scholarly journals Glacier geometry and elevation changes on Svalbard (1936–90): a baseline dataset

2007 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 106-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Nuth ◽  
J. Kohler ◽  
H.F. Aas ◽  
O. Brandt ◽  
J.O. Hagen

AbstractThis study uses older topographic maps made from high-oblique aerial photographs for glacier elevation change studies. We compare the 1936/38 topographic map series of Svalbard (Norwegian Polar Institute) to a modern digital elevation model from 1990. Both systematic and random components of elevation error are examined by analyzing non-glacier elevation difference points. The 1936/38 photographic aerial survey is examined to identify areas with poor data coverage over glaciers. Elevation changes are analyzed for seven regions in Svalbard (~5000 km2), where significant thinning was found at glacier fronts, and elevation increases in the upper parts of the accumulation areas. All regions experience volume losses and negative geodetic balances, although regional variability exists relating to both climate and topography. Many surges are apparent within the elevation change maps. Estimated volume change for the regions is –1.59±0.07km3 a–1 (ice equivalent) for a geodetic annual balance of –0.30ma–1w.e., and the glaciated area has decreased by 16% in the 54 year time interval. The 1936–90 data are compared to modern elevation change estimates in the southern regions, to show that the rate of thinning has increased dramatically since 1990.

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 158-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.J. Navarro ◽  
A.F. Glazovsky ◽  
Yu.Ya. Macheret ◽  
E.V. Vasilenko ◽  
M.I. Corcuera ◽  
...  

AbstractAldegondabreen is a small valley glacier, ending on land, located in the Grønfjorden area of Spitsbergen, Svalbard. Airborne radio-echo sounding in 1974/75, using a 440 MHz radar, revealed a polythermal two-layered structure, which has been confirmed by detailed ground-based radio-echo sounding done in 1999 using a 15 MHz monopulse radar. The 1999 radar data reveal an upper cold layer extending down to 90m depth in the southern part of the glacier, where the thickest ice (216 m) was also found. A repeated pattern of diffractions from the southern part of the glacier, at depths of 50–80 m and dipping down-glacier, has been interpreted as an englacial channel which originates in the temperate ice. From joint analysis of the 1936 topographic map, a digital elevation model constructed from 1990 aerial photographs and the subglacial topography determined from radar data, a severe loss of mass during the period 1936–90 has been estimated: a glacier tongue retreat of 930 m, a decrease in area from 8.9 to 7.6 km2, in average ice thickness from 101 to 73 m and in ice volume from 0.950 to 0.558 km3, which are equivalent to an average annual balance of –0.7 mw.e. This is comparable with the only available data of net mass balance for Aldegondabreen (–1.1 and –1.35m w.e. for the balance years 1976/77 and 2002/03) and consistent with the 0.27˚C increase in mean summer air temperature in this zone during 1936–90, as well as the warming in Spitsbergen following the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA), and the general glacier recession trend observed in this region.


2020 ◽  
Vol 955 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.M. Babashkin ◽  
S.A. Kadnichanskiy ◽  
S.S. Nekhin

During the recent decade, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been widely implemented in practice of the aerial survey for the purposes of inventory and mapping. This led to a variety of aerial survey results in terms of both aerial survey parameters and accuracy. Under these conditions, the task of assessing the accuracy of the final product obtained from aerial photographs with a UAV, for example, an orthophoto or a digital elevation model becomes urgent. The Federal State Budgetary Institution “Federal Scientific-Technical Center of Geodesy, Cartography and Spatial Data Infrastructure”, having a metrological service accredited by Rosstandart for the right to conduct metrological certification of measurement methods and metrological examination of documents, makes research tests of hardware and software for digital aerial survey and photogrammetric processing, which determine the values of metrological qualities of hardware and software complexes. The authors present the results of such tests as applied to hardware-andsoftware complexes based on the Geoscan 101 UAV and the Geoscan 201 UAV equipped with Sony DSC RX-1 and Sony DSC-RX1RM2 cameras. The accuracy indicators were obtained for orthophotos, digital surface and relief models, coordinates of targeted and non targeted points of land boundaries and building contours for all land categories and permitted uses of land parcels in accordance with the requirements of the Order of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russia from 01.03. 2016 No 90.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 2075-2097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvan Ragettli ◽  
Tobias Bolch ◽  
Francesca Pellicciotti

Abstract. This study presents volume and mass changes of seven (five partially debris-covered, two debris-free) glaciers in the upper Langtang catchment in Nepal. We use a digital elevation model (DEM) from 1974 stereo Hexagon satellite data and seven DEMs derived from 2006–2015 stereo or tri-stereo satellite imagery (e.g., SPOT6/7). The availability of multiple independent DEM differences allows the identification of a robust signal and narrowing down of the uncertainty about recent volume changes. The volume changes calculated over several multiyear periods between 2006 and 2015 consistently indicate that glacier thinning has accelerated with respect to the period 1974–2006. We calculate an ensemble-mean elevation change rate of –0.45 ± 0.18 m a−1 for 2006–2015, while for the period 1974–2006 we compute a rate of −0.24 ± 0.08 m a−1. However, the behavior of glaciers in the study area is heterogeneous, and the presence or absence of debris does not seem to be a good predictor for mass balance trends. Debris-covered tongues have nonlinear thinning profiles, and we show that recent accelerations in thinning correlate with the presence of supraglacial cliffs and lakes. At stagnating glacier areas near the glacier front, however, thinning rates decreased with time or remained constant. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake triggered large avalanches in the study catchment. Analysis of two post-earthquake DEMs revealed that the avalanche deposit volumes remaining 6 months after the earthquake are negligible in comparison to 2006–2015 elevation changes. However, the deposits compensate about 40 % the mass loss of debris-covered tongues of 1 average year.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 50-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. S. Voskresensky ◽  
A. A. Suchilin ◽  
L. A. Ushakova ◽  
V. M. Shaforostov ◽  
A. L. Entin ◽  
...  

To use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for obtaining digital elevation models (DEM) and digital terrain models (DTM) is currently actively practiced in scientific and practical purposes. This technology has many advantages: efficiency, ease of use, and the possibility of application on relatively small area. This allows us to perform qualitative and quantitative studies of the progress of dangerous relief-forming processes and to assess their consequences quickly. In this paper, we describe the process of obtaining a digital elevation model (DEM) of the relief of the slope located on the bank of the Protva River (Satino training site of the Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University). To obtain the digital elevation model, we created a temporary geodetic network. The coordinates of the points were measured by the satellite positioning method using a highprecision mobile complex. The aerial survey was carried out using an unmanned aerial vehicle from a low altitude (about 40–45 m). The processing of survey materials was performed via automatic photogrammetry (Structure-from-Motion method), and the digital elevation model of the landslide surface on the Protva River valley section was created. Remote sensing was supplemented by studying archival materials of aerial photography, as well as field survey conducted immediately after the landslide. The total amount of research results made it possible to establish the causes and character of the landslide process on the study site. According to the geomorphological conditions of formation, the landslide refers to a variety of landslideslides, which are formed when water is saturated with loose deposits. The landslide body was formed with the "collapse" of the blocks of turf and deluvial loams and their "destruction" as they shifted and accumulated at the foot of the slope.


2002 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristram R. Kidder

Even though the general configuration of the Poverty Point site has been known for over forty years, the entire site was mapped for the first time in 1999–2000. In this paper we examine how Poverty Point has been portrayed in the archaeological literature. Tracings of stereoscopic aerial photographs were used to construct previous maps of the site. Features that could not be traced because of tree cover were interpolated. Succeeding representations of the site show different features and emphasize the symmetrical form of the site, including the presence of ridges separated by aisles. The 1999–2000 map demonstrates that earlier images of the site overemphasize earthworm symmetry. Our data suggest that the northern aisle does not exist and may have been introduced into earlier maps in order to complete a hypothesized regular site plan. Images of a site like Poverty Point are powerful representations of a perceived reality. For example, existing maps of Poverty Point have been used to bolster claims that the site represents a "great town," with a large population and some kind of centralized leadership. Despite a considerable history of research at Poverty Point map data alone cannot and probably will never provide sufficient evidence to support or reject such a claim. While mapping alone cannot answer questions about the nature of site organization or social behavior, differences between existing images and the current topographic map underscore the need to view maps and pictures of Poverty Point as a means for generating testable hypotheses, rather than an end unto itself.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21
Author(s):  
Sangay Gyeltshen ◽  
Krisha Kumar Subedi ◽  
Laylo Zaridinova Kamoliddinovna ◽  
Jigme Tenzin

The study assessed the accuracies of globally available Digital Elevation Models (DEM’s) i.e., SRTM v3, ASTER GDEM v2 and ALOS PALSAR DEM with respect to Topo-DEM derived from topographic map of 5m contour interval. 100 ground control points of the elevation data were collected with the help of kinematic hand held GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), randomly distributed over the study area. The widely used RMSE statistic, NCC correlation and sub-pixel-based approach were applied to evaluate the erroneous, correlation, horizontal and vertical displacement in terms of pixels for the individual Digital Elevation Model. Following these evaluations, SRTM DEM was found to be highly accurate in terms of RMSE and displacement compared to other DEMs. This study is intended to provide the researchers, GIS specialists and the government agencies dealing with remote sensing and GIS, a basic clue on accuracy of the DEMs so that the best model can be selected for application on various purposes of the similar region.


2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (236) ◽  
pp. 1083-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHUN TSUTAKI ◽  
SHIN SUGIYAMA ◽  
DAIKI SAKAKIBARA ◽  
TAKANOBU SAWAGAKI

ABSTRACTTo quantify recent thinning of marine-terminating outlet glaciers in northwestern Greenland, we carried out field and satellite observations near the terminus of Bowdoin Glacier. These data were used to compute the change in surface elevation from 2007 to 2013 and this rate of thinning was then compared with that of the adjacent land-terminating Tugto Glacier. Comparing DEMs of 2007 and 2010 shows that Bowdoin Glacier is thinning more rapidly (4.1 ± 0.3 m a−1) than Tugto Glacier (2.8 ± 0.3 m a−1). The observed negative surface mass-balance accounts for <40% of the elevation change of Bowdoin Glacier, meaning that the thinning of Bowdoin Glacier cannot be attributable to surface melting alone. The ice speed of Bowdoin Glacier increases down-glacier, reaching 457 m a−1 near the calving front. This flow regime causes longitudinal stretching and vertical compression at a rate of −0.04 a−1. It is likely that this dynamically-controlled thinning has been enhanced by the acceleration of the glacier since 2000. Our measurements indicate that ice dynamics indeed play a predominant role in the rapid thinning of Bowdoin Glacier.


2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (248) ◽  
pp. 917-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
RUBÉN BASANTES-SERRANO ◽  
ANTOINE RABATEL ◽  
CHRISTIAN VINCENT ◽  
PASCAL SIRGUEY

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the effects of climate on glaciers requires precise estimates of ice volume change over several decades. This is achieved by the geodetic mass balance computed by two means: (1) the digital elevation model (DEM) comparison (SeqDEM) allows measurements over the entire glacier, however the low contrast over glacierized areas is an issue for the DEM generation through the photogrammetric techniques and (2) the profiling method (SePM) is a faster alternative but fails to capture the spatial variability of elevation changes. We present a new framework (SSD) that relies upon the spatial variability of the elevation change to densify a sampling network to optimize the surface-elevation change quantification. Our method was tested in two small glaciers over different periods. We conclude that the SePM overestimates the elevation change by ~20% with a mean difference of ~1.00 m (root mean square error (RMSE) = ~3.00 m) compared with results from the SeqDEM method. A variogram analysis of the elevation changes showed a mean difference of <0.10 m (RMSE = ~2.40 m) with SSD approach. A final assessment on the largest glacier in the French Alps confirms the high potential of our method to compute the geodetic mass balance, without going through the generation of a full-density DEM, but with a similar accuracy than the SeqDEM approach.


1997 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 255-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilie Rolstad ◽  
Jostein Amlien ◽  
Jon-Ove Hagen ◽  
Bengt Lundén

A field of vectors showing the average velocity of the surging glacier Osbornebreen, Svalbard, was determined by comparing sequential SPOT (Système pour l’Observation de la Terre) and Landsat thematic mapper images. Crevasses which developed during the initial phase of the surge in the winter of 1986–87 were tracked using a fast Fourier chip cross-correlation technique. A digital elevation model (DEM) was developed using digital photogrammetry on aerial photographs from 1990. This new DEM was compared with a map drawn in 1966. The velocity field could be almost entirely determined with 1 month separation of the images, but only partly determined with images 1 year apart, due to changes of the crevasse pattern. The velocity field is similar to that found for Kronebreen, a continuously fast-moving tidewater glacier. No distinct zones of compressive flow were present and the data gave no evidence of a compression zone/surge front traveling downstream. The velocity field, the rapid advance of the terminus and the development of transverse crevasses in the upper accumulation area within a 6 month period may indicate that the surge developed as a zone of extension starting near the terminus and propagating quickly upstream. The crevasse pattern in the images is therefore interpreted to be the result of the extension zone traveling upstream, and, as the whole glacier starts to slide, the crevasse pattern alters according to the bedrock topography.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Neža Ema Komel ◽  
Klemen Kozmus Trajkovski ◽  
Dušan Petrovič

Abstract. Today, many software tools enable the production of contour lines from relief models, but the results of modelling complex karst relief are often inadequate. Reasons for this may be limited quality and resolution of relief models, limitations of algorithms for calculating contours, or limitations of algorithms for smoothing and displaying additional symbols that further describe relief, such as slope lines, steep slopes and smaller objects that cannot be effectively displayed with contours, etc.We will present research in the field of improving existing algorithms in rugged karst terrain. As a target result, the presentation of relief on the existing national topographic maps in Slovenia, which were made by manual photogrammetric survey of aerial photos stereo pairs, were used. Slovenian elevation model DMR1 (1 m density) is used as a source for the creation of contour lines in various commercial software packages, and by comparing the results with a relief presentation on a topographic map, we selected the most appropriate basic algorithm. This one is further upgraded mainly by enabling automatic selection of auxiliary contour lines in the area, presentation of individual smaller relief objects with appropriate point or linear symbols, addition of slope lines on contours and indications in the middle of depressions and displacement of contour lines in order to better depict the terrain morphology.The results were tested in four different areas in Slovenia. Figure 1 shows the contour lines for a testing area near village Opatje Selo near Slovenia-Italy border, which were made by the best commercial software. The results of the algorithm are shown in Figure 2. The comparison between the results of the algorithm and the national topographic maps in the chosen scale gave promising results. In future work, we are planning to extend the algorithm so that it will be able to provide modelling of different terrains in the region.


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