A GIS-BASED GLACIER INVENTORY FOR THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND THE SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS——A FIRST CASE STUDY ON KING GEORGE ISLAND

The aim of the international project “Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS)" headed by the US Geological Survey is to establish a world wide glacier inventory based on satellite imagery.This data set will form a first digital baseline study for future glacier monitoring.The presented GIS_based glacier inventory for King George Island is a case study for the area of the Antarctic Peninsula.In the database of the glacier inventory topographic information,specific glaciological parameters as well as metadata will be included.The topographic data consists of drainage basin limits,basin areas,altitudinal ranges,perimeters and mean lengths.Glaciological data sets should comprise information on glacier retreat in different periods,glacier velocities,ice thickness and bedrock topography as well as derived parameters.Modelled and measured mass balance parameters could be included as additional data layers.In particular,these metadata records must comprise background information on data accuracy and data sources and should be compatible with a future data model for the King George Island GIS (KGIS).Three examples illustrate that the GLIMS database will not only contain information valuable for glaciological applications,but also other environmental studies on the island will benefit from this standardised remote sensing data sets.Therefore,a very close link between the data models of KGIS and GLIMS has to be established to enable these synergisms.Finally,better access to historic aerial photography would enable a continuous record of glacier retreat from the beginning of the 1950’s onward.

Glacier InventoryGlacier changes in the Qilian Mountains in the past half-century: Based on the revised First and Second Chinese Glacier Inventory

Glaciers are the most important fresh-water resources in arid and semi-arid regions of western China. According to the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory （SCGI）, primarily compiled from Landsat TM/ETM＋ images, the Qilian Mountains had 2684 glaciers covering an area of 1597.81＋70.30 km2 and an ice volume of -84.48 km3 from 2005 to 2010. While most glaciers are small （85.66% are 〈1.0 km2）, some larger ones （12.74% in the range 1.0-5.0 km2） cover 42.44% of the total glacier area. The Laohugou Glacier No.12 （20.42 km2） located on the north slope of the Daxue Range is the only glacier 〉20 km2 in the Qilian Mountains. Median glacier elevation was 4972.7 m and gradually increased from east to west Glaciers in the Qilian Mountains are distributed in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, which have 1492 glaciers （760.96 km2） and 1192 glaciers （836.85 km2）, respectively. The Shule River basin contains the most glaciers in both area and volume. However, the Heihe River, the second largest inland river in China, has the minimum average glacier area. A comparison of glaciers from the SCGI and revised glacier inventory based on topographic maps and aerial photos taken from 1956 to 1983 indicate that all glaciers have receded, which is consistent with other mountain and plateau areas in western China. In the past half-century, the area and volume of glaciers decreased by 420.81 km2 （-20.88%） and 21.63 km3 （-20.26%）, re- spectively. Glaciers with areas 〈1.0 km2 decreased the most in number and area recession. Due to glacier shrinkage, glaciers below 4000 m completely disappeared. Glacier changes in the Qilian Mountains presented a clear longitudinal zonality, i.e., the glaciers rapidly shrank in the east but slowly in the central-west. The primary cause of glacier recession was warming temperatures, which was slightly mitigated with increased precipitation.

Inventory and Geometrical Changes in Small Glaciers Covering Three Northern Patagonian Summits Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

In the last few decades, a large quantity of research has been performed to elucidate the current behavior of glaciers in southern Chile, especially with respect to the volumetric changes in the outlets of the Northern and Southern Patagonian Icefields （NPI and SPI, respectively）. Calculations have shown a generalized thinning and withdrawal, which greatly contributes to the increase in sea level attributed to the ice melt from non-polar glaciers. However, these icefields are surrounded by many small icecaps, which have＇yet to be studied in detail. A precise estimation of the volume of ice located in these mountain chains could provide new information with respect to this area＇s exact contribution to the increase in sea level. Thus, this study presents an inventory of relatively small Northern Patagonian glaciers in the surrounding of the three summits： Mount Queulat, and the Maca and Hudson volcanoes. The study used remote sensing techniques in a GIS environment to determine the margins, surface areas, thickness changes and hypsometry for the glaciated zones. Landsat images from different dates were analyzed using standard band ratio and screen delineation techniques. Additionally, digital elevation models from different dates were compared using map algebra, calculating thickness changes. Based on the results, we propose that there are important volumetric changes in the glaciers studied, whichcould be explained by precipitation trends in a general context, and an influence of the glaciers＇ sizes in some local response. Therefore, we suggest the exact contribution of the Patagonia to the increase in sea level corresponds to a regional pattern rather than just the behavior of a single ice field.

Glacier changes since the early 1960s, eastern Pamir, China

Glaciers in the eastern Pamir are important for water resources and the social and economic development of the region.In the last 50 years,these glaciers have shrunk and lost ice mass due to climate change.In order to understand recent glacier dynamics in the region,a new inventory was compiled from Landsat TM/ETM+ images acquired in2009,free of clouds and with minimal snow cover on the glacierized mountains.The first glacier inventory of the area was also updated by digitizing glacier outlines from topographical maps that had been modified and verified using aerial photographs.Total glacier area decreased by 10.8%±1.1%,mainly attributed to an increase in air temperature,although precipitation,glacier size and topographic features also combined to affect the general shrinkage of the glaciers.The 19.3–21.4 km^3 estimated glacier mass loss has contributed to an increase in river runoff and water resources.

Glacier change in the western Nyainqentanglha Range,Tibetan Plateau using historical maps and Landsat imagery:1970-2014

Glaciers in the western Nyainqentanglha Range are an important source of water for social and economic development. Changes in their area were derived from two Chinese glacier inventories; one from the 197o 1：5o,ooo scale Chinese Topographic Maps series and the other from Landsat TM/ETM＋ images acquired in 2009. Analyses also included boundaries from 2000 and 2014 Landsat TM/ETM＋ images. A continuing and accelerating shrinkage of glaciers occurred here from 1970 to 2014, with glacier area decreasing by 244.38±29.48 km^2 （27.4%±3.3%） or 0.62%±0.08% a^-1. While this is consistent with a changing climate, local topographic parameters, such as altitude, slope, aspect and debris cover, are also important influences. Recession is manifested by a rise in the elevation of the glacier terminus. The shrinkage of glaciers with NE, N and NW orientations exceeded that of other aspects, and glaciers with SE and S orientations experienced less shrinkage. Changes in the average positive difference of glaciation （PDG） show that the western Nyainqentanglha Range has unfavorable conditions for glacier maintenance which is being exacerbated by a warming climate since 1970.

Multi-criteria technique for mapping of debris-covered and clean-ice glaciers in the Shaksgam valley using Landsat TM and ASTER GDEM

Glaciers in the Shaksgam valley provide important fresh water resources to neighbourhood livelihood. Repeated creation of the glacier inventories is important to assess glacier–climate interactions and to predict future runoff from glacierized catchments. For this study, we applied a multi-criteria technique to map the glaciers of the Shaksgam valley of China, using Landsat Thematic Mapper(Landsat TM)(2009) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model version two(ASTER GDEM V2) data. The geomorphometric parameters slope, plan, and profile curvature were generated from ASTER GDEM. Then they were organized in similar surface groups using cluster analysis. For accurate mapping of supraglacial debris area, clustering results were combined with a thermal mask generated from the Landsat TM thermal band. The debris-free glaciers were identified using the band ratio(TM band 4/TM band 5) technique. Final vector maps of the glaciers were created using overlay tools in a geographic information system(GIS).Accuracy of the generated glacier outlines was assessed through comparison with glacier outlines based on the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory(SCGI) data and glacier outlines created from high-resolution Google Earth? images of 2009. Glacier areas derived using the proposed approach were 3% less than in the reference datasets. Furthermore, final glacier maps show satisfactory mapping results, but identification of the debris-cover glacier terminus(covered by thick debris layer) is still problematic. Therefore, manual editing was necessary to improve the final glacier maps.

Some recent advances in remote sensing-based monitoring of changes in the Greenland Ice Sheet

The mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet(GrIS)plays a crucial role in global sea level change.Since the 1960s,remote sensing missions have been providing extensive and continuous observation data for change monitoring of the GrIS.In this paper,we present our recent research results from remote sensing-based GrIS change monitoring.First,historical satellite data are processed and used to fill data gaps and are combined with existing partial maps,completing an ice velocity map of the GrIS from the 1960s to 1980s.This map provides valuable data for estimating the historical mass balance of Greenland.Second,the monthly gravimetry-based mass balance of the GrIS from 2002 to 2020 is estimated by combining Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment(GRACE)and GRACE Follow On(GRACE-FO)data.It is found that the GrIS has lost a total mass of approximately 4443±75 Gt during this period.Third,based on Global Land Ice Measurements from Space(GLIMS),an updated Greenland glacier inventory is achieved utilizing data collected between 2006 and 2020.This inventory provides more detailed and up-to-data glacier boundaries of Greenland.Overall,these advances provide essential data support for estimating the mass balance of the GrIS,contributing to the advancement of research on global sea level change.

Glacial changes in the GangdisêMountains from 1970 to 2016

Based on the revised First Chinese Glacier Inventory (FCGI), the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory (SCGI) and Landsat OLI images for 2015-2016, we analyzed the spatial-temporal variation characteristics of glaciers in the Gangdisê Mountains from 1970 to 2016. The results showed that there were 3953 glaciers with a total area of 1306.45 km2 and ice volume of ~58.16 km3 in the Gangdisê Mountains in 2015-2016. Glaciers with sizes of 0.1-5 km2 and <0.5 km2 accounted for the largest area and the most amounts of glaciers in the Gangdisê Mountains, respectively. Over the past five decades, the area of glaciers in the Gangdisê Mountains decreased by 854.05 km2 (−1.09%a−1), accounting for 39.53% of the total glacier area in 1970. The increase in temperature during the ablation period was the most important cause for glacier retreat. Compared to other mountains in western China, the Gangdisê Mountains have experienced the strongest glacial retreat, and the rate of recession has increased in recent years. The decrease of glacier area was mainly concentrated at elevations of 5600-6100 m, and no change in glacier area was observed at elevations above 6500 m. The number and area of glaciers decreased in all orientations in the Gangdisê Mountains except for south- and southeast-oriented glaciers. Among them, north-oriented glaciers suffered the largest loss of glacier area, while glacier retreat saw the fastest in northwest-oriented glaciers. The rate of glacier retreat increased from west to east in the Gangdisê Mountains. The relative rate of glacier area change was the highest in the eastern section of the Gangdisê Mountains (−1.72%a−1), followed by the middle section (−1.67%a−1) and the western section (−0.83%a−1).