Caucasus. Glaciers between 1.0 km 2 and 5.0 km 2 account for 478.1 km 2 or 34.6% in total area in 2000, while it account for 354.0 km 2 or 33.4% in total area in 2020. The rates of area shrinkage and mean elevation vary between the northern and southern and between the western, central, and eastern Greater Caucasus. Area shrinkage is significantly stronger in the eastern Greater Caucasus (-1.82% yr -1 ), where most glaciers are very small. The observed increased summer temperatures and decreased winter precipitation along with increased Saharan dust deposition might be responsible for the predominantly negative mass balances of two glaciers with long-term measurements. Both glacier inventories are available from the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) database and can be used for future studies.

Glaciers and snow in the Caucasus are major sources of runoff for populated places in many parts of this mountain region. These glaciers have shown a continuous area decrease; however, the magnitude of mass balance changes at the regional scale need to be further investigated. Here, we analyzed regional changes in surface elevation (or thickness) and geodetic mass balance for 1861 glaciers (1186.1 ± 53.3 km2) between 2000 and 2019 from recently published dataset and outlines of the Caucasus glacier inventory. We used a debris-covered glacier dataset to compare the changes between debris-free and debris-covered glaciers. We also used 30 m resolution ASTER GDEM (2011) to determine topographic details, such as aspect, slope, and elevation distribution of glaciers. Results indicate that the mean rate of glacier mass loss has accelerated from 0.42 ± 0.61 m of water equivalent per year (m w.e. a−1) over 2000–2010, to 0.64 ± 0.66 m w.e. a−1 over 2010–2019. This was 0.53 ± 0.38 m w.e. a−1 i...

Himalayan glaciers show large uncertainty regarding their present and future state due to their sensitive reaction towards change in climatic condition. Himalayan glaciers are unique as they are located in tropical, high altitude regions, predominantly valley type and many are covered with debris. The great northern plains of India sustain on the perennial melt of glaciers meeting the water requirements of agriculture, industries, domestic sector even in the months of summer when large tracts of the country go dry. Therefore, it is important to monitor and assess the state of snow and glaciers and to know the sustainability of glaciers in view of changing global scenarios of climate and water security of the nation. Any information pertaining to Himalayan glaciers is normally difficult to be obtained by conventional means due to its harsh weather and rugged terrains. Due to the ecological diversity and geographical vividness, major part of the Indian Himalaya is largely un-investiga...

Himalayan glaciers show large uncertainty regarding their present and future state due to their sensitive reaction towards change in climatic condition. Himalayan glaciers are unique as they are located in tropical, high altitude regions, predominantly valley type and many are covered with debris. The great northern plains of India sustain on the perennial melt of glaciers meeting the water requirements of agriculture, industries, domestic sector even in the months of summer when large tracts of the country go dry. Therefore, it is important to monitor and assess the state of snow and glaciers and to know the sustainability of glaciers in view of changing global scenarios of climate and water security of the nation. Any information pertaining to Himalayan glaciers is normally difficult to be obtained by conventional means due to its harsh weather and rugged terrains. Due to the ecological diversity and geographical vividness, major part of the Indian Himalaya is largely un-investiga...

This study describes the analysis of changes in area and volume of the Mt.Elbrus glacier system, Central Caucasus from 1997 to 2017. It is based on helicopter-borne ice thickness measurements, comparison of high-resolution imagery and two digital elevation models (DEMs) with 10 m resolution. More than 250 km of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles of ice thickness with reliable reflections were obtained. The total volume of Mt. Elbrus glaciers was 5.03 ± 0.85 km 3 of ice in 2017. Our results show that 68% of the total ice volume is concentrated below 4,000 m a.s.l. where the average ice thickness was 44.6 ± 7.3 m, 18% of the volume lies within 4,000-4,500 m a.s.l. (thickness of 41.2 ± 7.3 m), and just 14% lies above 4,500 m a.s.l. (thickness of 29.7 ± 6.7 m). The glacier-covered area of Mt. Elbrus decreased from 125.76 ± 0.65 km 2 in 1997 to 112.20 ± 0.58 km 2 in 2017, a reduction of 10.8%. Over the same period the volume decreased by 22.8%. The mass balance of the Elbrus glaciers decreased by −0.55 ± 0.04 m w.e. a −1 from 1997 to 2017. Mass balance on west-oriented glaciers is less negative than on east-and south-oriented glaciers where mass balance is most negative. The mass balance of the east-oriented Djikiugankez glacier decreased at the fastest average rate (−0.97 ± 0.07 m w.e. a −1). This glacier contains 28% of the total Elbrus glacier system ice volume, most of which is concentrated below 4,000 m a.s.l. Only one small glacier on the western slope demonstrated mass gain. Our results match well with the long term direct mass balance measurements on the Garabashi glacier on Elbrus which lost 12.58 m w.e. and 12.92 ± 0.95 m w.e.

Global warming is causing glaciers in the Caucasus Mountains and around the world to lose mass at an accelerated pace. As a result of this rapid retreat, significant parts of the glacierized surface area can be covered with debris deposits, often making them indistinguishable from the surrounding land surface by optical remote-sensing systems. Here, we present the DebCovG-carto toolbox to delineate debris-covered and debris-free glacier surfaces from non-glacierized regions. The algorithm uses synthetic aperture radar-derived coherence images and the normalized difference snow index applied to optical satellite data. Validating the remotely-sensed boundaries of Ushba and Chalaati glaciers using field GPS data demonstrates that the use of pairs of Sentinel-1 images (2019) from identical ascending and descending orbits can substantially improve debris-covered glacier surface detection. The DebCovG-carto toolbox leverages multiple orbits to automate the mapping of debris-covered glacie...

The ongoing glacier shrinkage in the Alps requires frequent updates of glacier outlines to provide an accurate database for monitoring, modelling purposes (e.g. determination of runoff , mass balance, or future glacier extent), and other applications. With the launch of the first Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite in 2015, it became possible to create a consistent, Alpine-wide glacier inventory with an unprecedented spatial resolution of 10 m. The first S2 images from August 2015 already provided excellent mapping conditions for most glacierized regions in the Alps and were used as a base for the compilation of a new Alpine-wide glacier inventory in a collaborative team effort. In all countries, glacier outlines from the latest national inventories have been used as a guide to compile an update consistent with the respective previous interpretation. The automated mapping of clean glacier ice was straightforward using the band ratio method, but the numerous debris-covered glaciers required intense manual editing. Cloud cover over many glaciers in Italy required also including S2 scenes from 2016. The outline uncertainty was determined with digitizing of 14 glaciers several times by all participants. Topographic information for all glaciers was obtained from the ALOS AW3D30 digital elevation model (DEM). Overall, we derived a total glacier area of 1806 ± 60 km 2 when considering 4395 glaciers > 0.01 km 2. This is 14 % (−1.2 % a −1) less than the 2100 km 2 derived from Landsat in 2003 and indicates an unabated continuation of glacier shrinkage in the Alps since the mid-1980s. It is a lower-bound estimate, as due to the higher spatial resolution of S2 many small glaciers were additionally mapped or increased in size compared to 2003. Median elevations peak around 3000 m a.s.l., with a high variability that depends on location and aspect. The uncertainty assessment revealed locally strong differences in interpretation of debris-covered glaciers, resulting in limitations for change assessment when using glacier extents digitized by different analysts. The inventory is available at

While there are a large number of glaciers in the Greater Caucasus, the region is not fully represented in modern glacier databases with previous incomplete inventories. Here, we present an expanded glacier inventory for this region over the 1960-1986-2014 period. Large scale topographic maps and satellite imagery (Landsat 5, Landsat 8 and ASTER) were used to conduct a remote sensing survey of glacier change in the Greater Caucasus mountains. Glacier margins were mapped manually and reveal that, in 1960, the mountains contained 2349 glaciers, with a total glacier surface area of 1674.9±35.2 km2. By 1986, glacier surface area had decreased to 1482.1±32.2 km2 (2209 glaciers), and by 2014, to 1193.2±27.0 km2 (2020 glaciers). This represents a 28.8±2.2% (481±10.6 km2) reduction in total glacier surface area between 1960 and 2014 and a marked acceleration in the rate of area loss since 1986. Analysis of possible controls suggest that the general decreases in both glacier area and number ...

The retreat of glaciers of the Greater Caucasus in the second half of the 20th and early 21st centuries was recorded by a variety of methods, including both direct instrumental observations and remote sensing. It is natural to expect that in the conditions of a gradually warming climate, the general trend of glacier retreat will continue in the future.

Most glaciological studies in Argentina have focused on the large outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI); the numerous smaller neighboring glaciers have received significantly less attention. We present an inventory of 248 medium- to small-size glaciers (0.01–25 km2) adjacent to the northeast margin of the SPI, describe their change over the period 1979–2005 and assess local and regional climatic variations in an attempt to explain the observed glacier changes. Based on an ASTER mosaic from 20 February 2005 and the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, we identified a total glacier area of 187.2 ± 7.4 km2 between 600 and 2870 m a.s.l. Glaciers are largely debris-free and are concentrated in the western, more humid sector adjacent to the SPI. Using a 20 March 1979 US military intelligence Hexagon KH-9 satellite photograph, we measured a total areal reduction of ∼33.7 km2 (15.2%) between 1979 and 2005. Ablation season temperatures from the study area have followed a ...

We use a numerical 1.5D model to simulate the behaviour of the Djankuat Glacier, a WGMS reference glacier situated in the North Caucasus (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russian Federation), in response to past, present and future climate conditions (1752−2100 AD). The model consists of a coupled ice flow−mass balance model that also takes into account the evolution of a supraglacial debris cover. After simulation of the past retreat by applying a dynamic calibration procedure, the model was forced with climatic data for the future period under different scenarios regarding temperature, precipitation and debris input. The main results show that the glacier length and surface area have decreased by 1.4 km and 1.6 km² respectively between the initial state in 1752 AD and present-day conditions. Some minor stabilization and/or readvancements of the glacier have occurred, but the general trend shows an almost continuous retreat since the 1850s. Future projections exhibit a further decline of the glacier. Under constant present-day climate conditions, its length and surface area will further shrink by ca. 50 % by 2100 AD. However, even under the most extreme RCP 8.5 scenario, the glacier will not have disappeared completely. The presence of an increasingly widespread supraglacial debris cover is shown to significantly delay glacier retreat, depending on the interaction between the prevailing climatic conditions, the debris input location, the debris mass flux magnitude and the time of release of debris sources from the surrounding topography. 1 Introduction Recently, a lot of attention has been given to modelling mountain glaciers, in particular due to their worldwide observed shrinkage and important role within the current changing climate. The observed warming trend is a significant matter of concern to scientists and all other people (in)directly involved in the behaviour of these glacial systems, as projected scenarios point towards an even further increase of the global mean temperature in the future, especially if no efficient mitigation strategies are implemented (Vaughan et al., 2013). Being consistent with this global trend, the accelerated retreat of Caucasian glaciers during the last several decades has been clearly noticed (e.g. Shahgedanova et al., 2014; Zemp et al., 2015; Tielidze, 2016). Accordingly, total glaciated area has decreased from 691.5 km 2 to 590.0 km 2 (-0.52 % yr −1

Results of the complex analysis of the unique natural territory of Greater S ochi from the point of view of physical geography are considered. The region of Greater Sochi is located on the S slopes of the Main Caucasus chain on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. Morphometrical analysis of the relief and analysis air surface temperature and precipitation allowed to distinguish four specific subregions within the whole territory. It is demonstrated that the period of stable snow cover in the two subregions which occupy more than half of the region's area is sufficient for successful development of winter tourism. Peculiar combination of the mild climate of the coast with stable snow cover in the mountains till the beginning of summer provide strong attractivity of the region for all-the-year-round tourists inflow to the most modern recreational centre of Russia. The work provides the methodology for similar studies.