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98 results on '"Etienne Berthier"'

1. An imbalancing act: the delayed dynamic response of the Kaskawulsh Glacier to sustained mass loss

Author

Erik Young, Etienne Berthier, Rebecca Latto, Gwenn E. Flowers, Simon Fraser University (SFU.ca), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
ground-penetrating radar, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, melt-surface, Flow (psychology), Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Atmospheric sciences, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Flux (metallurgy), 13. Climate action, Mass imbalance, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, mountain glaciers, Mass budget, ice and climate, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

The Kaskawulsh Glacier is an iconic outlet draining the icefields of the St. Elias Mountains in Yukon, Canada. We determine and attempt to interpret its catchment-wide mass budget since 2007. Using SPOT5/6/7 data we estimate a 2007–18 geodetic balance of −0.46 ± 0.17 m w.e. a−1. We then compute balance fluxes and observed ice fluxes at nine flux gates to examine the discrepancy between the climatic mass balance and internal mass redistribution by glacier flow. Balance fluxes are computed using a fully distributed mass-balance model driven by downscaled and bias-corrected climate-reanalysis data. Observed fluxes are calculated using NASA ITS_LIVE surface velocities and glacier cross-sectional areas derived from ice-penetrating radar data. We find the glacier is still in the early stages of dynamic adjustment to its mass imbalance. We estimate a committed terminus retreat of ~23 km under the 2007–18 climate and a lower bound of 46 km3of committed ice loss, equivalent to ~15% of the total glacier volume.

Published
2020
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2. Snow depth mapping from stereo satellite imagery in mountainous terrain: evaluation using airborne laser-scanning data

Author

David Shean, Etienne Berthier, Simon Gascoin, Marie Dumont, César Deschamps-Berger, Jeffrey S. Deems, Ethan Gutmann, Amaury Dehecq, Centre d'études spatiales de la biosphère (CESBIO), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Météo-France Direction Interrégionale Sud-Est (DIRSE), Météo-France, Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado [Boulder], National Center for Atmospheric Research [Boulder] (NCAR), Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, University of Washington [Seattle], CNES Tosca, Programme National de Teledetection Spatiale (PNTS) : PNTS-2018-4, National Science Foundation (NSF) : 1852977, US Bureau of Reclamation Science and Technology Program, ANR-16-CE01-0006,EBONI,Dépot, devenir et impact des impuretés absorbantes dans le manteau neigeux(2016), Météo France, Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Météo France-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Météo France-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Etudes de la Neige (CEN), Centre national de recherches météorologiques (CNRM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo France, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Météo France-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], 0207 environmental engineering, Drainage basin, 02 engineering and technology, 01 natural sciences, Satellite imagery, [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment, 020701 environmental engineering, lcsh:Environmental sciences, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, Remote sensing, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Pixel, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Elevation, Snow, lcsh:Geology, Photogrammetry, Satellite, Scale (map), Geology
Abstract

Accurate knowledge of snow depth distributions in mountain catchments is critical for applications in hydrology and ecology. Recently, a method was proposed to map snow depth at meter-scale resolution from very-high-resolution stereo satellite imagery (e.g., Pléiades) with an accuracy close to 0.5 m. However, the validation was limited to probe measurements and unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry, which sampled a limited fraction of the topographic and snow depth variability. We improve upon this evaluation using accurate maps of the snow depth derived from Airborne Snow Observatory laser-scanning measurements in the Tuolumne river basin, USA. We find a good agreement between both datasets over a snow-covered area of 138 km2 on a 3 m grid, with a positive bias for a Pléiades snow depth of 0.08 m, a root mean square error of 0.80 m and a normalized median absolute deviation (NMAD) of 0.69 m. Satellite data capture the relationship between snow depth and elevation at the catchment scale and also small-scale features like snow drifts and avalanche deposits at a typical scale of tens of meters. The random error at the pixel level is lower in snow-free areas than in snow-covered areas, but it is reduced by a factor of 2 (NMAD of approximately 0.40 m for snow depth) when averaged to a 36 m grid. We conclude that satellite photogrammetry stands out as a convenient method to estimate the spatial distribution of snow depth in high mountain catchments., The Cryosphere, 14 (9), ISSN:1994-0416, ISSN:1994-0424

Published
2020
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3. Toward an Ice‐Free Mountain Range: Demise of Pyrenean Glaciers During 2011–2020

Author

Etienne Berthier, J. I. López-Moreno, Ixeia Vidaller, Ibai Rico, Esteban Alonso-González, Ana Moreno, Jesús Revuelto, Eñaut Izagirre, P. René, Enrique Serrano, F. Rojas-Heredia, Simon Gascoin, Alfredo Serreta, Centre d'études spatiales de la biosphère (CESBIO), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)

Subjects
geography, very small glaciers, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Pyrenees, Glacier, Demise, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, remote sensing, Geophysics, Lidar, 13. Climate action, Remote sensing (archaeology), General Earth and Planetary Sciences, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Physical geography, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment, Geology, Mountain range, lidar, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

[EN]Pyrenean glaciers are the largest in southern Europe. Their survival is threatened by climate change, highlighting the significance of their study. This research presents an assessment of changes in the glacierized area and thickness of Pyrenean glaciers from 2011 to 2020, using high-resolution optical satellite, airborne lidar and UAV images. The total glacierized area has shrunk by 23.2% and thickness has decreased on average by 6.3 m. These two variables show no correlation for individual glaciers. Although climatic conditions do not vary much among glaciers, their evolution was heterogeneous during the study period. The smaller glaciers (10 ha) have a more homogeneous response. This can be attributed to the generally larger influence of local topography on the response of the smaller Pyrenean glaciers. There is no sign of slowdown in glacier shrinkage respect to previous decades. This work was supported by the Interreg-POCTEFA project OPCC ADAPYR and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness project "CGL2017-82216-R." J. Revuelto is supported by the Grant IJC2018-036260-I. I. Vidaller is supported by the Grant FPU18/04978 and is studying the PhD program in the University of Zaragoza. E. Izagirre and I. Rico are supported by the Grant PPGI19/02 (UPV/EHU) and the Consolidated Research Group IT1029-16 (Basque Country Government). E. Berthier acknowledges support from the French Space Agency (CNES).

Published
2021
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4. Ice shelf basal melt rates from a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) record for Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica

Author

David Shean, Benjamin Smith, Ian Joughin, Etienne Berthier, Pierre Dutrieux, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Context (language use), 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Ice shelf, Tributary, 14. Life underwater, Altimeter, Digital elevation model, Geomorphology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, lcsh:Environmental sciences, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Ocean current, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Elevation, Glacier, lcsh:Geology, 13. Climate action, Geology
Abstract

Ocean-induced basal melting is responsible for much of the Amundsen Sea Embayment ice loss in recent decades, but the total magnitude and spatiotemporal evolution of this melt is poorly constrained. To address this problem, we generated a record of high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) for Pine Island Glacier (PIG) using commercial sub-meter satellite stereo imagery and integrated additional 2002–2015 DEM and altimetry data. We implemented a Lagrangian elevation change (Dh∕Dt) framework to estimate ice shelf basal melt rates at 32–256 m resolution. We describe this methodology and consider basal melt rates and elevation change over the PIG ice shelf and lower catchment from 2008 to 2015. We document the evolution of Eulerian elevation change (dh∕dt) and upstream propagation of thinning signals following the end of rapid grounding line retreat around 2010. Mean full-shelf basal melt rates for the 2008–2015 period were ∼82–93 Gt yr−1, with ∼200–250 m yr−1 basal melt rates within large channels near the grounding line, ∼10–30 m yr−1 over the main shelf, and ∼0–10 m yr−1 over the North shelf and South shelf, with the notable exception of a small area with rates of ∼50–100 m yr−1 near the grounding line of a fast-flowing tributary on the South shelf. The observed basal melt rates show excellent agreement with, and provide context for, in situ basal melt-rate observations. We also document the relative melt rates for kilometer-scale basal channels and keels at different locations on the ice shelf and consider implications for ocean circulation and heat content. These methods and results offer new indirect observations of ice–ocean interaction and constraints on the processes driving sub-shelf melting beneath vulnerable ice shelves in West Antarctica.

Published
2019
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5. Hot spots of glacier mass balance variability in Central Asia

Author

Eric Pohl, Robert McNabb, Etienne Berthier, Martina Barandun, Tomas Saks, Martin Hoelzle, Matthias Huss, Kathrin Naegeli, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Biogeosciences, Volcanic Effects, 01 natural sciences, Global Change from Geodesy, Volcanic Hazards and Risks, Oceans, Sea Level Change, Cryosphere, Glacial period, 910 Geography & travel, Water cycle, Disaster Risk Analysis and Assessment, Meltwater, [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, geography.geographical_feature_category, Climate and Interannual Variability, Tien Shan and Pamir, Climate Impact, climate change, Geophysics, Earthquake Ground Motions and Engineering Seismology, Explosive Volcanism, Earth System Modeling, Atmospheric Processes, Ocean Monitoring with Geodetic Techniques, Ocean/Atmosphere Interactions, Atmospheric, Regional Modeling, Atmospheric Effects, Volcanology, Hydrological Cycles and Budgets, Decadal Ocean Variability, Land/Atmosphere Interactions, Research Letter, Geodesy and Gravity, Global Change, Air/Sea Interactions, Numerical Modeling, 550 Earth sciences & geology, Solid Earth, Geological, Ocean/Earth/atmosphere/hydrosphere/cryosphere interactions, Water Cycles, Modeling, Glacier, Avalanches, Volcano Seismology, 15. Life on land, Benefit‐cost Analysis, Computational Geophysics, Regional Climate Change, Physical geography, Natural Hazards, Abrupt/Rapid Climate Change, Informatics, Glaciology, Surface Waves and Tides, Atmospheric Composition and Structure, annual glacier mass balance time series, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Volcano Monitoring, Remote Sensing, Snow and Ice, Snow, Seismology, Climatology, Radio Oceanography, transient snowlines, Gravity and Isostasy, Marine Geology and Geophysics, hydrological cycle, Physical Modeling, Oceanography: General, Cryospheric Change, cryosphere, transient snowline, Impacts of Global Change, Geology, Oceanography: Physical, Risk, Oceanic, Theoretical Modeling, Climate change, Radio Science, Tsunamis and Storm Surges, Glacier mass balance, Paleoceanography, Climate Dynamics, Numerical Solutions, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Climate Change and Variability, geography, Effusive Volcanism, Climate Variability, Ice, General Circulation, Policy Sciences, Climate Impacts, Mud Volcanism, Air/Sea Constituent Fluxes, Water resources, Mass Balance, Ocean influence of Earth rotation, 13. Climate action, Volcano/Climate Interactions, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Hydrology, Sea Level: Variations and Mean
Abstract

The Tien Shan and Pamir mountains host over 28,000 glaciers providing essential water resources for increasing water demand in Central Asia. A disequilibrium between glaciers and climate affects meltwater release to Central Asian rivers, challenging the region's water availability. Previous research has neglected temporal variability. We present glacier mass balance estimates based on transient snowline and geodetic surveys with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution from 1999/00 to 2017/18. Our results reveal spatiotemporal heterogeneity characterized by two mass balance clusters: (a) positive, low variability, and (b) negative, high variability. This translates into variable glacial meltwater release (≈1–16%) of annual river runoff for two watersheds. Our study reveals more complex climate forcing‐runoff responses and importance of glacial meltwater variability for the region than suggested previously., Key Points Annual glacier mass balance for Central Asia (1999/00–2017/18) is derived by combining transient snowlines, geodetic surveys, and modelingStrong spatiotemporal heterogeneity with contrasting patterns of mass gain and loss are foundHot spots of heterogeneous mass balance variability are associated with highly variable glacier melt water runoff

Published
2021
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6. A massive rock and ice avalanche caused the 2021 disaster at Chamoli, Indian Himalaya

Author

Jakob F. Steiner, Kshitiz Upadhyay, Martin Mergili, David N. Petley, Kaushal Raj Gnyawali, Shashank Bhushan, Mylène Jacquemart, Adam Emmer, Simon Gascoin, M. Dokukin, Simon J. Cook, Abhishek Kumar, Dan H. Shugar, Etienne Berthier, Cameron S. Watson, Matthew J. Westoby, Sandy Harrison, Wolfgang Schwanghart, Summer Rupper, Sara K. McBride, Ulfat Majeed, Irfan Rashid, Simon Allen, A. P. Dimri, F. Ugalde, Christian Huggel, Pascal G. Lacroix, Arnab Muhuri, M. Van Wyk de Vries, Holger Frey, Jeannette Noetzli, Silvan Leinss, John J. Clague, César Deschamps-Berger, Mark McDonnell, Frank Paul, Mats Eriksson, M. Jha, Daniel Farinotti, J. L. Kavanaugh, Andreas Kääb, Jonathan L. Carrivick, Michele Koppes, Jeffrey S. Kargel, Umesh K. Haritashya, Ashim Sattar, Stuart Dunning, Mohd Farooq Azam, Joel Fiddes, Rakesh Bhambri, Kalachand Sain, David Shean, Suraj Mal, Centre d'études spatiales de la biosphère (CESBIO), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), and Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR219-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Université Gustave Eiffel-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])

Subjects
geography, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, business.industry, Glacier, F800, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Debris flow, 13. Climate action, Satellite imagery, Physical geography, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, [SDU.STU.GM]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geomorphology, business, Geology, Hydropower, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

International audience; On 7 February 2021, a catastrophic mass flow descended the Ronti Gad, Rishiganga, and Dhauliganga valleys in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India, causing widespread devastation and severely damaging two hydropower projects. More than 200 people were killed or are missing. Our analysis of satellite imagery, seismic records, numerical model results, and eyewitness videos reveals that~27 × 10 6 cubic meters of rock and glacier ice collapsed from the steep north face of Ronti Peak. The rock and ice avalanche rapidly transformed into an extraordinarily large and mobile debris flow that transported boulders greater than 20 meters in diameter and scoured the valley walls up to 220 meters above the valley floor. The intersection of the hazard cascade with downvalley infrastructure resulted in a disaster, which highlights key questions about adequate monitoring and sustainable development in the Himalaya as well as other remote, high-mountain environments.

Published
2021
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7. Accelerated global glacier mass loss in the early twenty-first century

Author

Fanny Brun, Robert McNabb, Brian Menounos, Etienne Berthier, Romain Hugonnet, Andreas Kääb, Ines Dussaillant, Luc Girod, Daniel Farinotti, Christopher Nuth, Matthias Huss, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP ), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), ANR-10-EQPX-0020,GEOSUD,GEOSUD : Infrastructure nationale d'imagerie satellitaire pour la recherche sur l'environnement et les territoires et ses applications à la gestion et aux politiques publiques(2010), European Project: 320816,EC:FP7:ERC,ERC-2012-ADG_20120216,ICEMASS(2013), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Thinning, Anomaly (natural sciences), Elevation, Glacier, 15. Life on land, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Water resources, 13. Climate action, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], Satellite, Precipitation, Physical geography, Ice sheet, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Glaciers distinct from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are shrinking rapidly, altering regional hydrology1, raising global sea level2 and elevating natural hazards3. Yet, owing to the scarcity of constrained mass loss observations, glacier evolution during the satellite era is known only partially, as a geographic and temporal patchwork4,5. Here we reveal the accelerated, albeit contrasting, patterns of glacier mass loss during the early twenty-first century. Using largely untapped satellite archives, we chart surface elevation changes at a high spatiotemporal resolution over all of Earth’s glaciers. We extensively validate our estimates against independent, high-precision measurements and present a globally complete and consistent estimate of glacier mass change. We show that during 2000–2019, glaciers lost a mass of 267 ± 16 gigatonnes per year, equivalent to 21 ± 3 per cent of the observed sea-level rise6. We identify a mass loss acceleration of 48 ± 16 gigatonnes per year per decade, explaining 6 to 19 per cent of the observed acceleration of sea-level rise. Particularly, thinning rates of glaciers outside ice sheet peripheries doubled over the past two decades. Glaciers currently lose more mass, and at similar or larger acceleration rates, than the Greenland or Antarctic ice sheets taken separately7–9. By uncovering the patterns of mass change in many regions, we find contrasting glacier fluctuations that agree with the decadal variability in precipitation and temperature. These include a North Atlantic anomaly of decelerated mass loss, a strongly accelerated loss from northwestern American glaciers, and the apparent end of the Karakoram anomaly of mass gain10. We anticipate our highly resolved estimates to advance the understanding of drivers that govern the distribution of glacier change, and to extend our capabilities of predicting these changes at all scales. Predictions robustly benchmarked against observations are critically needed to design adaptive policies for the local- and regional-scale management of water resources and cryospheric risks, as well as for the global-scale mitigation of sea-level rise. Analysis of satellite stereo imagery uncovers two decades of mass change for all of Earth’s glaciers, revealing accelerated glacier shrinkage and regionally contrasting changes consistent with decadal climate variability.

Published
2021
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8. Evolution of the Cook Ice Cap (Kerguelen Islands) between the last centuries and 2100 ce based on cosmogenic dating and glacio-climatic modelling

Author

Etienne Berthier, Joanna Charton, François Bétard, Zoe Stroebele, Irene Schimmelpfennig, Claude Legentil, Didier Bourlès, Julien Cavero, Vincent Favier, Vincent Jomelli, Raphaelle Charrassin, Karim Keddadouche, Deborah Verfaillie, Hugues Goosse, Vincent Rinterknecht, Georges Aumaître, Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement des géosciences de l'environnement (CEREGE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Laboratoire de géographie physique : Environnements Quaternaires et Actuels (LGP), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Pôle de recherche pour l'organisation et la diffusion de l'information géographique (PRODIG (UMR_8586 / UMR_D_215 / UM_115)), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-AgroParisTech-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Catholic Univ Louvain, Appl Microbiol Earth & Life Inst, Louvain La Neuve, Belgium, Partenaires INRAE, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-AgroParisTech-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1), UCL - SST/ELI/ELIC - Earth & Climate, and Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ecology, Evolution, Context (language use), Glacier, Geology, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Oceanography, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Surface exposure dating, Behavior and Systematics, 13. Climate action, Moraine, Deglaciation, Physical geography, Ice caps, Glacial period, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

The Cook Ice Cap (CIC) on the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands recently experienced extremely negative surface mass balance. Further deglaciation could have important impacts on endemic and invasive fauna and flora. To put this exceptional glacier evolution into a multi-centennial-scale context, we refined the evolution of the CIC over the last millennium, investigated the associated climate conditions and explored its potential evolution by 2100 ce. A glaciological model, constrained by cosmic ray exposure dating of moraines, historical documents and recent direct mass balance observations, was used to simulate the ice-cap extents during different phases of advance and retreat between the last millennium and 2100 ce. Cosmogenic dating suggests glacial advance around the early Little Ice Age (LIA), consistent with findings from other sub-Antarctic studies, and the rather cold and humid conditions brought about by the negative phase of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). This study contributes to our currently limited understanding of palaeoclimate for the early LIA in the southern Indian Ocean. Glaciological modelling and observations confirm the recent decrease in CIC extent linked to the intensification of the SAM. Although affected by large uncertainties, future simulations suggest a complete disappearance of CIC by the end of the century.

Published
2021
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9. Ice Mass Loss in the Central Andes of Argentina Between 2000 and 2018 Derived From a New Glacier Inventory and Satellite Stereo-Imagery

Author

Lidia Ferri, Inés Dussaillant, Laura Zalazar, Mariano H. Masiokas, Lucas Ruiz, Pierre Pitte, Hernán Gargantini, Mariano Castro, Etienne Berthier, Ricardo Villalba, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, MASS LOSS, CENTRAL ANDES, debris-covered glaciers, Rock glacier, Subtropics, DEBRIS-COVERED GLACIERS, Central Andes, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, purl.org/becyt/ford/1 [https], purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5 [https], [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, lcsh:Science, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, glacier inventory, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Discharge, rock glaciers, ROCK GLACIERS, Glacier, Debris, Arid, mass loss, Current (stream), GLACIER INVENTORY, 13. Climate action, Period (geology), General Earth and Planetary Sciences, lcsh:Q, Physical geography, Geology
Abstract

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. yr−1) from 2009 to 2018. A comparison with the Randolph Glacier Inventory (RGI version 6.0) indicates that the NGI provides more detailed information regarding different type of ice masses whereas region-wide mass balance rates show limited sensitivity to the choice of the inventory. The inclusion of rock glaciers and “debris-covered ice with rock glacier” in the NGI causes mass balance rates to be slightly less negative than when using the RGI. Since the Central Andes are experiencing an unprecedented decade-long drought, our study provides crucial information to estimate current and future hydrological contribution of the different type of ice masses to river discharge in the arid subtropical Andes. Fil: Ferri Hidalgo, Lidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Dussaillant, Inés. Universitat Zurich; Suiza Fil: Zalazar, Laura Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Masiokas, Mariano Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Ruiz, Lucas Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Pitte, Pedro Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Gargantini, Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Castro, Mariano Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Berthier, Etienne. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia Fil: Villalba, Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina

Published
2020
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10. Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019

Author

Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir, Eyjólfur Magnússon, Finnur Pálsson, Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, Joaquín M. C. Belart, Tómas Jóhannesson, Hrafnhildur Hannesdóttir, Oddur Sigurðsson, Andri Gunnarsson, Bergur Einarsson, Etienne Berthier, Louise Steffensen Schmidt, Hannes H. Haraldsson, Helgi Björnsson, University of Iceland [Reykjavik], Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, glacier-climate relationship, glacier–climate relationship, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, Iceland, Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Geodesy, 01 natural sciences, 13. Climate action, glaciers, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, lcsh:Q, Ice caps, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Stereo imagery, Little ice age, lcsh:Science, climate, Geology, mass balance, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

The volume of glaciers in Iceland (∼3,400 km3 in 2019) corresponds to about 9 mm of potential global sea level rise. In this study, observations from 98.7% of glacier covered areas in Iceland (in 2019) are used to construct a record of mass change of Icelandic glaciers since the end of the 19th century i.e. the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in Iceland. Glaciological (in situ) mass-balance measurements have been conducted on Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull since the glaciological years 1991/92, 1996/97, and 1987/88, respectively. Geodetic mass balance for multiple glaciers and many periods has been estimated from reconstructed surface maps, published maps, aerial photographs, declassified spy satellite images, modern satellite stereo imagery, and airborne lidar. To estimate the maximum glacier volume at the end of the LIA, a volume–area scaling method is used based on the observed area and volume from the three largest ice caps (over 90% of total ice mass) at 5–7 different times each, in total 19 points. The combined record shows a total mass change of −540 ± 130 Gt (−4.2 ± 1.0 Gt a−1 on average) during the study period (1890/91 to 2018/19). This mass loss corresponds to 1.50 ± 0.36 mm sea level equivalent or 16 ± 4% of mass stored in Icelandic glaciers around 1890. Almost half of the total mass change occurred in 1994/95 to 2018/19, or −240 ± 20 Gt (−9.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 on average), with most rapid loss in 1994/95 to 2009/10 (mass change rate −11.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1). During the relatively warm period 1930/31–1949/50, mass loss rates were probably close to those observed since 1994, and in the colder period 1980/81–1993/94, the glaciers gained mass at a rate of 1.5 ± 1.0 Gt a−1. For other periods of this study, the glaciers were either close to equilibrium or experienced mild loss rates. For the periods of AR6 IPCC, the mass change rates are −3.1 ± 1.1 Gt a−1 for 1900/01–1989/90, −4.3 ± 1.0 Gt a−1 for 1970/71–2017/18, −8.3 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 for 1992/93–2017/18, and −7.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 for 2005/06–2017/18.

Published
2020
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11. Mass Balance of 14 Icelandic Glaciers, 1945–2017: Spatial Variations and Links With Climate

Author

Joaquín M. C. Belart, Eyjólfur Magnússon, Etienne Berthier, Ágúst Þ. Gunnlaugsson, Finnur Pálsson, Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir, Tómas Jóhannesson, Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, Helgi Björnsson, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, glacier-climate relationship, glacier–climate relationship, Iceland, Forcing (mathematics), 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Atmospheric sciences, 01 natural sciences, remote sensing, Precipitation, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, lcsh:Science, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, region-wide mass balance, Ocean current, Glacier, historical aerial photographs, mass-balance sensitivity, Lidar, Balance (accounting), Negative mass, 13. Climate action, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, lcsh:Q, Stereo imagery, Geology
Abstract

To date, most mass balance studies in Iceland have concentrated on the three largest ice caps. This study turns the focus towards smaller Icelandic glaciers, presenting geodetic mass-balance estimates for 14 of them (total area 1010 km 2 in 2017) from 1945 to 2017, in decadal time spans. These glaciers, distributed over the country, are subject to different climatic forcing. The mass balance, derived from airborne and spaceborne stereo imagery and airborne lidar, is correlated with precipitation and air temperature by a first-order equation including a reference-surface correction term. This permits statistical modelling of annual mass balance, used to temporally homogenize the mass balance for a region-wide mass balance assessment for the periods 1945–1960, 1960–1980, 1980–1994, 1994–2004, 2004–2010 and 2010–2017. The 14 glaciers were close to equilibrium during 1960–1994, with an area-weighted mass balance of 0.07±0.07 m w.e. a −1. The most negative mass balance occurred in 1994–2010, accounting for –1.20±0.09 m w.e. a −1 , or 21.4±1.6 Gt (1.3±0.1 Gt a −1 ) of mass loss. Glaciers located along the south and west coasts show higher decadal mass-balance variability and static mass-balance sensitivities to summer temperature and winter precipitation, –2.21±0.25 m w.e. a −1 K −1 and 0.22±0.11 m w.e. a −1 (10%) −1 respectively, while glaciers located inland, north and northwest, have corresponding mass-balance sensitivities of –0.72±0.10 m w.e. a −1 K −1 and 0.13±0.07 m w.e. a −1 (10%) −1 . These patterns are likely due to the proximity to warm (south and west) versus cold (northwest) oceanic currents.

Published
2020
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12. What drives large-scale glacier detachments? Insights from Flat Creek glacier, St. Elias Mountains, Alaska

Author

Mylène Jacquemart, Matthias Leopold, Kristy F. Tiampo, Etienne Berthier, Michael G. Loso, John Sykes, Jasmine S S Hansen, Ethan Welty, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Scale (ratio), Geology, Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, 13. Climate action, Physical geography, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Two large-scale glacier detachments occurred at the peaks of the 2013 and 2015 CE melt seasons, releasing a cumulative 24.4–31.3 × 106 m3 of ice and lithic material from Flat Creek glacier, St. Elias Mountains, Alaska. Both events produced highly mobile and destructive flows with runout distances of more than 11 km. Our results suggest that four main factors led to the initial detachment in 2013: abnormally high meltwater input, an easily erodible glacier bed, inefficient subglacial drainage due to a cold-ice tongue, and increased driving stresses stemming from an internal redistribution of ice after 2011. Under a drastically altered stress regime, the stability of the glacier remained sensitive to water inputs thereafter, culminating in a second detachment in 2015. The similarities with two large detachments in the Aru mountains of Tibet suggest that these detachments were caused by a common mechanism, driven by unusually high meltwater inputs. As meltwater production increases with rising temperatures, the possible increase in frequency of glacier detachments has direct implications for risk management in glaciated regions.

Published
2020
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13. Massive collapse of two glaciers in western Tibet in 2016 after surge-like instability

Author

Désirée Treichler, Lide Tian, Adrien Gilbert, Simon Gascoin, Etienne Berthier, Perry Bartelt, Florent Gimbert, Christian Huggel, Silvan Leinss, Daniel Farinotti, Wanqing Guo, Yves Bühler, Fanny Brun, Wei-An Chao, Jeffrey S. Kargel, Gregory J. Leonard, Stephen G. Evans, Andreas Kääb, Tandong Yao, University of Oslo (UiO), Centre d'études spatiales de la biosphère (CESBIO), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), GeoForschungsZentrum - Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam (GFZ), Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux (IFSTTAR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR219-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Glaciology, Geomorphodynamics and Geochronology, Physical Geography Division, Department of Geography, Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich (UZH), Chinese Acad Sci, Key Lab Tibetan Environm Changes & Land Surface P, Inst Tibetan Plateau Res, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China, Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Tibetan Plateau Res, Key Lab Tibetan Environm Changes & Land Surface P, Beijing, Peoples R China, and University of Zurich

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Lithology, 1900 General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Glacier, Forcing (mathematics), 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Instability, 10122 Institute of Geography, 13. Climate action, Satellite remote sensing, medicine, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Cryosphere, 910 Geography & travel, Surge, medicine.symptom, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, Geology, Collapse (medical), Seismology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Surges and glacier avalanches are expressions of glacier instability, and among the most dramatic phenomena in the mountain cryosphere. Until now, the catastrophic collapse of a glacier, combining the large volume of surges and mobility of ice avalanches, has been reported only for the 2002 130 × 106 m3 detachment of Kolka Glacier (Caucasus Mountains), which has been considered a globally singular event. Here, we report on the similar detachment of the entire lower parts of two adjacent glaciers in western Tibet in July and September 2016, leading to an unprecedented pair of giant low-angle ice avalanches with volumes of 68 ± 2 × 106 m3 and 83 ± 2 × 106 m3. On the basis of satellite remote sensing, numerical modelling and field investigations, we find that the twin collapses were caused by climate- and weather-driven external forcing, acting on specific polythermal and soft-bed glacier properties. These factors converged to produce surge-like enhancement of driving stresses and massively reduced basal friction connected to subglacial water and fine-grained bed lithology, to eventually exceed collapse thresholds in resisting forces of the tongues frozen to their bed. Our findings show that large catastrophic instabilities of low-angle glaciers can happen under rare circumstances without historical precedent.

Published
2018
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14. Snow depth mapping from stereo satellite imagery in mountainous terrain: evaluation using airborne lidar data

Author

César Deschamps-Berger, David Shean, Etienne Berthier, Marie Dumont, Amaury Dehecq, Simon Gascoin, Jeffrey S. Deems, and Ethan Gutmann

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Elevation, Terrain, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Snow, 01 natural sciences, Photogrammetry, Lidar, Depth map, Satellite, Satellite imagery, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Remote sensing
Abstract

An accurate knowledge of snow depth distribution in mountain catchments is critical for applications in hydrology and ecology. A recent new method was proposed to map the snow depth at meter-scale resolution from very-high resolution stereo satellite imagery (e.g., Pléiades) with an accuracy close to 0.50 m. However, the validation was mainly done using probe measurements which sampled a limited fraction of the topographic and snow depth variability. We deepen this evaluation using accurate maps of the snow depth derived from ASO airborne lidar measurements in the Tuolumne river basin, USA. We find a good agreement between both datasets over a snow-covered area of 137 km2 on a 3 m grid with a positive bias for Pléiades snow depth of 0.08 m, a root-mean-square error of 0.80 m and a normalized median absolute deviation of 0.69 m. Satellite data capture the relationship between snow depth and elevation at the catchment scale, and also small-scale features like snow drifts and avalanche deposits. The random error on snow depth can be reduced by a factor two (up to approximately 0.40 m) when the snow depth map is spatially averaged to a ~ 20 m grid. The random error at the pixel level is lower on snow-free areas than on snow-covered areas, but errors on both terrain type converge at coarser resolutions, which is important for further applications of the method in areas without snow depth reference data. We conclude that satellite photogrammetry stands out as an efficient method to estimate the spatial distribution of snow depth in high mountain catchments.

Published
2020
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15. Damage accelerates ice shelf instability and mass loss in Amundsen Sea Embayment

Author

Etienne Berthier, Stef Lhermitte, Bert Wouters, Christopher A. Shuman, Thomas Nagler, Frank Pattyn, Sainan Sun, Jan Wuite, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), University of Maryland [Baltimore], Utrecht University [Utrecht], Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
PARAMETERIZATION, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, WEST ANTARCTICA, F700, F800, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Instability, CALVING PROCESSES, Ice shelf, F900, THWAITES GLACIER, remote sensing, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, glaciology, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Sea level, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, geography, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, Science & Technology, Grounding line, STABILITY, PINE ISLAND, Glacier, RETREAT, DRIVEN, ice sheet modeling, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Oceanography, Sea level rise, 13. Climate action, OUTLET GLACIERS, sea level rise, Physical Sciences, SHEET, Science & Technology - Other Topics, Antarctica, Shear zone, Ice sheet, Geology, Sciences exactes et naturelles
Abstract

Pine Island Glacier and Thwaites Glacier in the Amundsen Sea Embayment are among the fastest changing outlet glaciers in West Antarctica with large consequences for global sea level. Yet, assessing how much and how fast both glaciers will weaken if these changes continue remains a major uncertainty as many of the processes that control their ice shelf weakening and grounding line retreat are not well understood. Here, we combine multisource satellite imagery with modeling to uncover the rapid development of damage areas in the shear zones of Pine Island and Thwaites ice shelves. These damage areas consist of highly crevassed areas and open fractures and are first signs that the shear zones of both ice shelves have structurally weakened over the past decade. Idealized model results reveal moreover that the damage initiates a feedback process where initial ice shelf weakening triggers the development of damage in their shear zones, which results in further speedup, shearing, and weakening, hence promoting additional damage development. This damage feedback potentially preconditions these ice shelves for disintegration and enhances grounding line retreat. The results of this study suggest that damage feedback processes are key to future ice shelf stability, grounding line retreat, and sea level contributions from Antarctica. Moreover, they underline the need for incorporating these feedback processes, which are currently not accounted for in most ice sheet models, to improve sea level rise projections., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Published
2020
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16. Two decades of glacier mass loss along the Andes

Author

Antoine Rabatel, Ines Dussaillant, Mariano Masiokas, Pierre Pitte, Etienne Berthier, Romain Hugonnet, Lucas Ruiz, Vincent Favier, Fanny Brun, DAM Île-de-France (DAM/DIF), Direction des Applications Militaires (DAM), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP ), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Tropics, Magnitude (mathematics), Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Water resources, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, Negative mass, 13. Climate action, Period (geology), General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physical geography, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Digital elevation model, Geology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Andean glaciers are among the fastest shrinking and largest contributors to sea level rise on Earth. They also represent crucial water resources in many tropical and semi-arid mountain catchments. Yet the magnitude of the recent ice loss is still debated. Here we present Andean glacier mass changes (from 10° N to 56° S) between 2000 and 2018 using time series of digital elevation models derived from ASTER stereo images. The total mass change over this period was −22.9 ± 5.9 Gt yr−1 (−0.72 ± 0.22 m w.e. yr−1 (m w.e., metres of water equivalent)), with the most negative mass balances in the Patagonian Andes (−0.78 ± 0.25 m w.e. yr−1) and the Tropical Andes (−0.42 ± 0.24 m w.e. yr−1), compared to relatively moderate losses (−0.28 ± 0.18 m w.e. yr−1) in the Dry Andes. Subperiod analysis (2000–2009 versus 2009–2018) revealed a steady mass loss in the tropics and south of 45° S. Conversely, a shift from a slightly positive to a strongly negative mass balance was measured between 26 and 45° S. In the latter region, the drastic glacier loss in recent years coincides with the extremely dry conditions since 2010 and partially helped to mitigate the negative hydrological impacts of this severe and sustained drought. These results provide a comprehensive, high-resolution and multidecadal data set of recent Andes-wide glacier mass changes that constitutes a relevant basis for the calibration and validation of hydrological and glaciological models intended to project future glacier changes and their hydrological impacts. Glaciers in the Andes have lost about 23 Gt of mass per year between 2000 and 2018, with the fastest loss in Patagonia, according to time series of digital elevation models that are based on ASTER stereo images.

Published
2020
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17. Karakoram geodetic glacier mass balances between 2008 and 2016: persistence of the anomaly and influence of a large rock avalanche on Siachen Glacier

Author

Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Anomaly (natural sciences), Elevation, Geodetic datum, Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Debris, Glacier mass balance, 13. Climate action, Physical geography, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Persistence (discontinuity), Mass budget, Geology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

Karakoram glaciers experienced balanced or slightly positive mass budgets since at least the 1970s. Here, we provide an update on the state of balance of Central and Eastern Karakoram glaciers (12 000 km2) between 2008 and 2016 by differencing DEMs derived from satellite optical images. The mass budget of Central Karakoram glaciers was slightly positive (0.12 ± 0.14 m w.e. a−1) while eastern Karakoram glaciers lost mass (−0.24 ± 0.12 m w.e. a−1). The glacier-wide mass balances of surge-type and nonsurge-type glaciers were not statistically different. Our elevation change data also depict the effect of a > 100 Mm3 rock avalanche on Siachen Glacier ablation area in September 2010. It covered a 4 km2 area with a thick debris layer that unexpectedly, led to locally enhanced glacier mass loss during the following years. Enhanced melt opened a > 100 m deep 2 km2 depression and contributed to 6% of the mass loss of Siachen Glacier from 2010 to 2016 (−0.39 m w.e. a−1). We hypothesize that sub- or englacial melt may be responsible for this intriguing behaviour. This study contributes to a better knowledge of the regional pattern of the Karakoram anomaly and of the influence of rock avalanches on glacier mass changes.

Published
2019
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18. Quality Assessment and Glaciological Applications of Digital Elevation Models Derived from Space-Borne and Aerial Images over Two Tidewater Glaciers of Southern Spitsbergen

Author

Léo Decaux, Etienne Berthier, Mateusz Czapla, Bartłomiej Luks, Mariusz Grabiec, Barbara Barzycka, Michał Laska, Jacek Jania, Dariusz Ignatiuk, Małgorzata Błaszczyk, Leszek Kolondra, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Science, 0211 other engineering and technologies, Climate change, 02 engineering and technology, 01 natural sciences, Svalbard, Glacier mass balance, glacier mass balance, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Digital elevation model, WorldView, 021101 geological & geomatics engineering, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Elevation, DEM, tidewater glaciers, Geodetic datum, Pléiades, Glacier, Geodesy, 13. Climate action, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Satellite, Differential GPS, Geology
Abstract

In this study, we assess the accuracy and precision of digital elevation models (DEM) retrieved from aerial photographs taken in 2011 and from Very High Resolution satellite images (WorldView-2 and Pléiades) from the period 2012−2017. Additionally, the accuracy of the freely available Strip product of ArcticDEM was verified. We use the DEMs to characterize geometry changes over Hansbreen and Hornbreen, two tidewater glaciers in southern Spitsbergen, Svalbard. The satellite-based DEMs from WorldView-2 and Pléiades stereo pairs were processed using the Rational Function Model (RFM) without and with one ground control point. The elevation quality of the DEMs over glacierized areas was validated with in situ data: static differential GPS survey of mass balance stakes and GPS kinematic data acquired during ground penetrating radar survey. Results demonstrate the usefulness of the analyzed sources of DEMs for estimation of the total geodetic mass balance of the Svalbard glaciers. DEM accuracy is sufficient to investigate glacier surface elevation changes above 1 m. Strips from the ArcticDEM are generally precise, but some of them showed gross errors and need to be handled with caution. The surface of Hansbreen and Hornbreen has been lowering in recent years. The average annual elevation changes for Hansbreen were more negative in the period 2015−2017 (−2.4 m a−1) than in the period 2011−2015 (−1.7 m a−1). The average annual elevation changes over the studied area of Hornbreen for the period 2012−2017 amounted to −1.6 m a−1. The geodetic mass balance for Hansbreen was more negative than the climatic mass balance estimated using the mass budget method, probably due to underestimation of the ice discharge. From 2011 to 2017, Hansbreen lost on average over 1% of its volume each year. Such a high rate of relative loss illustrates how fast these glaciers are responding to climate change.

Published
2019
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19. The geodetic mass balance of Eyjafjallajökull ice cap for 1945–2014: processing guidelines and relation to climate

Author

Etienne Berthier, Joaquín M. C. Belart, Finnur Pálsson, Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir, Eyjólfur Magnússon, Tómas Jóhannesson, Jarðvísindastofnun (HÍ), Institute of Earth Sciences (UI), Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ), School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI), Háskóli Íslands, University of Iceland, University of Iceland [Reykjavik], Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Icelandic Meteorological Office, Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Glacier-climate relationship, Geodetic datum, Glacier, Remote sensing, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Atmospheric sciences, 01 natural sciences, Fjarkönnun, Balance (accounting), 13. Climate action, Geodetic mass balance, Linear regression, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Precipitation, Ice caps, Loftslagsbreytingar, Jöklarannsóknir, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

Publisher's version (útgefin grein), Mass-balance measurements of Icelandic glaciers are sparse through the 20th century. However, the large archive of stereo images available allows estimates of glacier-wide mass balance in decadal time steps since 1945. Combined with climate records, they provide further insight into glacier-climate relationship. This study presents a workflow to process aerial photographs (1945-1995), spy satellite imagery (1977-1980) and modern satellite stereo images (since 2000) using photogrammetric techniques and robust statistics in a highly automated, open-source pipeline to retrieve seasonally corrected, decadal glacier-wide geodetic mass balances. In our test area, Eyjafjallajökull (S-Iceland, ~70 km2), we obtain a mass balance of, This study was funded by the University of Iceland (UI) Research Fund. Collaboration and travels between IES and LEGOS were funded by the Jules Verne research fund. We thank David Shean and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments, which greatly improved the manuscript. We thank Carsten Kristinsson at LMÍ for scanning the aerial photographs, Oleg Alexandrov for his helpful tips and advice on ASP, Luc Girod for his help in the MicMac forum and Deirdre Clark and Ken Moxham for the Englishlanguage editing of the manuscript. Pléiades images were acquired at research price thanks to the CNES ISIS program (http://www.isis-cnes.fr). This study uses the lidar mapping of the glaciers in Iceland, funded by the Icelandic Research Fund, the Landsvirkjun research fund, the Icelandic Road Administration, the Reykjavík Energy Environmental and Energy Research Fund, the Klima-og Luftgruppen research fund of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Vatnajökull National Park, the organization Friends of Vatnajökull, LMÍ, IMO and the UI research fund. This study uses the GLIMS database of the outlines of Icelandic glaciers. E.B. acknowledges support from the French Space Agency (CNES) through the TOSCA program.

Published
2019
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20. Recent geodetic mass balance of Monte Tronador glaciers, northern Patagonian Andes

Author

Etienne Berthier, Pierre Pitte, Lucas Ruiz, Maximiliano Viale, and Mariano H. Masiokas

Subjects
010506 paleontology, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ice field, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, 01 natural sciences, Ciencias de la Tierra y relacionadas con el Medio Ambiente, purl.org/becyt/ford/1 [https], purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5 [https], Glacier mass balance, Surge, lcsh:Environmental sciences, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Bedrock, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Glacier, Glacier morphology, lcsh:Geology, PATAGONIAN ANDES, Negative mass, Climatology, DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS, GLACIER CHANGES, Meteorología y Ciencias Atmosféricas, CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS, Geology
Abstract

Glaciers in the northern Patagonian Andes (35-46°gS) have shown a dramatic decline in area in the last decades. However, little is known about glacier mass balance changes in this region. This study presents a geodetic mass balance estimate of Monte Tronador (41.15°gS; 71.88°gW) glaciers by comparing a Pléiades digital elevation model (DEM) acquired in 2012 with the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) X-band DEM acquired in 2000. We find a slightly negative Monte-Tronador-wide mass budget of g´0.17gw.e.gag´1 (ranging from g´0.54 to 0.14gw.e.gag´1 for individual glaciers) and a slightly negative trend in glacier extent (g´0.16g%gag´1) over the 2000-2012 period. With a few exceptions, debris-covered valley glaciers that descend below a bedrock cliff are losing mass at higher rates, while mountain glaciers with termini located above this cliff are closer to mass equilibrium. Climate variations over the last decades show a notable increase in warm season temperatures in the late 1970s but limited warming afterwards. These warmer conditions combined with an overall drying trend may explain the moderate ice mass loss observed at Monte Tronador. The almost balanced mass budget of mountain glaciers suggests that they are probably approaching a dynamic equilibrium with current (post-1977) climate, whereas the valley glaciers tongues will continue to retreat. The slightly negative overall mass budget of Monte Tronador glaciers contrasts with the highly negative mass balance estimates observed in the Patagonian ice fields further south.. Fil: Ruiz, Lucas Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Léveillé Bourret, Étienne. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia Fil: Viale, Maximiliano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Pitte, Pedro Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Masiokas, Mariano Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina

Published
2017
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21. Ice loss processes in the Seal Nunataks ice shelf region from satellite altimetry and imagery

Author

Ted Scambos, Christopher A. Shuman, and Etienne Berthier

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ice stream, Antarctic sea ice, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Ice shelf, Iceberg, Oceanography, Fast ice, Ice tongue, Sea ice, Physical geography, Ice sheet, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

The Seal Nunataks ice shelf (SNIS, ~743 km2 in 2013) is an unofficial name for a remnant area between the former Larsen A and Larsen B ice shelves off the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Analyses using Landsat 7 ETM+ and Terra ASTER images from 2001 to 13 and ICESat altimetry from 2003 to 09 show it has retreated and thinned following the Larsen A (1995) and Larsen B (2002) disintegrations. Despite some regional cooling and more fast ice since 2008, SNIS continues to lose ice along its margins and may be losing contact with some nunataks. Detailed analysis of data from four ICESat tracks indicates that ice shelf thinning rates range between 1.9 and 2.7 m a−1, and generally increase from west to east. An ICESat repeat track crossing the adjacent Robertson Island shows a mean elevation loss of 1.8 m a−1. Two tracks crossing the SNIS's remaining tributary, Rogosh Glacier, show sub-meter elevation losses. Comparing shelf remnant and grounded ice thinning rates implies that basal ocean melting augments SNIS thinning by ~1 m a−1, a rate that is consistent with other estimates of ocean-driven shelf thinning in the region.

Published
2016
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22. Potential of RADARSAT-2 stereo radargrammetry for the generation of glacier DEMs

Author

Alexandre Langlois, Etienne Berthier, Alain Royer, and C. Papasodoro

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, 0211 other engineering and technologies, Elevation, Terrain, Glacier, 02 engineering and technology, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Current (stream), Acceleration, Remote sensing (archaeology), law, Radar, Penetration depth, Geology, 021101 geological & geomatics engineering, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Remote sensing
Abstract

The study of glaciers and ice caps in remote and cloudy regions remains difficult using current remote sensing tools. Here the potential of stereo radargrammetry (SRG) with RADARSAT-2 Wide Ultra-Fine images is explored for DEM extraction, elevation changes and mass-balance calculations on Barnes Ice Cap (Nunavut, Canada). Over low-relief terrain surrounding Barnes, a vertical precision of ~7 m (1σ confidence level) is measured, as well as an average vertical bias of ~4 m. Moreover, we show that the C-band penetration depth over the ice cap is insignificant at this time of the year (i.e. late ablation season). This is likely due to a wet surface and the presence of superimposed ice that leads to a surface radar response. Comparing the SRG DEMs with other datasets, an historical glacier-wide mass balance of −0.52 ± 0.19 m w.e. a−1is estimated for 1960–2013, whereas it decreases to −1.06 ± 0.84 m w.e. a−1between 2005 and 2013. This clear acceleration of mass loss is in agreement with other recent studies. Given its all-weather functionality and its possible use without ground control points, the RADARSAT-2 SRG technology represents an appropriate alternative for glacier monitoring in cloudy and remote regions.

Published
2016
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23. Reconstructing the annual mass balance of the Echaurren Norte glacier (Central Andes, 33.5° S) using local and regional hydroclimatic data

Author

Gonzalo Barcaza, James McPhee, Etienne Berthier, Álvaro González-Reyes, Samuel U. Nussbaumer, Pierre Pitte, Ricardo Villalba, Lucas Ruiz, Duncan A. Christie, Carlos Le Quesne, Brian H. Luckman, and Mariano Masiokas

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, 0208 environmental biotechnology, 02 engineering and technology, Forcing (mathematics), 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Streamflow, Precipitation, lcsh:Environmental sciences, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, Series (stratigraphy), geography.geographical_feature_category, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Glacier, 15. Life on land, Snowpack, 020801 environmental engineering, lcsh:Geology, 13. Climate action, Climatology, Period (geology), Geology
Abstract

Despite the great number and variety of glaciers in southern South America, in situ glacier mass-balance records are extremely scarce and glacier–climate relationships are still poorly understood in this region. Here we use the longest (> 35 years) and most complete in situ mass-balance record, available for the Echaurren Norte glacier (ECH) in the Andes at ∼ 33.5° S, to develop a minimal glacier surface mass-balance model that relies on nearby monthly precipitation and air temperature data as forcing. This basic model is able to explain 78 % of the variance in the annual glacier mass-balance record over the 1978–2013 calibration period. An attribution assessment identified precipitation variability as the dominant forcing modulating annual mass balances at ECH, with temperature variations likely playing a secondary role. A regionally averaged series of mean annual streamflow records from both sides of the Andes between ∼ 30 and 37° S is then used to estimate, through simple linear regression, this glacier's annual mass-balance variations since 1909. The reconstruction model captures 68 % of the observed glacier mass-balance variability and shows three periods of sustained positive mass balances embedded in an overall negative trend over the past 105 years. The three periods of sustained positive mass balances (centered in the 1920s–1930s, in the 1980s and in the first decade of the 21st century) coincide with several documented glacier advances in this region. Similar trends observed in other shorter glacier mass-balance series suggest that the Echaurren Norte glacier reconstruction is representative of larger-scale conditions and could be useful for more detailed glaciological, hydrological and climatological assessments in this portion of the Andes.

Published
2016

24. Heterogeneous Changes in Western North American Glaciers Linked to Decadal Variability in Zonal Wind Strength

Author

Ben M. Pelto, Alex S. Gardner, Ian M. Howat, David Shean, C. Tennant, Myoung-Jong Noh, Brian Menounos, Amaury Dehecq, Joseph M. Shea, Etienne Berthier, Romain Hugonnet, Fanny Brun, DAM Île-de-France (DAM/DIF), Direction des Applications Militaires (DAM), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), and Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay

Subjects
geography, Wind strength, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, 0207 environmental engineering, Glacier, 02 engineering and technology, 01 natural sciences, Geophysics, 13. Climate action, Climatology, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, 020701 environmental engineering, Geology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

International audience

Published
2019
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25. Twenty-first century glacier slowdown driven by mass loss in High Mountain Asia

Author

Noel Gourmelen, Peter Nienow, Alex S. Gardner, Daniel Goldberg, Emmanuel Trouvé, Fanny Brun, C. Vincent, Patrick Wagnon, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Laboratoire d'Informatique, Systèmes, Traitement de l'Information et de la Connaissance (LISTIC), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry]), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-NASA, School of Geosciences [Edinburgh], University of Edinburgh, Institut de physique du globe de Strasbourg (IPGS), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE), and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Thinning, Slowdown, Ice stream, Flow (psychology), Lead (sea ice), Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, High mountain, 13. Climate action, Period (geology), General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physical geography, [SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology, Geology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Glaciers in High Mountain Asia have experienced heterogeneous rates of loss since the 1970s. Yet, the associated changes in ice flow that lead to mass redistribution and modify the glacier sensitivity to climate are poorly constrained. Here we present observations of changes in ice flow for all glaciers in High Mountain Asia over the period 2000–2017, based on one million pairs of optical satellite images. Trend analysis reveals that in 9 of the 11 surveyed regions, glaciers show sustained slowdown concomitant with ice thinning. In contrast, the stable or thickening glaciers of the Karakoram and West Kunlun regions experience slightly accelerated glacier flow. Up to 94% of the variability in velocity change between regions can be explained by changes in gravitational driving stress, which in turn is largely controlled by changes in ice thickness. We conclude that, despite the complexities of individual glacier behaviour, decadal and regional changes in ice flow are largely insensitive to changes in conditions at the bed of the glacier and can be well estimated from ice thickness change and slope alone. Changes in glacier speed in High Mountain Asia are closely linked to mass balance through gravitational driving stress, and largely insensitive to basal conditions, according to satellite-derived ice-flow observations.

Published
2018
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26. Ice shelf basal melt rates from a high-resolution DEM record for Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica

Author

Pierre Dutrieux, Benjamin Smith, Etienne Berthier, David Shean, and Ian Joughin

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ocean current, Elevation, Glacier, Context (language use), 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Ice shelf, Tributary, Altimeter, Digital elevation model, Geomorphology, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Ocean-induced basal melting is directly and indirectly responsible for much of the Amundsen Sea Embayment ice loss in recent decades, but the total magnitude and spatiotemporal evolution of this melt is poorly constrained. To address this problem, we generated a record of high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) for Pine Island Glacier (PIG) using commercial sub-meter satellite stereo imagery and integrated additional 2002–2015 DEM/altimetry data. We implemented a Lagrangian elevation change (Dh/Dt) framework to estimate ice shelf basal melt rates at 32–256-m resolution. We describe this methodology and consider basal melt rates and elevation change over the PIG shelf and lower catchment from 2008–2015. We document the evolution of Eulerian elevation change (dh/dt) and upstream propagation of thinning signals following the end of rapid grounding line retreat around 2010. Mean full-shelf basal melt rates for the 2008–2015 period were ~82–93 Gt/yr, with ~ 200–250 m/yr basal melt rates within large channels near the grounding line, ~ 10–30 m/yr over the main shelf, and ~ 0–10 m/yr over the North and South shelves, with the notable exception of a small area with rates of ~ 50–100 m/yr near the grounding line of a fast-flowing tributary on the South shelf. The observed basal melt rates show excellent agreement with, and provide context for, in situ basal melt rate observations. We also document the relative melt rates for km-scale basal channels and keels at different locations on the shelf and consider implications for ocean circulation and heat content. These methods and results offer new indirect observations of ice-ocean interaction and constraints on the processes driving sub-shelf melting beneath vulnerable ice shelves in West Antarctica.

Published
2018

27. Exploring the uncertainty in GRACE estimates of the mass redistributions at the Earth surface: implications for the global water and sea level budgets

Author

Anny Cazenave, Alejandro Blazquez, Jm Lemoine, Etienne Berthier, A Ribes, Benoit Meyssignac, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Météo-France [Paris], Météo France, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Météo-France

Subjects
Earth's energy budget, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Satellite geodesy, Water storage, Glacier, Post-glacial rebound, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Geophysics, 13. Climate action, Geochemistry and Petrology, Climatology, Range (statistics), Satellite, Sea level change, Global change from geodesy, Time variablegravity, Geology, Sea level, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

International audience; Observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite missionprovide quantitative estimates of the global water budget components. However, these estimatesare uncertain as they show discrepancies when different parameters are used in the processing ofthe GRACE data. We examine trends in ocean mass, ice loss from Antarctica, Greenland, arcticislands and trends in water storage over land and glaciers from GRACE data (2005–2015) andexplore the associated uncertainty. We consider variations in six different GRACE processingparameters, namely the processing centre of the raw GRACE solutions, the geocentre motion,the Earth oblateness, the filtering, the leakage correction and the glacial isostatic adjustment(GIA). Considering all possible combinations of the different processing parameters leads toan ensemble of 1500 post-processed GRACE solutions, which is assumed to cover a significantpart of the uncertainty range of GRACE estimates. The ensemble-mean trend in all globalwater budget components agree within uncertainties with previous estimates based on differentsources of observations. The uncertainty in the global water budget is±0.27 mm yr−1[at the 90per cent confidence level (CL)] over 2005–2015. We find that the uncertainty in the geocentremotion and GIA corrections dominate the uncertainty in GRACE estimate of the globalwater budget. Their contribution to the uncertainty in GRACE estimate is respectively±0.21and±0.12 mm yr−1(90 per cent CL). This uncertainty in GRACE estimate implies anuncertainty in the net warming of the ocean and the Earth energy budget of±0.25 W m−2(90per cent CL) when inferred using the sea level budget approach.

Published
2018
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28. Ablative and geomorphic effects of a supraglacial lake drainage and outburst event, Nepal Himalaya

Author

Etienne Berthier, C. Scott Watson, Evan S. Miles, Katie E. Miles, Michel Esteves, Patrick Wagnon, Duncan J. Quincey, and Fanny Brun

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Flood myth, Glacier, Outburst flood, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Supraglacial lake, Physical geography, Glacial period, Drainage, Digital elevation model, Geology, Bank erosion, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

A set of supraglacial ponds rapidly filled between April and July 2017 on Changri Shar Glacier in the Everest region of Nepal, coalescing into a ~ 180,000 m2 lake before sudden and complete drainage through Changri Shar and Khumbu Glaciers 15–17 July. We use a suite of PlanetScope and Pléiades satellite orthoimagery to document the system's evolution over its very short filling period and to assess the glacial and proglacial effects of the outburst flood. We additionally use high resolution stereo digital elevation models (DEMs) to complete a detailed analysis of the event's ablative and geomorphic effects. Finally, measurement of the flood’s passage at a stream gauge 4 km downstream enables a refined interpretation of the chronology and overall magnitude of the outburst. We infer largely subsurface drainage through both glaciers located on its flowpath, and efficent drainage through Khumbu Glacier. The drainage and subsequent outburst of 1.36 ± 0.19 x 106 m3 impounded water had a clear geomorphic impact on glacial and proglacial topography at least as far as 11 km downstream, including deep incision and landsliding along the Changri Nup proglacial stream, the collapse of shallow englacial conduits near the Khumbu terminus and extensive, enhanced bank erosion below Khumbu Glacier. These sudden changes led to the rerouting of major trails in three locations, demonstrating the potential hazard that short-lived, relatively small glacial lakes pose.

Published
2018
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29. Ice flow modelling to constrain the surface mass balance and ice discharge of San Rafael Glacier, Northern Patagonia Icefield

Author

Gabriela Collao-Barrios, Eric Rignot, Jeremie Mouginot, Gino Casassa, Vincent Favier, Ines Dussaillant, Etienne Berthier, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Earth System Science [Irvine] (ESS), University of California [Irvine] (UCI), University of California-University of California, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of California [Irvine] (UC Irvine), and University of California (UC)-University of California (UC)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ice stream, Ice field, Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Surface velocity, 01 natural sciences, High surface, Ice dynamics, Glacier mass balance, 13. Climate action, Geomorphology, Inverse method, Geology, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

We simulate the ice dynamics of the San Rafael Glacier (SRG) in the Northern Patagonia Icefield (46.7°S, 73.5°W), using glacier geometry obtained by airborne gravity measurements. The full-Stokes ice flow model (Elmer/Ice) is initialized using an inverse method to infer the basal friction coefficient from a satellite-derived surface velocity mosaic. The high surface velocities (7.6 km a−1) near the glacier front are explained by low basal shear stresses (1 km a−1). We force the model using different surface mass-balance scenarios taken or adapted from previous studies and geodetic elevation changes between 2000 and 2012. Our results suggest that previous estimates of average surface mass balance over the entire glacier (Ḃ) were likely too high, mainly due to an overestimation in the accumulation area. We propose that most of SRG imbalance is due to the large ice discharge (−0.83 ± 0.08 Gt a−1) and a slightly positiveḂ(0.08 ± 0.06 Gt a−1). The committed mass-loss estimate over the next century is −0.34 ± 0.03 Gt a−1. This study demonstrates that surface mass-balance estimates and glacier wastage projections can be improved using a physically based ice flow model.

Published
2018

30. Can ice-cliffs explain the debris-cover anomaly? New insights from Changri Nup Glacier, Nepal, Central Himalaya

Author

Walter W. Immerzeel, C. Vincent, Yves Arnaud, Etienne Berthier, Philip Kraaijenbrink, Dibas Shresta, Fanny Brun, Camille Reverchon, Patrick Wagnon, and Joseph M. Shea

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Thinning, Anomaly (natural sciences), Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Debris, Cliff, Physical geography, Volume loss, Glacier tongue, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Ice cliff backwasting on debris-covered glaciers is recognized as an important process, potentially responsible for the so-called debris-cover anomaly, i.e. the fact that debris-covered and debris-free glacier tongues appear to have similar thinning rates in Himalaya. In this study, we assess the total contribution of ice cliff backwasting to the net ablation of the tongue of the Changri Nup Glacier over two years. Detailed terrestrial photogrammetry surveys were conducted on select ice cliffs in November 2015 and 2016, and the entire glacier tongue was surveyed with unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and Pléiades tri-stereo imagery in November 2015, November 2016, and November 2017. The total difference between the volume loss from ice cliffs measured with the terrestrial photogrammetry, considered as the reference data, and the UAV and Pléiades was less than 3 % and 7 %, respectively, demonstrating the ability of these datasets to measure volume loss from ice cliffs. For the period November 2015–November 2016 (resp. November 2016–November 2017), using UAV and Pléiades over the entire glacier tongue, we found that ice cliffs, which cover 7 % (resp. 8 %) of the planar area, contribute to 23 ± 5 % (resp. 24 ± 5 %) of the total net ablation of Changri Nup Glacier. Ice cliffs have a net ablation rate 3.1 ± 0.6 (resp. 3.0 ± 0.6) times higher than the average glacier tongue surface. However, on Changri Nup Glacier, ice cliffs cannot compensate for the reduction of ablation due to debris-cover. Reduced ablation and lower emergence velocities on debris-covered glacier tongues could be responsible for the debris-cover anomaly.

Published
2018
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31. Geometric evolution of the Horcones Inferior Glacier (Mount Aconcagua, Central Andes) during the 2002-2006 surge

Author

Hernán Gargantini, Pierre Pitte, Laura Zalazar, Vincent Cabot, Mariano Masiokas, Lucas Ruiz, Etienne Berthier, and Lidia Ferri Hidalgo

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Elevation, Accumulation zone, Front (oceanography), Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Geophysics, Surge, Digital elevation model, Geomorphology, Geology, Sea level, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

The Central Andes of Chile and Argentina (31–35°S) contain a large number and variety of ice masses, but only two surging glaciers have been studied in this region. We analyzed the 2002–2006 surge of the Horcones Inferior Glacier, Mount Aconcagua, Argentina, based on medium spatial resolution (15–30 m) satellite images and digital elevation models. During the buildup phase the glacier was stagnant, with velocities lower than 0.1 m/d. In the active-phase velocities reached 14 m/d and the glacier front advanced 3.1 km. At the peak of the active phase (2003–2004), the area-averaged elevation change was −42 m in the reservoir zone (2.53 km2) and +30 m in the receiving zone (3.31 km2). The estimated ice flux through a cross section located at 4175 meter above sea level was 108 m3 during a period of 391 days, a flux that suggests a mean glacier thickness at this location of ~90 m. The depletion phase showed a recovery of the reservoir zone elevation, the down wasting of the receiving zone (−17 m, 2007–2014), and a return to quiescent velocities. The short active phase, the abrupt change in the velocities, and the high level of the proglacial stream indicate a hydrological switch (Alaska type) trigger. The 2002–2006 and 1984–1990 surges of Horcones Inferior were synchronous with the surges of nearby Grande del Nevado Glacier. These events occurred after periods of positive mass balance, so we hypothesize a climate driver.

Published
2016
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32. Meteorological conditions, seasonal and annual mass balances of Chhota Shigri Glacier, western Himalaya, India

Author

Christian Vincent, Mohd Farooq Azam, Jose George Pottakkal, Virendra Bahadur Singh, Al. Ramanathan, Thupstan Angchuk, Patrick Wagnon, Arindan Mandal, Etienne Berthier, Parmanand Sharma, and Anurag Linda

Subjects
Hypsometry, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Automatic weather station, mountain, 0208 environmental biotechnology, Tidewater glacier cycle, Glacier, 02 engineering and technology, Glacier morphology, 01 natural sciences, 020801 environmental engineering, Glacier mass balance, Altitude, Moraine, Climatology, glacier meteorology, glaciers, glacier mass balance, accumulation, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

We present the updated glaciological mass balance (MB) of Chhota Shigri Glacier, the longest continuous annual MB record in the Hindu-Kush Karakoram Himalaya (HKH) region. Additionally, 4 years of seasonal MBs are presented and analyzed using the data acquired at an automatic weather station (AWS-M) installed in 2009 on a lateral moraine (4863ma.s.l.). The glaciological MB series since 2002 is first recalculated using an updated glacier hypsometry and then validated against geodetic MB derived from satellite stereo-imagery between 2005 (SPOT5) and 2014 (Pléiades). Chhota Shigri Glacier lost mass between 2002 and 2014 with a cumulative glaciological MB of –6.72mw.e. corresponding to a mean annual glacier-wide MB (Ba) of –0.56mw.e. a–1. Equilibrium-line altitude (ELA0) for the steady-state condition is calculated as ~4950ma.s.l., corresponding to an accumulation–area ratio (AAR0) of ~61%. Analysis of seasonal MBs between 2009 and 2013 with air temperature from AWS-M and precipitation from the nearest meteorological station at Bhuntar (1050ma.s.l.) suggests that the summer monsoon is the key season driving the interannual variability of Ba for this glacier. The intensity of summer snowfall events controls the Ba evolution via controlling summer glacier-wide MB (Bs).

Published
2016
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33. Assessment of thermal change in cold avalanching glaciers in relation to climate warming

Author

C. Vincent, Adrien Gilbert, Olivier Gagliardini, Etienne Berthier, and J. Krug

Subjects
Glacier ice accumulation, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Global warming, Firn, Glacier, Cirque glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, Glacier morphology, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Geophysics, 13. Climate action, Climatology, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Surge, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

High-elevation glaciers covered by cold firn are undergoing substantial warming in response to ongoing climate change. This warming is affecting the ice/rock interface temperature, the primary driver of avalanching glacier instability on steep slopes. Prediction of future potential instability therefore requires appropriate modeling of the thermal evolution of these glaciers. Application of a state-of-the-art model to a glacier in the French Alps (Taconnaz) has provided the first evaluation of the temperature evolution of a cold hanging glacier through this century. Our observations and three-dimensional modeling of the glacier response (velocity, thickness, temperature, density, and water content) to climate change indicate that Taconnaz glacier will become temperate and potentially unstable over a large area by the end of the 21st century. The risk induced by this glacier hazard is high for the populated region below and makes observation and modeling of such glaciers a priority.

Published
2015
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34. Geodetic Mass Balance of the Northern Patagonian Icefield from 2000 to 2012 Using Two Independent Methods

Author

Inés Dussaillant, Etienne Berthier, Fanny Brun, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP ), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), and Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ice field, Geodetic method, [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, Glacier mass balance, Patagonia, lcsh:Science, Digital elevation model, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, North Patagonian Icefield, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Firn, Glacier, Geodesy, Snow, Radar penetration, 13. Climate action, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], General Earth and Planetary Sciences, lcsh:Q, Geology
Abstract

International audience; We compare two independent estimates of the rate of elevation change and geodetic mass balance of the Northern Patagonian Icefield (NPI) between 2000 (3856 km²) and 2012 (3740 km²) from space-borne data. The first is obtained by differencing the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) from February 2000 and a Satellite pour l’Observation de la Terre 5 (SPOT5) DEM from March 2012. The second is deduced by fitting pixel-based linear elevation trends over 118 DEMs calculated from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) stereo images acquired between 2000 and 2012. Both methods lead to similar and strongly negative icefield-wide mass balances of -1.02±0.21 and -1.06±0.14 m w.e. yr-1 respectively, which is in agreement with earlier studies. Contrasting glacier responses are observed, with individual glacier mass balances ranging from -0.15 to -2.30 m w.e. yr-1 (standard deviation = 0.49 m w.e. yr-1; N = 38). For individual glaciers, the two methods agree within error bars, except for small glaciers poorly sampled in the SPOT5 DEM due to clouds. Importantly, our study confirms the lack of penetration of the C-band SRTM radar signal into the NPI snow and firn except for a region above 2900 m a.s.l. covering less than 1% of the total area. Ignoring penetration would bias the mass balance by only 0.005 m w.e. yr-1. A strong advantage of the ASTER method is that it relies only on freely available data and can thus be extended to other glacierized areas.

Published
2018
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35. Mechanisms leading to the 2016 giant twin glacier collapses, Aru Range, Tibet

Author

Etienne Berthier, Adrien Gilbert, Gregory J. Leonard, Jeffrey S. Kargel, Tandong Yao, Alina Karki, Simon Gascoin, Andreas Kääb, Silvan Leinss, Centre d'études spatiales de la biosphère (CESBIO), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Météo-France -Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Oslo (UiO), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Tibetan Plateau Res, Key Lab Tibetan Environm Changes & Land Surface P, Beijing, Peoples R China, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Lithology, Silt, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Instability, Pore water pressure, Geomorphology, lcsh:Environmental sciences, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Bedrock, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Glacier, lcsh:Geology, Shear (geology), 13. Climate action, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], Sedimentary rock, Geology
Abstract

In north-western Tibet (34.0° N, 82.2° E) near lake Aru Co, the entire ablation areas of two glaciers (Aru-1 and Aru-2) suddenly collapsed on 17 July and 21 September 2016. The masses transformed into ice avalanches with volumes of 68 and 83×106 m3 and ran out up to 7 km in horizontal distance, killing nine people. The only similar event currently documented is the 130×106 m3 Kolka Glacier rock and ice avalanche of 2002 (Caucasus Mountains). Using climatic reanalysis, remote sensing, and three-dimensional thermo-mechanical modelling, we reconstructed the Aru glaciers' thermal regimes, thicknesses, velocities, basal shear stresses, and ice damage prior to the collapse in detail. Thereby, we highlight the potential of using emergence velocities to constrain basal friction in mountain glacier models. We show that the frictional change leading to the Aru collapses occurred in the temperate areas of the polythermal glaciers and is not related to a rapid thawing of cold-based ice. The two glaciers experienced a similar stress transfer from predominant basal drag towards predominant lateral shearing in the detachment areas and during the 5–6 years before the collapses. A high-friction patch is found under the Aru-2 glacier tongue, but not under the Aru-1 glacier. This difference led to disparate behaviour of both glaciers, making the development of the instability more visible for the Aru-1 glacier through enhanced crevassing and terminus advance over a longer period. In comparison, these signs were observable only over a few days to weeks (crevasses) or were absent (advance) for the Aru-2 glacier. Field investigations reveal that those two glaciers were underlain by soft, highly erodible, and fine-grained sedimentary lithologies. We propose that the specific bedrock lithology played a key role in the two Tibet and the Caucasus Mountains giant glacier collapses documented to date by producing low bed roughness and large amounts of till, rich in clay and silt with a low friction angle. The twin 2016 Aru collapses would thus have been driven by a failing basal substrate linked to increasing pore water pressure in the subglacial drainage system in response to increases in surface melting and rain during the 5–6 years preceding the collapse dates.

Published
2018
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36. Multi-decadal mass balance series of three Kyrgyz glaciers inferred from modelling constrained with repeated snow line observations

Author

Ryskul Usubaliev, Matthias Huss, Tobias Bolch, Martin Hoelzle, Andreas Kääb, Erlan Azisov, Etienne Berthier, Martina Barandun, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Oslo (UiO), Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich (UZH), University of Zurich, Barandun, Martina, University of St Andrews. School of Geography & Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews. Bell-Edwards Geographic Data Institute, Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, 1904 Earth-Surface Processes, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, 2312 Water Science and Technology, Snow line, Cryosphere, Precipitation, 910 Geography & travel, Digital elevation model, lcsh:Environmental sciences, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, SDG 15 - Life on Land, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Earth, Glacier, 3rd-DAS, Snow, lcsh:Geology, 10122 Institute of Geography, Surface Processes, 13. Climate action, Climatology, Satellite, Geology
Abstract

Glacier surface mass balance observations in the Tien Shan and Pamir are relatively sparse and often discontinuous. Nevertheless, glaciers are one of the most important components of the high-mountain cryosphere in the region as they strongly influence water availability in the arid, continental and intensely populated downstream areas. This study provides reliable and continuous surface mass balance series for selected glaciers located in the Tien Shan and Pamir-Alay. By cross-validating the results of three independent methods, we reconstructed the mass balance of the three benchmark glaciers, Abramov, Golubin and Glacier no. 354 for the past 2 decades. By applying different approaches, it was possible to compensate for the limitations and shortcomings of each individual method. This study proposes the use of transient snow line observations throughout the melt season obtained from satellite optical imagery and terrestrial automatic cameras. By combining modelling with remotely acquired information on summer snow depletion, it was possible to infer glacier mass changes for unmeasured years. The model is initialized with daily temperature and precipitation data collected at automatic weather stations in the vicinity of the glacier or with adjusted data from climate reanalysis products. Multi-annual mass changes based on high-resolution digital elevation models and in situ glaciological surveys were used to validate the results for the investigated glaciers. Substantial surface mass loss was confirmed for the three studied glaciers by all three methods, ranging from −0.30 ± 0.19 to −0.41 ± 0.33 m w.e. yr−1 over the 2004–2016 period. Our results indicate that integration of snow line observations into mass balance modelling significantly narrows the uncertainty ranges of the estimates. Hence, this highlights the potential of the methodology for application to unmonitored glaciers at larger scales for which no direct measurements are available.

Published
2018
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37. Brief communication: Unabated wastage of the Juneau and Stikine icefields (southeast Alaska) in the early 21st century

Author

Etienne Berthier, William J. Durkin, Michael J. Willis, Christopher F. Larsen, Matthew E. Pritchard, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ice field, Climate change, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, law, Gravimetry, Radar, Digital elevation model, lcsh:Environmental sciences, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Glacier, lcsh:Geology, 13. Climate action, Physical geography, Geology
Abstract

The large Juneau and Stikine icefields (Alaska) lost mass rapidly in the second part of the 20th century. Laser altimetry, gravimetry and field measurements suggest continuing mass loss in the early 21st century. However, two recent studies based on time series of Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) digital elevation models (DEMs) indicate a slowdown in mass loss after 2000. Here, the ASTER-based geodetic mass balances are recalculated carefully avoiding the use of the SRTM DEM because of the unknown penetration depth of the C-band radar signal. We find strongly negative mass balances from 2000 to 2016 (−0.68 ± 0.15 m w.e. a−1 for the Juneau Icefield and −0.83 ± 0.12 m w.e. a−1 for the Stikine Icefield), in agreement with laser altimetry, confirming that mass losses are continuing at unabated rates for both icefields. The SRTM DEM should be avoided or used very cautiously to estimate glacier volume change, especially in the North Hemisphere and over timescales of less than ∼ 20 years.

Published
2018
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38. Multi-decadal mass balance series of three Kyrgyz glaciers inferred from transient snowline observations

Author

Etienne Berthier, Martina Barandun, Andreas Kääb, Ryskul Usubaliev, Tobias Bolch, Erlan Azisov, Matthias Huss, and Martin Hoelzle

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Meteorology, 0208 environmental biotechnology, Glacier, 02 engineering and technology, Snow, 01 natural sciences, Arid, 020801 environmental engineering, Glacier mass balance, Snow line, Cryosphere, Satellite imagery, Physical geography, Digital elevation model, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Glacier mass balance observations in the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains are sparse and often discontinuous. Nevertheless, glaciers are one of the most important components of the high-mountain cryosphere in the region; they strongly influence water availability in the arid, continental and intensely populated downstream areas. This study provides reliable and continuous mass balance series for selected glaciers located in the Tien Shan and Pamir-Alay. A combination of three independent methods was used to reconstruct for the past two decades the mass balance of the three benchmark glaciers, Abramov, Golubin and No. 354. By applying different approaches, it was possible to compensate for the limitations and shortcomings of each individual method. This study proposes the use of transient snowline observations throughout the melting season obtained from satellite imagery and terrestrial automatic cameras. By combining modelling with remotely acquired information on summer snow depletion, it was possible to infer glacier mass changes for unmeasured years. Multi-annual mass changes based on high accuracy digital elevation models and in situ glaciological surveys were used to validate the results for the investigated glaciers. Substantial mass loss was confirmed for the three studied glaciers by all three methods, ranging from −0.30 ± 0.19 m w. e. a−1 to −0.41 ± 0.33 m w. e. a−1 over the 2004–2016 period. Our results indicate that integration of snowline observations into mass balance modelling significantly narrows the uncertainty ranges of the estimates, and hence highlights the potential of the methodology for application to inaccessible glaciers at larger scales for which no direct measurements are available.

Published
2017
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39. Deriving High Spatial-Resolution Coastal Topography From Sub-meter Satellite Stereo Imagery

Author

Etienne Berthier, Erwin W. J. Bergsma, Paulo Agostinho Nogueira Baptista, Olusegun A. Dada, Bruna R.C. Alves, Luis Pedro Almeida, Rafael Almar, Erwan Garel, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions (LJLL (UMR_7598)), Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
LiDAR, RTK-GPS, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Science, 0211 other engineering and technologies, 02 engineering and technology, photogrammetry, 01 natural sciences, Beach topography, Real Time Kinematic, Satellite imagery, 14. Life underwater, Digital elevation model, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 021101 geological & geomatics engineering, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Remote sensing, [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, Pleiades, Storm, beach topography, Coastal erosion, Photogrammetry, Lidar, 13. Climate action, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Satellite, Geology
Abstract

High spatial resolution coastal Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are crucial to assess coastal vulnerability and hazards such as beach erosion, sedimentation, or inundation due to storm surges and sea level rise. This paper explores the possibility to use high spatial-resolution Pleiades (pixel size = 0.7 m) stereoscopic satellite imagery to retrieve a DEM on sandy coastline. A 40-km coastal stretch in the Southwest of France was selected as a pilot-site to compare topographic measurements obtained from Pleiades satellite imagery, Real Time Kinematic GPS (RTK-GPS) and airborne Light Detection and Ranging System (LiDAR). The derived 2-m Pleiades DEM shows an overall good agreement with concurrent methods (RTK-GPS and LiDAR; correlation coefficient of 0.9), with a vertical Root Mean Squared Error (RMS error) that ranges from 0.35 to 0.48 m, after absolute coregistration to the LiDAR dataset. The largest errors (RMS error > 0.5 m) occurred in the steep dune faces, particularly at shadowed areas. This work shows that DEMs derived from sub-meter satellite imagery capture local morphological features (e.g., berm or dune shape) on a sandy beach, over a large spatial domain. French Space Agency (CNES) CNES through the TOSCA program FCT IF/00661/2014/CP1234 FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement FEDER, within the Compete 2020 UID/AMB/50017/2019 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Published
2019
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40. 21st-century increase in glacier mass loss in the Wrangell Mountains, Alaska, USA, from airborne laser altimetry and satellite stereo imagery

Author

Craig S. Lingle, Indrani Das, Regine Hock, Etienne Berthier, Geophysical Institute [Fairbanks], University of Alaska [Fairbanks] (UAF), Department of Earth Sciences [Uppsala], Uppsala University, Cryosphère satelittaire (CRYO), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
[SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, 010506 paleontology, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Glacier, ICE AND CLIMATE, 01 natural sciences, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, Glacier mass balance, 13. Climate action, Climatology, Geological survey, GLACIER MASS BALANCE, Satellite, Altimeter, Digital elevation model, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Tidewater
Abstract

Alaskan glaciers are among the largest regional contributors to sea-level rise in the latter half of the 20th century. Earlier studies have documented extensive and accelerated ice wastage in most regions of Alaska. Here we study five decades of mass loss on high-elevation, land-terminating glaciers of the Wrangell Mountains (~ 4900 km2) in central Alaska based on airborne center-line laser altimetry data from 2000 and 2007, a digital elevation model (DEM) from ASTER and SPOT5, and US Geological Survey topographic maps from 1957. The regional mass-balance estimates derived from center-line laser altimetry profiles using two regional extrapolation techniques agree well with that from DEM differencing. Repeat altimetry measurements reveal accelerated mass loss over the Wrangell Mountains, with the regional mass-balance rate evolving from –0.07 ± 0.19 m w.e. a–1 during 1957–2000 to –0.24 ± 0.16 m w.e. a–1 during 2000–07. Nabesna, the largest glacier in this region (˜1056 km2), lost mass four times faster during 2000–07 than during 1957–2000. Although accelerated, the mass change over this region is slower than in other glacierized regions of Alaska, particularly those with tidewater glaciers. Together, our laser altimetry and satellite DEM analyses demonstrate increased wastage of these glaciers during the last 50 years.

Published
2014
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41. Seasonal and annual mass balances of Mera and Pokalde glaciers (Nepal Himalaya) since 2007

Author

Martin Ménégoz, Patrick Wagnon, Etienne Berthier, Marie Dumont, E. Vuillermoz, Joseph M. Shea, Christian Vincent, Adrien Gilbert, Bijay K. Pokhrel, Yves Arnaud, S. Gruber, D. Stumm, Laboratoire de glaciologie et géophysique de l'environnement (LGGE), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Laboratoire d'étude des transferts en hydrologie et environnement (LTHE), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Cryosphère satelittaire (CRYO), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ev-K2-CNR Committee, Écosystémique des communautés récifales et de leurs usages dans le Pacifique insulaire (CoReUS), Centre d'Etudes de la Neige (CEN), Centre national de recherches météorologiques (CNRM), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Météo-France -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Babarmahal, Kathmandu (DHM), Government of Nepal Ministry of Science, Technology & Environment, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, ICIMOD, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, 0207 environmental engineering, Energy balance, ALPS, 02 engineering and technology, Atmospheric sciences, CHHOTA SHIGRI GLACIER, 01 natural sciences, REGION, Glacier mass balance, WESTERN HIMALAYA, 020701 environmental engineering, MOUNT EVEREST, SATELLITE, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, lcsh:Environmental sciences, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology, Monsoon of South Asia, lcsh:GE1-350, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, lcsh:QE1-996.5, Glacier, Snow, lcsh:Geology, 13. Climate action, SNOW, Climatology, PRECIPITATION, Aeolian processes, INDIA, ENERGY-BALANCE, Geology
Abstract

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Vincent, C. Arnaud, Y. Berthier, E. Vuillermoz, E. Gruber, S. Menegoz, M. Gilbert, A. Dumont, M. Shea, J. M. Stumm, D. Pokhrel, B. K. French Service d'Observation GLACIOCLIM; French National Research Agency [ANR-09-CEP-005-01/PAPRIKA]; Nepal Academy of Science and Technology [Ev-K2-CNR]; Italian National Research Council; Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research; Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; CNES through the TOSCA programme; Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu This work has been supported by the French Service d'Observation GLACIOCLIM and the French National Research Agency through ANR-09-CEP-005-01/PAPRIKA. This study was carried out within the framework of the Ev-K2-CNR Project in collaboration with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology as foreseen by the Memorandum of Understanding between Nepal and Italy, and thanks to contributions from the Italian National Research Council, the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All people involved in the field or helping for logistical support at the Pyramid, in Kathmandu or in Italy are greatly acknowledged here. We thank J. P. Chazarin, R. Biron and the porters who have been involved in successive field trips, sometimes in harsh conditions. S. Kaspari measured the stakes on 23-25 April 2009, and is greatly acknowledged here. Pleiades-1A images were obtained free of charge in the framework of the "Recette Thematique Utilisateur Pleiades/ORFEO" conducted by the French Space Agency (CNES). The SPOT5 DEM and images were obtained thanks to ISIS proposals #397 and #520. E. Berthier acknowledges support from the CNES through the TOSCA programme. J. Shea and D. Stumm acknowledge institutional support from ICIMOD, and financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu. E. Thibert helped to calculate the mass balance accuracy and is greatly acknowledged here. The authors are sincerely grateful to M. Pelto, T. Molg, P. Lardeux, B. Raup, S. Ommanney and the two referees T. Nuimura and C. Mayer for their valuable comments which greatly helped to improve this paper. 0 COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH GOTTINGEN CRYOSPHERE; In the Everest region, Nepal, ground-based monitoring programmes were started on the debris-free Mera Glacier (27.7 degrees N, 86.9 degrees E; 5.1 km(2), 6420 to 4940 m a.s.l.) in 2007 and on the small Pokalde Glacier (27.9 degrees N, 86.8 degrees E; 0.1 km(2), 5690 to 5430 m a.s.l., similar to 25 km north of Mera Glacier) in 2009. These glaciers lie on the southern flank of the central Himalaya under the direct influence of the Indian monsoon and receive more than 80% of their annual precipitation in summer (June to September). Despite a large inter-annual variability with glacier-wide mass balances ranging from -0.67 +/- 0.28 m w.e. in 2011-2012 (Equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) at similar to 5800 m a.s.l.) to +0.46 +/- 0.28 m w.e. in 2010-2011 (ELA at similar to 5340 m a.s.l.), Mera Glacier has been shrinking at a moderate mass balance rate of -0.08 +/- 0.28 m w.e. yr(-1) since 2007. Ice fluxes measured at two distinct transverse cross sections at similar to 5350 m a.s.l. and similar to 5520 m a.s.l. confirm that the mean state of this glacier over the last one or two decades corresponds to a limited mass loss, in agreement with remotely-sensed region-wide mass balances of the Everest area. Seasonal mass balance measurements show that ablation and accumulation are concomitant in summer which in turn is the key season controlling the annual glacier-wide mass balance. Unexpectedly, ablation occurs at all elevations in winter due to wind erosion and sublimation, with remobilised snow potentially being sublimated in the atmosphere. Between 2009 and 2012, the small Pokalde Glacier lost mass more rapidly than Mera Glacier with respective mean glacier-wide mass balances of -0.72 and -0.23 +/- 0.28 m w.e. yr(-1). Low-elevation glaciers, such as Pokalde Glacier, have been usually preferred for in-situ observations in Nepal and more generally in the Himalayas, which may explain why compilations of ground-based mass balances are biased toward negative values compared with the regional mean under the present-day climate.

Published
2013
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42. Supervised Method of Landslide Inventory Using Panchromatic SPOT5 Images and Application to the Earthquake-Triggered Landslides of Pisco (Peru, 2007, Mw8.0)

Author

Laurence Audin, Etienne Berthier, Pascal G. Lacroix, Bilberto Zavala, Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux (IFSTTAR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR219-PRES Université de Grenoble-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), INGEMMET, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico (INGEMMET), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, [SDU.STU.GP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph], Soil cover, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, SATELLITE SPOT, IMAGE SATELLITE, detection, optical imagery, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-GEO-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph], 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, GLISSEMENT DE TERRAIN, topography, Peru, Satellite imagery, TELEDETECTION, lcsh:Science, Deslizamientos, Forearc, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Remote sensing, Inventario, landslides, Pixel, Orientation (computer vision), Terremotos, Imágenes de satélite, Orthophoto, VALIDATION DE RESULTAT, ETUDE REGIONALE, Landslide, TOPOGRAPHIE, Panchromatic film, SPOT5, triggering, power-law, 13. Climate action, inventories, earthquake, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, SISMOLOGIE, lcsh:Q, Sensores remotos, Geology, METHODOLOGIE
Abstract

International audience; Earthquake is one of the dominant triggering factors of landslides. Given the wide areas covered by mega earthquake-triggered landslides, their inventory requires development of automatic or semi-automatic methods applied to satellite imagery. A detection method is here proposed for this purpose, to fit with simple datasets; SPOT5 panchromatic images of 5 m resolution coupled with a freely and globally available DEM. The method takes advantage of multi-temporal images to detect changes based on radiometric variations after precise coregistration/orthorectification. Removal of false alarms is then undertaken using shape, orientation and radiometric properties of connected pixels defining objects. 80% of the landslides and 93% of the landslide area are detected indicating small omission errors but 50% of false alarms remain. They are removed using expert based analysis of the inventory. The method is applied to realize the first comprehensive inventory of landslides triggered by the Pisco earthquake (Peru, 15/08/2007, Mw 8.0) over an area of 27,000 km2. 866 landslides larger than 100 m2 are detected covering a total area of 1.29 km2. The area/number distribution follows a power-law with an exponent of 1.63, showing a very particular regime of triggering in this arid environment compared to other areas in the world. This specific triggering can be explained by the little soil cover in the coastal and forearc regions of Peru. Analysis of this database finally shows a major control of the topography (both orientation and inclination) on the repartition of the Pisco-triggered landslides.

Published
2013
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43. Contribution of Icelandic ice caps to sea level rise: Trends and variability since the Little Ice Age

Author

G. Adalgeirsdottir, Tómas Jóhannesson, Oddur Sigurdsson, Etienne Berthier, Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, Eyjólfur Magnússon, S. Gudmundsson, Finnur Pálsson, and Helgi Björnsson

Subjects
Arctic sea ice decline, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ice-albedo feedback, Glacier, Albedo, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Arctic ice pack, Glacier mass balance, Geophysics, 13. Climate action, Climatology, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Cryosphere, Geology, Sea level, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

[1] In total, Icelandic ice caps contain ∼3600 km3 of ice, which if melted would raise sea level by ∼1 cm. Here, we present an overview of mass changes of Icelandic ice masses since the end of the 19th century. They have both gained and lost mass during this period. Changes in ice volume have been estimated both through surface mass balance measurements (performed annually since ∼1990) and differencing of digital elevation models derived from various satellite and airborne observations. While the glaciers showed little mass loss as the 20th century began, losses increased rapidly after 1925, peaked in the 1930s and 1940s, and remained significant until the 1960s. After being near-zero or even positive during the 1980s and early 1990s, glacier mass budgets declined considerably, and have since the mid-1990s shown an average annual loss of 9.5±1.5 Gt a−1, contributing ∼0.03 mm a−1 to sea level rise. Since 1995 interannual variability in mass loss is high, ranging from 2.7 to 25.3±1.5 Gt a−1, corresponding to surface mass balances of −0.2 to −2.2 ± 0.15 m we a−1. This variability is driven by climate fluctuations and also by transient reduction of albedo due to volcanic eruptions.

Published
2013
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44. Monitoring of seasonal glacier mass balance over the European Alps using low-resolution optical satellite images

Author

Vanessa Drolon, Matthias Huss, Else Swinnen, Philippe Maisongrande, and Etienne Berthier

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Meteorology, 0208 environmental biotechnology, 02 engineering and technology, Atmospheric sciences, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Altitude, Snow, glaciers mass balance, Alps, NDSI, SPOT/VEGETATION, Evaluation period, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Low resolution, Glacier, Vegetation, 020801 environmental engineering, Satellite, Geology
Abstract

We explore a new method to retrieve seasonal glacier mass balances (MBs) from low-resolution optical remote sensing. We derive annual winter and summer snow maps of the Alps during 1998–2014 using SPOT/VEGETATION 1 km resolution imagery. We combine these seasonal snow maps with a DEM to calculate a ‘mean regional’ altitude of snow (Z) in a region surrounding a glacier. Then, we compare the interannual variation of Z with the observed winter/summer glacier MB for 55 Alpine glaciers over 1998–2008, our calibration period. We find strong linear relationships in winter (mean R 2 = 0.84) and small errors for the reconstructed winter MB (mean RMSE = 158 mm (w.e.) a−1). This is lower than errors generally assumed for the glaciological MB measurements (200–400 mm w.e. a−1). Results for summer MB are also satisfying (mean R 2 and RMSE, respectively, 0.74 and 314 mm w.e. a−1). Comparison with observed seasonal MB available over 2009–2014 (our evaluation period) for 19 glaciers in winter and 13 in summer shows good agreement in winter (RMSE = 405 mm w.e. a−1) and slightly larger errors in summer (RMSE = 561 mm w.e. a−1). These results indicate that our approach might be valuable for remotely determining the seasonal MB of glaciers over large regions., Journal of Glaciology, 62 (235), ISSN:0022-1430, ISSN:1727-5652

Published
2017

45. A spatially resolved estimate of High Mountain Asia glacier mass balances from 2000 to 2016

Author

Andreas Kääb, Patrick Wagnon, Désirée Treichler, Fanny Brun, and Etienne Berthier

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Spatially resolved, Glacier, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, High mountain, Article, 13. Climate action, Climatology, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Satellite, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

High Mountain Asia hosts the largest glacier concentration outside the polar regions. These glaciers are important contributors to streamflow in one of the most populated areas of the world. Past studies have used methods that can only provide regionally-averaged glacier mass balances to assess the High Mountain Asia glacier contribution to rivers and sea level rise. Here we compute the mass balance for about 92 % of the glacierized area of High Mountain Asia using time series of digital elevation models derived from satellite stereo-imagery. We calculate an average region-wide mass balance of -16.3 ± 3.5 Gt yr-1 (-0.18 ± 0.04 m w.e. yr-1) between 2000 and 2016, which is less negative than most previous estimates. Region-wide mass balances vary from -4.0 ± 1.5 Gt yr-1 (-0.62 ± 0.23 m w.e. yr-1) in Nyainqentanglha to +1.4 ± 0.8 Gt yr-1 (+0.14 ± 0.08 m w.e. yr-1) in Kunlun, with large intra-regional variability of individual glacier mass balances (standard deviation within a region ˜0.20 m w.e. yr-1). Specifically, our results shed light on the Nyainqentanglha and Pamir glacier mass changes, for which contradictory estimates exist in the literature. They provide crucial information for the calibration of the models used for projections of future glacier response to climatic changes, models that presently do not capture the pattern, magnitude and intra-regional variability of glacier changes in High Mountain Asia.

Published
2017

46. On the accuracy of glacier outlines derived from remote-sensing data

Author

Philipp Rastner, Allen Pope, Bruce Raup, R. Le Bris, Frank Paul, Tobias Bolch, S. Baumann, Sharad Joshi, K. Scharrer, S. Steffen, Vladimir Konovalov, Gennady Nosenko, Etienne Berthier, Nico Mölg, Adina Racoviteanu, Kimberly A. Casey, Solveig H. Winsvold, Holger Frey, Nicholas E. Barrand, Christopher Nuth, Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich (UZH), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), GLACIO LEGOS, Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Instituts für Kartographie [Dresden] (Institute for Cartography), Technische Universität Dresden = Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden), University of Zurich, Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Reference data (financial markets), 1904 Earth-Surface Processes, 0211 other engineering and technologies, Glacier, Terrain, 02 engineering and technology, 01 natural sciences, Debris, Standard deviation, 10122 Institute of Geography, Thematic Mapper, Shadow, 910 Geography & travel, Digitization, Geology, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, 021101 geological & geomatics engineering, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, Remote sensing
Abstract

Deriving glacier outlines from satellite data has become increasingly popular in the past decade. In particular when glacier outlines are used as a base for change assessment, it is important to know how accurate they are. Calculating the accuracy correctly is challenging, as appropriate reference data (e.g. from higher-resolution sensors) are seldom available. Moreover, after the required manual correction of the raw outlines (e.g. for debris cover), such a comparison would only reveal the accuracy of the analyst rather than of the algorithm applied. Here we compare outlines for clean and debris-covered glaciers, as derived from single and multiple digitizing by different or the same analysts on very high- (1 m) and medium-resolution (30 m) remote-sensing data, against each other and to glacier outlines derived from automated classification of Landsat Thematic Mapper data. Results show a high variability in the interpretation of debris-covered glacier parts, largely independent of the spatial resolution (area differences were up to 30%), and an overall good agreement for clean ice with sufficient contrast to the surrounding terrain (differences ∼5%). The differences of the automatically derived outlines from a reference value are as small as the standard deviation of the manual digitizations from several analysts. Based on these results, we conclude that automated mapping of clean ice is preferable to manual digitization and recommend using the latter method only for required corrections of incorrectly mapped glacier parts (e.g. debris cover, shadow).

Published
2013
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47. Atmospheric drying as the main driver of dramatic glacier wastage in the southern Indian Ocean

Author

Yoann Malbeteau, Deborah Verfaillie, Vincent Rinterknecht, Jennifer E. Kay, Hubert Gallée, Vincent Jomelli, Etienne Berthier, Martin Ménégoz, Daniel Brunstein, Young-Hyang Park, Vincent Favier, L. Ducret, Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Matériaux (LIM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de glaciologie et géophysique de l'environnement (LGGE), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble [1985-2015] (OSUG [1985-2015]), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology [2007-2019] (Grenoble INP [2007-2019])-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology [2007-2019] (Grenoble INP [2007-2019])-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Géographie Physique, LGP, Laboratoire de géographie physique : Environnements Quaternaires et Actuels (LGP), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1), Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Département Milieux et Peuplements Aquatiques, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN), SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy [St Andrews], University of St Andrews [Scotland], University of St Andrews. Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute, Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion (BSC - CNS), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado [Boulder]-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Biogéochimie-Traceurs-Paléoclimat (BTP), Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques (LOCEAN), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ), Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology [2007-2019] (Grenoble INP [2007-2019])-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology [2007-2019] (Grenoble INP [2007-2019])-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Météo France-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo France-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ), Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019])-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy [University of St Andrews], University of St Andrews [Scotland]-Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), and Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Atmospheric circulation, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Article, Latitude, Glacier mass balance, SDG 13 - Climate Action, Precipitation, General, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, GB, geography, GE, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, Glacier, 3rd-DAS, Indian ocean, 13. Climate action, Climatology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, GB Physical geography, Environmental science, Climate model, Storm track, GE Environmental Sciences
Abstract

This study was funded by IPEV-1048 GLACIOCLIM-KESAACO and LEFE-INSU KCRuMBLE programs, and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche through contract ANR-14-CE01-0001-01 (ASUMA). The ongoing retreat of glaciers at southern sub-polar latitudes is particularly rapid and widespread. Akin to northern sub-polar latitudes, this retreat is generally assumed to be linked to warming. However, no long-term and well-constrained glacier modeling has ever been performed to confirm this hypothesis. Here, we model the Cook Ice Cap mass balance on the Kerguelen Islands (Southern Indian Ocean, 49°S) since the 1850s. We show that glacier wastage during the 2000s in the Kerguelen was among the most dramatic on Earth. We attribute 77% of the increasingly negative mass balance since the 1960s to atmospheric drying associated with a poleward shift of the mid-latitude storm track. Because precipitation modeling is very challenging for the current generation of climate models over the study area, models incorrectly simulate the climate drivers behind the recent glacier wastage in the Kerguelen. This suggests that future glacier wastage projections should be considered cautiously where changes in atmospheric circulation are expected. Publisher PDF

Published
2016
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48. Decadal Region-Wide and Glacier-Wide Mass Balances Derived from Multi-Temporal ASTER Satellite Digital Elevation Models. Validation over the Mont-Blanc Area

Author

C. Vincent, Delphine Six, Etienne Berthier, and Vincent Cabot

Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, remote sensing, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, Glacier mass balance, law, Earth Science, SRTM, glacier mass balance, Radar, lcsh:Science, Digital elevation model, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Remote sensing, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Geodetic datum, Glacier, remote sensing technology, Snow, 13. Climate action, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, lcsh:Q, digital elevation model (DEM), Geology
Abstract

Since 2000, a vast archive of stereo-images has been built by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) satellite. Several studies already extracted glacier mass balances from multi-temporal ASTER digital elevation models (DEMs) but they lacked accurate independent data for validation. Here, we apply a linear regression to a time series of 3D-coregistered ASTER DEMs to estimate the rate of surface elevation changes (dh/dtASTER) and geodetic mass balances of Mont-Blanc glaciers (155 km2) between 2000 and 2014. Validation using field and spaceborne geodetic measurements reveals large errors at the individual pixel level (>1 m a−1) and an accuracy of 0.2–0.3 m a−1 for dh/dtASTER averaged over areas larger than 1 km2. For all Mont-Blanc glaciers, the ASTER region-wide mass balance [–1.05 ± 0.37 m water equivalent (w.e.) a−1] agrees remarkably with the one measured using Spot5 and Pléiades DEMs (–1.06 ± 0.23 m w.e. a−1) over their common 2003–2012 period. This multi-temporal ASTER DEM strategy leads to smaller errors than the simple differencing of two ASTER DEMs. By extrapolating dh/dtASTER to mid-February 2000, we infer a mean penetration depth of about 9 ± 3 m for the C-band Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) radar signal, with a strong altitudinal dependency (range 0–12 m). This methodology thus reveals the regional pattern of glacier surface elevation changes and improves our knowledge of the penetration of the radar signal into snow and ice.

Published
2016
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49. Slight mass gain of Karakoram glaciers in the early twenty-first century

Author

Etienne Berthier, Yves Arnaud, and Julie Gardelle

Subjects
Glacier ice accumulation, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, 0207 environmental engineering, Twenty-First Century, Glacier, 02 engineering and technology, Glacier morphology, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, 13. Climate action, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physical geography, Mass gain, Surge, 020701 environmental engineering, Digital elevation model, Geomorphology, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract

Assessments of the state of health of Hindu-Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya glaciers and their contribution to regional hydrology and global sea-level rise suffer from a severe lack of observations(1). The globally averaged mass balance of glaciers and ice caps is negative(1-3). An anomalous gain of mass has been suggested for the Karakoram glaciers(2,4-6), but was not confirmed by recent estimates of mass balance. Furthermore, numerous glacier surges in the region that lead to changes in glacier length and velocity(7-11) complicate the interpretation of the available observations. Here, we calculate the regional mass balance of glaciers in the central Karakoram between 1999 and 2008, based on the difference between two digital elevation models. We find a highly heterogeneous spatial pattern of changes in glacier elevation, which shows that ice thinning and ablation at high rates can occur on debris-covered glacier tongues. The regional mass balance is just positive at +0.11 +/- 0.22 m yr(-1) water equivalent and in agreement with the observed reduction of river runoff that originates in this area(12). Our measurements confirm an anomalous mass balance in the Karakoram region and indicate that the contribution of Karakoram glaciers to sea-level rise was -0.01 mm yr(-1) for the period from 1999 to 2008, 0.05 mm yr(-1) lower than suggested before(13).

Published
2012
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50. The triggering of subglacial lake drainage during rapid glacier drawdown: Crane Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula

Author

Ted Scambos, Christopher A. Shuman, and Etienne Berthier

Subjects
010506 paleontology, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Tidewater glacier cycle, Fjord, Glacier, 01 natural sciences, Glacier mass balance, Drawdown (hydrology), Subglacial lake, Bathymetry, Altimeter, Geomorphology, Geology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes
Abstract

Ice surface altimetry from ICESat-1 and NASA aircraft altimeter overflights spanning 2002–09 indicate that a region of lower Crane Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula, shows an unusual temporal pattern of elevation loss: a period of very rapid drawdown (~91ma–1 between September 2004 and September 2005) bounded by periods of large but more moderate rates (23ma–1 until September 2004; 12ma–1 after September 2005). The region of increased drawdown is ~4.5 km ×2.2 km based on satellite (ASTER and SPOT-5) stereo-image digital elevation model (DEM) differencing spanning the event. In a later differential DEM the anomalous drawdown feature is not seen. Bathymetry in Crane Glacier fjord reveals a series of flat-lying, formerly subglacial deeps interpreted as lake sediment basins. We conclude that the elevation-change feature resulted from drainage of a small, deep subglacial lake. We infer that the drainage event was induced by hydraulic forcing of subglacial water past a downstream obstruction. However, only a fraction of Crane Glacier’s increase in flow speed that occurred near the time of lake drainage (derived from image feature tracking) appears to be directly attributable to the event; instead, retreat of the ice front off a subglacial ridge 6 km downstream of the lake is likely the dominant cause of renewed fast flow and more negative mass balance in the subsequent 4 years.

Published
2011
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