Glacier Studies
|
Summary
The Glacier Studies Project includes three active tasks: a Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World Task, a Coastal-Change and Glaciological Maps of Antarctica Task and a Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) Task. All three tasks are inter-divisional, inter-agency, and international in scope and institutional involvement. Glaciers are one of the four components of the cryosphere (the other three are sea, lake, and river ice; snow cover and permafrost). The cryosphere is particularly sensitive to changes in regional and global climate. Seasonal changes in sea ice and snow cover and decadal changes in glacier area can be monitored regionally and globally with image data from Earth-orbiting satellites. NASA and USGS scientists are also carrying out experimental geodetic airborne, satellite laser altimetry, radar interferometric, and other remote-sensing surveys of glaciers. Accomplishments The U.S. Geological Survey has played the lead national and international role in using satellite image data to provide baseline data and other information about glaciers from a global perspective. The 11-volume Satellite Image Atlas of the World Task (USGS Professional Paper 1386 A-K) involves more than 80 scientists who represent 45 institutions and 25 nations. Seven volumes have been published to date: B, Antarctica; C, Greenland; E, Glaciers of Europe; G, Glaciers of the Middle East and Africa; H, Glaciers of Iran Jaya, Indonesia, and New Zealand; I, Glaciers of South America and J, Glaciers of North America. Within the Coastal-Change and Glaciological Maps of Antarctica Task 700 Landsat MSS and TM images and RADARSAT imagery have been analyzed to provide, for the first time:
Task 3 is a new task developed as an extension of the USGS-led GLIMS (Global Land Ice Measurements from Space)project. GLIMS is a 24-nation consortium of glaciologists located at more than 40 institutions. The principle goals of GLIMS are to obtain an annual stereo/multispectral satellite image of as many of the world's glaciers as clouds permit (so as to provide a uniform image baseline at the start of the 21st century), to assess a sample of these images for glaciological changes, and to populate a digital, publicly accessible global glacier inventory. Glims became operational in 2001 with the first steady stream of images from ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and reflection Radiometer) on NASA's Terra Spacecraft. About 10,000 glacier images have been acquired including at least one "snapshot" of most of the world's glaciers, and a time series for many of them. Landsat, MODIS, and other satellite images of glaciers are also used. Glacier Studies Project publications and products Bibliography of publications on Glaciers and Glacial GeologyGlacier Studies Project internet resources Internet-accessible atlases, images, fact-sheets and other publicationsU.S. Geological Survey Global Change Research Program Homepage of USGS Climate Change ResearchFor More Information Contact: Project Chief: Dr. Richard S. Williams Jr. U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Science Center 384 Woods Hole Road Woods Hole, Ma. 02543-1598 email: rswilliams@usgs.gov or Jane G. Ferrigno U.S. Geological Survey 926A National Center 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, Va 20192 email: jferrigno@usgs.gov U.S. Geological Survey National Center, MS 926A 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192 URL: http://www.glaciers.er.usgs.gov Maintained by: EESPT Staff Contact: Kevin Foley kfoley@usgs.gov || Accessibility || Disclaimer || Privacy Statement || |