Author: mspelto

Professor of Environmental Science at Nichols College in Massachusetts since 1989. Glaciologist directing the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project since 1984. This project monitors the mass balance and behavior of more glaciers than any other in North America

Kronotsky Peninsula, Kamchatka Glacier Fragmentation/Retreat

On By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, russia glacier retreat

kamtchatka ge

The Kronotsky Peninsula is on the east coast of Kamchatka and has an small concentration of alpine glaciers.  A recent paper by Lynch et al (2016) indicates a significant recession during the start of the 21st century in Kamchatka.  They note a 24% loss in area, leading to fragmentation and an increase in the number of ice masses that could be considered glaciers.  Lynch et al (2016)  further note that the primary climate change has been a recent significant rise in summer temperature.  It is interesting how few and small the glaciers are in Kamchatka versus similar latitudes of Alaska.

kronotsky compare

The red arrows indicate the 2000 terminus position.  Purple arrows indicate areas of bedrock expansion within the 2000 glacier region.  Google Earth image is same 2013 image. 

A comparison of 2000 and 2015 Landsat images indicates the retreat of several glaciers and the expansion of bedrock glaciers within the previous accumulation zone areas. The snowcovered area in Sept. of 2000 is 35%, in Sept. 2015 the snowcovered area is 15%.  Summer temperature anomalies for Kamchatka have been high in June and July of 2016 (NOAA, 2016).  The result is that in August, 2016 despite the cloud cover it is evident that snowcover is less than 10% with time left in the melt season. September is one of the least cloudy months and if better imagery becomes available I will update this image here. The elevation of the glaciers is 2400-3700 m, relatively high. The termini of all three glaciers have retreated 200-400 m, which given the short time span and small size of the glaciers is significant. The lack of retained snowcover in recent years indicates that these glaciers lack a persistent accumulation zone and cannot survive (Pelto, 2010). A closeup of the terminus of the glaciers indicate all have low slopes, limited crevassing, and are poised more further retreat.  Of the three termini the southern one indicates a recsssional moraine set (R). The western glacier concentric crevasses that indicate subsidence of terminus area (C).  The northern glacier has significant supraglacial stream channels that took multiple years to develop, indicative of limited development (B).

kamchatka 2016

2016 Landsat image of Krontosky Peninsula Glaciers

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Looking Inside a Glacier

On By mspeltoIn glacier climate change, Glacier Observations, North Cascade Glaciers

Here we provide a visual look inside a glacier in the North Cascades of Washington.  Glaciers are not all the same, but the key internal ingredients in summer typically are in varied ratios: ice, meltwater, sediment and biologic material.  In this case there are torrents of water pouring through the interior of the glacier, generated at the surface the day we are filming.  We do measure the discharge and velocity of these streams.  Once they drain englacially they are much slower as there are numerous plunge pools.  There are also plenty of water filled crevasses. Some of the streams have considerable sediment in them, usually large clasts given the high velocity and low bed friction.  In this case there are also a great many ice worms clinging to the walls of a water filled crevasse, and the walls of the stream channels.  All of this water than merges by the terminus into an outlet stream.  This again we measure.  On the glacier we are measuring melt and at the end of the glacier runoff provides an independent measure of this melt as well. The water then heads downstream supplying many types of fish enroute to the ocean.

The last three years have led to considerable mass loss of glaciers in the area.  This means less snowcover at the surface, which leaves less room for the ice worms to live and forces them into the meltwater regions.  This also leads to more supraglacial stream channels, which develop and deepen.  In many cases the streams deepen to the point that they become englacial. The increased ice area also should stress glacier ice worms as they live on algae, which resides largely in snow, which is less extensive and persistent in recent summers.

Glaciers in BAMS State of Climate 2015

On By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Decrease in Glacier Mass Balance uses measurements from 1980-2014 of the average mass balance for a group of North Cascade, WA glaciers. Mass balance is the annual budget for the glaciers: total snow accumulation minus total snow ablation. Not only are mass balances consistently negative, they are also continually decreasing. Glaciers have been one of the key and most iconic examples of the impact of global warming.  

BAMS State of Climate 2015 asked me about featuring some of the glacier images for the cover, and I countered with a suggestion to utilize one of a series of paintings by Jill Pelto that illustrate the impact of climate change magnifying the impact of the data.  Below are sections of this years report that focus on glaciers.

Glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland)

M. Sharp, G. Wolken, L.M Andreassen, A. Arendt, D. Burgess, J.G. Cogley, L. Copland, J. Kohler, S. O’Neel, M. Pelto, L.Thompson, and B. Wouters

Among the seven glaciers for which 2014-2015 annual mass balance have been reported, the mass balances of glaciers in Alaska and Svalbard (three each) were negative, while the balance for Engabreen Glacier in Norway was positive. The pattern of negative balances in Alaska and Svalbard is also captured in time series of regional total stored water estimates, derived using GRACE satellite gravimetry, which are a proxy for regional total mass balance (ΔM) for the heavily glacierized regions of the Arctic (Figure 3). Measurements of ΔM in 2014-2015 for all the glaciers and ice caps in Arctic Canada and the Russian Arctic also show a negative mass balance year. The GRACE-derived time series clearly show a continuation of negative trends in ΔM for all measured regions in the Arctic. These measurements of mass balance and ΔM are consistent with anomalously warm (up to +1.5ºC) summer air temperatures over Alaska, Arctic Canada, the Russian Arctic, and Svalbard in 2015, and anomalously cool temperatures in northern Scandinavia, particularly in early summer (up to -2ºC). The warmer temperatures led to higher snowlines in the aforementioned regions as seen in images below.

clephane bay compare

Baffin Island Ice Cap near Clephane Bay indicate limited snowpack in 2015

frostisen compare

Frostisen Ice Cap, Svalbard with limited 2015 snowpack.

Alpine Glaciers

M.Pelto

Preliminary data for 2015 from 16 nations with more than one reporting glacier from Argentina, Austria, Canada, Chile, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Switzerland, and United States indicate that 2015 will be the 32nd consecutive year of negative annual balances with a mean loss of -1169 mm for 33 reporting reference glaciers and -1481 mm for all 59 reporting glaciers. The number of reporting reference glaciers is 90% of the total whereas only 50% of all glaciers that will report have submitted data thusfar. The 2015 mass balance will likely be comparable to 2003, the most negative year at -1268 mm for reference glaciers and -1198 mm for all glaciers.

The cumulative mass balance loss from 1980-2015 is 18.8 m, the equivalent of cutting a 20.5 m thick slice off the top of the average glacier (Figure 1).  The trend is remarkably consistent from region to region (WGMS, 2015).  The decadal mean annual mass balance was -261 mm in the 1980’s, -386 mm in the 1990’s, –727 mm for 2000’s and -818 mm from 2010-2015.  The declining mass balance trend during a period of retreat indicates alpine glaciers are not approaching equilibrium and retreat will continue to be the dominant terminus response (Zemp et al., 2015). The recent rapid retreat and prolonged negative balances has led to many glaciers disappearing and others fragmenting (Pelto, 2010; Carturan et al, 2015).

columbia compare

In South America seven glaciers in Columbia, Argentina and Chile reported mass balance. All seven glaciers had losses greater than 1200 mm, with a mean of -2200 mm.  These Andes glaciers span 58 degrees of latitude.

In the European Alps, mass balance has been reported for 14 glaciers from Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland.  All 14 had negative balances exceeding 1000 mm, with a mean of -1865 mm. This is an exceptionally negative mass balance rivaling 2003 when average losses exceeded -2000 mm.

In Norway mass balance was reported for six glaciers in 2015, all six were positive with a mean of 780 mm.  This is the only region that had a positive balance for the year. In Svalbard six glaciers reported mass balances, with all six having a negative mass balance averaging -675 mm.

In Alberta, British Columbia, Washington and Alaska mass balance data from 17 glaciers was reported with a mean loss of -2590 mm, with all 17 being negative. This is the most negative mass balance for the region during the period of record.  From Alaska south through British Columbia to Washington the accumulation season temperature was exceptional with the mean for November-April being the highest observed.

In the high mountains of central Asia six glaciers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan reported data, all were negative with a mean of -660 mm.

Columbia Glacier having lost nearly all of its snowcover by early August had its most negative mass balance of any years since measurements began in 1984

Thirty-third Annual North Cascade Glacier Climate Project Field Season Underway

On By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations, glaciers salmon, North Cascade Glaciers4 Comments

fig8-1
Base Map of the region showing main study glaciers, produced by Ben Pelto.

From President Reagan to President Obama each August since 1984 I have headed to the North Cascade Range of Washington to measure the response of glaciers to climate change.  Specifically we will measure the mass balance of nine glaciers, runoff from three glaciers and map the terminus change on 12 glaciers. The data is reported to the World Glacier Monitoring Service.  Three glaciers that we have monitored annually have disappeared since 1984.

In 2016 for Mount Baker, Washington the freezing level from January-April was not as high as the record from 2015, but still was 400 m above the long term mean. The snowpack on June 1st was three weeks behind last year’s record melt, but still three to four weeks of head of normal. July has been exceptionally cool reducing this gap. With all the snow measurement stations losing snowcover by July 1, the gap is uncertain until we arrive on the glaciers. This will not be a good year, but will be a significant improvement over last year, likely more in the 2012 or 2013 category.  Each location is accessed by backpacking in and camping in tents.

We will first travel north to Mount Baker and the Easton Glacier, we will be joined by Oliver Lazenby, Point Roberts Press.  We will then circle to the north side where I expect we will be joined by Jezra Beaulieu and Oliver Grah, Nooksack Indian Tribe.  Jen Lennon from the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe and Pete Durr, Mount Baker Ski Patrol are also planning to join us here.   When we head into Columbia Glacier Taryn Black from U of Washington will join us. The field team consists of Mauri Pelto, 33rd year, Jill Pelto, UMaine for the 8th year, Megan Pelto, 2nd year, and Andrew Hollyday, Middlebury College.  Tom Hammond, 13th year will join us for a selected period.

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Aug.   1:  Hike into Easton Glacier.
Aug.   2:  Easton Glacier
Aug.   3:  Easton Glacier
Aug.   4:  Hike Out Easton Glacier, Hike in Ptarmigan Ridge
Aug.   5:  Sholes Glacier
Aug.   6:  Rainbow Glacier
Aug.   7:  Sholes Glacier and/or Rainbow Glacier
Aug.   8:  Hike out and into Lower Curtis Glacier
Aug.   9:  Lower Curtis Glacier
Aug. 10: Hike out Lower Curtis Glacier- Hike in Blanca Lake Mail Pickup Maple Falls, WA 98266
Aug. 11:  Hike in Columbia Glacier
Aug. 12:  Columbia Glacier
Aug. 13:  Hike out Columbia Glacier; Hike in Mount Daniels
Aug. 14:  Daniels and Lynch Glacier
Aug. 15:  Ice Worm Glacier
Aug. 16:  Ice Worm Glacier, Hike out Mount Daniels-Hike out

Sater Glacier, Alaska Not Retaining Snowcover

On By mspeltoIn alaska glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat

sater glacier ge
2012 Google Earth Image. Purple arrows indicate areas where the margin is receding well above the lowest terminus.

Sater Glacier is in the Okpilak River watershed of the Brooks Range, Alaska. It is named for John Sater an early geologist working in the Brooks Range and on the nearby McCall Glacier. Here we examine Landsat imagery from 1987-2016 to identify changes in the glacier. Matt Nolan, U. Alaska-Fairbanks,  has provided links to the recent research and publications at McCall Glacier. These glacier have suffered increased mass loss since 1990 as a result of an increase in the equilibrium line altitude that has reduced accumulation area and is indicative of increased ablation (Delcourt al , 2008) as noted at Slender Glacier.

In 1987 Sater Glacier extended from 2300 m to 1600 m with two main tributaries joining 1 km above the terminus. Retained snowcover blankets most of the glacier in this early August image.  In 1995 the main change is the lack of retained snowcover on the glacier, with a month left in the melt season.  The retained snowcover is the accumulation area ratio (AAR), which needs to be above 50% for a glacier to be in equilibrium, but is less than 10% in 1995. The 2012 Google Earth image above indicates very little retained snowcover on the glacier in mid-July, AAR of 15%. Likely no retained snowcover by summer’s end. In 2015 a late July image again indicates limited retained snowcover, the AAR less than 10%.  In 2016 the late July image again indicates limited snowcover though slightly better than in 2015 with an AAR of 25%. This persistent failure to retain snowcover indicates a glacier than cannot survive (Pelto, 2010).  This has also led to the near separation of the tributaries, retreat of the upper margins of the glacier and terminus retreat of 250 m. The retreat of the terminus has been much less than Okpilak Glacier, but the prognosis due to the lack of retained snowcover is much worse, it cannot survive current climate.

sater glacier 1987
1987 Landsat image red arrow indicates 1987 terminus, yellow arrow 2015 terminus and purple arrows upglacier thinning.

sater glacier 1995
1995 Landsat image red arrow indicates 1987 terminus, yellow arrow 2015 terminus and purple arrows upglacier thinning.

sater glacier 2015
2015 Landsat image red arrow indicates 1987 terminus, yellow arrow 2015 terminus and purple arrows upglacier thinning.
sater 2016

2016 Landsat image red arrow indicates 1987 terminus, yellow arrow 2015 terminus and purple arrows upglacier thinning.

Sjögren Glacier Fast Flow, Fast Retreat, Antarctica

On By mspeltoIn Antarctic Glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change1 Comment

sjogren compare

Sjögren Glacier comparison in Landsat images from 2001 and 2016, red dots indicate terminus position, Point A, B, C and D are in fixed locations. 

Sjögren Glacier flows east from the northern Antarctic Peninsula and prior to the 1980’s was a principal feeder glacier to Prince Gustav Ice Shelf.  This 1600 square kilometer ice shelf disintegrated in the mid-1990’s and was gone in 1995 (Cook and Vaughan, 2010). Scambos et al (2014) noted a widespread thinning and retreat of Northern Antarctic Peninsula Glaciers with the greatest changes where ice shelf collapse had occurred, Sjögren Glacier being one of the locations. Scambos et al (2004) first documented the acceleration of glaciers that fed an ice shelf after ice shelf loss in the Larsen B region. A new paper by Seehaus et al (2016)  focuses on long term velocity change at Sjögren Glacier as it continues to retreat.  This study illustrates the acceleration is long lived with a peak velocity of 2.8 m/day in 2007 declining to 1.4 m/day in 2014, compared to a 1996 velocity of  0.7 m/day, which was likely already higher than the velocity in years prior to ice shelf breakup. Here we examine Landsat images from 1990, 2001, 2005 and 2016 to illustrate changes in terminus position of Sjögren Glacier

In the 1990 Landsat image Sjögren Glacier feed directly into the Prince Gustav ice Shelf which then By 1993 Seehaus et al (2016) note that Sjögren Glacier had retreated to the mouth of Sjögren Inlet in 1993, this is marked Point A on Landsat Images. By 2001 the glacier had retreated to Point B,  a distance of 7 km.  Between 2001 and 2005 Sjögren Glacier retreat led to a separation from Boydell Glacier at Point C.  In 2016 Sjögren Glacier had retreated 10-11 km from the 2001 location, and 4.5 km from Point C up the expanding fjord. The production of icebergs remains heavy and the inlet does not narrow for another 6 km from the front.  Seehaus et al (2016) Figure 1  indicates that the area of high velocity over 1 m/day extends 1 km upglacier, with somewhat of a slowdown at 6 km behind the front. The high velocity and limited change in fjord width in the lower 6 km indicates there is not a new pinning point to slow retreat appreciably in this stretch. Figure 1 also illustrates the retreat from 1993-2014. The pattern of ice shelf loss and glacier retreat after loss has also played out at Jones Ice Shelf and Rohss Bay.

sjogren glacier 1990

1990 Landsat Image of Sjogren Glacier and Prince Gustav Ice Shelf, terminus marked by red dots

sjogren 2005

2005 Landsat Image of Sjogren Glacier, terminus marked by red dots

 

Chaupi Orko Glaciers, Bolivia Extensive Recession

On By mspeltoIn bolivia glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat

chaupi orko compare

Landsat comparison of the Chaupi Orko Glaciers from 1988, 1999 and 2015.  Red arrows indicate 1988 terminus and yellow arrows the 2015 terminus location.

Chaupi Orko is a 6044 m Andean peak in the Cordillera Apolobamba on the Peru-Bolivia border with glaciers radiating from it summit.  Here we examine a pair of glaciers on the southern side of the mountain that drain into Laguna Suches, which is split by the Bolivia-Peru border. Laguna Suches is most known for placer gold mining. Glaciers in Bolivia have been experiencing substantial retreat during the last 40 years, such as at Nevada Cololo. The glaciers of the Apolobamba have lost 48% of their area from 1975-2006 (Hoffmann, 2012). Hoffmann and Weggenmann (2012) observed both the extensive retreat, new lake formation, and the potential problem of glacier lake outbursts in this region, which is part of the Apolobamba Integrated Natural Management Area. In a continuation of these studies an excellent study in review by Cook et al (2016) indicates a 43% decline in glacier area in the Cordillera Apolobamba from 1986 to 2014. They identified a total of 25 lakes with some risk of GLOF, though historic occurrences to date in the area are few. They further found an decrease in proglacial lakes in contact with glaciers during this period. The glaciers here are summer accumulation type with the ablation occurring during the dry season from May-October .

In 1988 the southwest Chaupi Orko Glacier (W), red arrow, does not have a proglacial lake at its terminus. The southern Chuapi Orko Glacier (S) ends adjacent to a small lake east of the terminus, red arrow. By 1999 a small proglacial lake has formed at the terminus of the southwest Chaupi Orko Glacier. The southern Chaupi Orko Glacier has receded 350 m. By 2015 the southwest Chaupi Orko Glacier (W) has retreated to the yellow arrow, with the proglacial lake having expanded to an area of 0.35-0.4 square kilometers. Retreat of the west glacier has ranged from 500 to 800 m. The southern Chaupi Orko Glacier has retreated 600 m exposing two new small proglacial lakes that it has since largely retreated from. The lakes are narrow and too small to be a Glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) threat. This particular basin does not pose a GLOF threat with no substantial lake below the south glacier and only the small, apparently shallow lake below the west glacier.   A small island in the midst of the lake, suggests lake not very deep. The west glacier has a calving face enhancing retreat (IC).Neither glacier indicates significant thinning higher on the glacier, suggests limited melting.  This is a region of significant ablation via sublimation vs melting, which is not as efficient a process for mass loss and is enhanced during La Nina periods (Vuille et al, 2008). The reduction of glacier area does lead to declines in glacier runoff, which will have a more widespread impact.

chaupi orko esri

Small island amidst proglacial lake from the west glacier, also ice cliff noted.
Apolobamba ge

Google Earth image of the Chaupi Orco region.

Rainbow Glacier Not Fading Away, Glacier National Park

On By mspeltoIn glacier climate change, Glacier Observations1 Comment

Rainbow Glacier is the third largest of the 25 remaining glaciers in Glacier National Park occupying an east facing cirque between 2650 m and 2330 m. The glacier drains into Quartz Lake a key lake for bull trout in GNP, which are threatened by both invasive lake trout and climate change (Jones et al, 2013).  The National Park Serice and USGS have been established a glacier monitoring program that focuses on repeat photography, mass balance observations on Sperry Glacier and area change. GNP has lost the majority of the 150 glaciers that existed. The USGS reports that Rainbow Glacier had an area of 1.28 square kilometers in 1966 declining to 1.16 square kilometers in 2005, a 9.3% reduction. Has this slow rate of retreat continued? Here we examine Google Earth imagery from 1990-2013 and imagery taken by John Scurlock  compiled by Glaciers of the American West at Portland State University,

In the Google Earth images from 1990, 2003 and 2013 the margin of the glacier in 1990 is in red and from 2003 is in orange. The margin of the glacier from 1990 to 2003 indicates modest recession averaging 25-30 m along the glacier front.  This is part of the 9.3 % area loss noted by the USGS.  In 2013 there is too much snowcover to identify the glacier boundary, glacier ice is exposed providing a minimum extent at the green dots.  A comparison of 1990, 2005  and 2009 images, the latter from John Scurlock indicates the two primary terminus lobes.  From 1990 to 2005 the southern lobe retreated 45 m and the northern lobe 25-30 m. There is not a significant change in either lobe from 2005 to 2009. The 2003, 2005 and 2009 imagery does indicate a low percentage of retained snowcover.  This is the accumulation area ratio.  Persistent low values indicate a glacier that cannot survive.  In the case of Rainbow Glacier the accumulation area ratio is sufficient in most years to limit volume losses. In 2015 low snowpack exposed the terminus area,by late August the glacier still had 40% snowcover, indicating a negative mass balance, but not excessively negative.  Glacier area updated to 2015 using the Landsat image the area is now between 1.00 and 1.10 square kilometers an approximately 20% area loss in 50 years. It is evident that this is the only late summer area of snow-ice in the watershed and is particularly crucial to the water budget in late summer and early fall. The slow retreat of the glacier is good for the bull trout in the watershed, Rieman et al (2007) indicated the sensitivity of the trout to stream temperatures.  Glacier both increase flow and reduce stream temperature late in the summer. This is one glacier in the park that will not disappear by 2030 as has been often forecast.  It will join Harrison Glacier in this category, while other glaciers in GNP continue to disappear.

rainbow 1990 t

1990 Google Earth image with two main terminus lobes indicated by red arrows. 

rainbow 2005

2005 Google Earth image of Rainbow Glacier. 

rainbow glacier 2009 scurlock

2009 John Scurlock image of Rainbow Glacier. 

Lamplugh Glacier Recent Behavior and Landslide Source Area, Alaska

On By mspeltoIn alaska glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Lamplugh Glacier before and after landslide, in Landsat 8 images, which is 7.5 km long and covers 17 square kilometers. L=Lamplugh, R=Reid and B=Brady Glacier.

A recent large landslide onto Lamplight Glacier on June 28, 2016 has been reported by KHNS.  The landslide was triggered on the north slope of a steep unnamed mountainside on the west side of the Lamplugh Glacier, Glacier Bay, Alaska. The landslide has been estimated at  120 million tons by Colin Stark from Lamont Doherty .  The region has been experiencing substantial retreat and glacier thinning such as on Brady Glacier,  McBride Glacier. and Muir Glacier Loso et al (2014).   However retreat on Lamplugh Glacier has been minimal since 1985, with USGS photographs from 1941 and 2003 indicating a 0.5 km advance.  The glacier terminus in the last decade has thinned, narrowed and begun a slow limited retreat.The thinning of the glacier has been mapped by University of Alaska Fairbanks aerial flights since 1995 (Johsnon et al, 2013).  They found from 1995 to 2011 that Lamplugh Glacier lost the least ice thickness per year compared to neighbors Ried and Brady Glacier, at -0.32 m/year, Ried at  -0.5 m/year and Brady Glacier at -1.4 m/year Loso et al (2014).  Because the glacier has been receding less than the neighbors it is not a natural choice for a retreat/thinning driven landslide.  The snowline that is shared with Brady Glacier has risen 150 m during the 2003-2015 period  (Pelto et al, 2013).  This indicates increased melting at higher elevations.  The greater melting on the north face of the failed slope could be a factor in the landslide. Southeast Alaska had its warmest spring ever this year, which is leading to higher area snowlines for this time of year on glaciers as noted at this blog three weeks ago on Brady Glacier.  The North American Freezing Level Tracker notes an average freezing line 35 m above the mean  for 1948-2015 and the highest on record in 2016 averaging nearly 1300 m.

lamplugh compare

Landsat image comparison of Lamplugh Glacier 1985, 2013, 2015 and 2016.  The orange arrows indicate extensive surface moraine deposits.  purple arrows the region below the slope where landslide was triggered.  Point B trigger location and Point A a nearby cloud free location in each image.

A comparison of Landsat images indicates the trigger location Point B, with Point A being a location that is not cloud covered in any image for reference. The landslide through thin clouds is marked  by purple arrows and purple dots on the July 6, 2016 image. The landslide extends approximately 9 km down glacier from the trigger site.  Orange arrows indicate locations of extensive medial moraines due to erosion and possibly previous landslides.  It is apparent that these areas stem from he west side of the glacier lower on the glacier than the current landslide trigger area.  This area has not been the source of significant surface debris in the last 30+ years.  Pelto et al (2013) noted that the snowline on neighboring Brady Glacier has risen by 150 m, this is the most pronounced impact of climate change to date for Lamplugh Glacier.  The rising rate of landslides has been tied to increase melt in the Swiss Alps as permafrost on rock faces thaws. This post will be updated when clear Landsat imagery is available.

lamplugh ge copy

USGS Topographic map of the region overlay in Google Earth.  Point B is the trigger point.
bargraph
Freezing Level Tracker for Glacier Bay, AK

 

McBride Glacier Increased Retreat and Harbor Seals, Glacier Bay, Alaska

On By mspeltoIn alaska glacier retreat1 Comment

mcbride compare

McBride Glacier (M), its secondary terminus (Ms), MCbride Inelt (MI) and Riggs Glacier (R) in Landsat image comparison from 1985 and 2015.  The red arrows indicate the 1985 terminus location and the yellow arrows the 2015 terminus location.  Main terminus 4.4 km retreat, secondary terminus 2.7 km retreat.

McBride Glacier was part of the Muir Glacier complex in Glacier Bay, Alaska, until the 1960’s when it separated from Muir and adjacent Riggs Glacier.  Riggs Glacier and Muir Glacier are no longer calving tidewater glaciers, while McBride has continues to terminate in a tidewater inlet.  Riggs Glacier’s retreat from the sea was complete by 2009.The continued rapid retreat of McBride Glacier is enhanced by calving. Calving generates icebergs, the number of icebergs has had a direct relationship with number of harbor seals. The number of harbor seals observed has declined substantially in Glacier Bay since 1993 (Glacier Bay NPS).  In particular the population has declined in front of Muir Glacier which no longer calves, while a smaller population has remained in front of McBride Glacier (Womble et al, 2010).  Here we examine Landsat imagery from 1985 to 2015 to quantify the retreat and estimate how long until this glacier too will no longer calve.

Inn 1985 the main glacier terminated 1.3 km from Muir Inlet, with a narrow connecting stream to Muir Inlet.  The secondary terminus extended west down a separate valley, 3.75 km from the main glacier nearly reached the Riggs Glacier. The snowline was at 900 m.  By 1996 the main terminus had retreated 1.1 km, and the connection with Muir Inlet had expanded to 200 m.  The secondary terminus had narrowed but still nearly reached Riggs Glacier. There are two tributaries from the east at purple arrows connected to main glacier. By 2013 the glacier has retreated an additional 2.0 km and reached a northward turn in the inlet, The secondary terminus had mostly disappeared extending only 1.25 km from the main glacier.  The eastern tributaries, purple arrows, had both retreated and detached from main glacier. By 2015 the glacier had retreated 4.4 km since 1985 including 1.3 km since 2013.  The glacier now terminates at the head of a 6 km long inlet. The glacier is still actively calving, which is good for the harbor seals.  However, a small icefall 0.8-1.1 km from the current terminus indicates a possible location for the end of the tidewater portion of this valley, note orange arrow in Google Earth image below. The retreat of the secondary terminus has been 2.7 km during this same period, without any calving. In 2013 and 2015 the snow line was above 1000 m, which as on nearby Brady Glacier is well above the equilibrium average which will continue to drive retreat Pelto et al, 2013).  In 2016 southeast Alaska has had its hottest spring, which will continue this chapter.

Counting harbor seals is a task completed by the Glacier Bay NPS, they follow two populations the larger in John Hopkins Inlet off of Glacier Bay and the other in Glacier Bay proper.  Both have declined by over 80% since 1992.  In 2009 there were 200 harbor seals in McBride inlet Glacier Bay NPS.  Glaciers are part of the local ecosystem where they exist, glacier changes do result in broader ecosystem changes, in this case harbor seals is one monitored example.  The NPS prepares annual reports on glacier change in the region and notes widespread thinning in the region since 1995 and a 15% decline in glacier area in the last half century Loso et al (2014). The team of N.Loso, A.Arendt, C Larsen, N.Murphy and J.Rich have produced annual reports in recent years with valuable detail on changes of glaciers across Alaskan National Parks.

mcbride Glacier 2013

1996 Landsat image indicating terminus positions from 1985, read arrow and 2015 yellow arrow.  The purple arrow indicates tributaries attached to main glacier.

mcbride Glacier 1996

2013 Landsat image indicating terminus positions from 1985, read arrow and 2015 yellow arrow.  The purple arrow indicates tributaries detached from main glacier.

mcbride ge

2014 Google Earth image indicating the icefall in relation to 2014 terminus.  The icefall has increased calving and a 100 m increase in elevation.  This is certainly a location where the valley bottom rises, and may be the end of the tidewater reach of the inlet.

Conducting Long Term Annual Glacier Monitoring

On By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, North Cascade Glaciers

2015 time lapse easton

Easton Glacier in 1990, 2003 and 2015 from same location. Below Painting by Jill Pelto of crevasse assessment using a camline.

camline

This is the story of how you develop and conduct a long term glacier monitoring program.  We have been monitoring the annual mass balance of Easton Glacier on Mount Baker, a stratovolcano in the North Cascade Range, Washington since 1990.  This is one of nine glaciers we are continuing to monitor, seven of which have a 32 year long record. The initial exploration done in the pre-internet days required visiting libraries to look at topographic maps and buying a guide book to trails for the area.  This was followed by actual letters, not much email then, to climbers who had explored the glacier in the past, for old photographs.  Armed with photographs and maps we then determined where to locate base camp and how to access the glacier.  The first year is always a test to make sure logistically you can reach enough of the glacier to actually complete the mass balance work with a sufficiently representative network of measurement sites.  The second test is if you can stand the access hike, campsite, and glacier navigation, to do this every year for decades; if the answer is no, move on.  That was the case on Boulder Glacier, also on Mount Baker:  poor trail conditions and savage bugs, were the primary issue. Next we return to the glacier at the same time each year, completing the same measurements each year averaging 210 measurements of snow depth or snow melt annually.  This occurs whether it is gorgeous and sunny, hot, cold, snowy, rainy, or recently on this glacier dealing with thunderstorms.  You wake up, have your oatmeal and coffee/cider/tea, and get to work.  Lunch on the snow features bagels, dried fruit, and trail mix. Happy hour features tang or hot chocolate depending on the weather.  It is then couscous, rice, pasta or quinoa for dinner, with some added dried vegetable or avocado.  The sun goes behind a mountain ridge and temperatures fall, and the tent is the haven until the sun returns.  Repeat this 130 times on this glacier and you have a 25 year record. During this period the glacier has lost 16.1 m of water equivalent thickness, almost 18 m of thickness.  For a glacier that averaged 70 m in thickness this is nearly 25% of the volume of the glacier gone.  The glacier has not maintained sufficient snow cover at the end of the summer to have a positive balance, this is the accumulation area ratio, note below.  The glacier has retreated 315 m from 1990-2015.  This data is reported annually to the World Glacier Monitoring Service.  The glacier has also slowed its movement as it has thinned, evidenced by a reduction in number of crevasses. During this time we have collaborated with researchers examining the ice worms, soil microbes/chemistry, and weather conditions on the ice. This glacier supplies runoff to Baker Lake and its associated hydropower projects.  Our annual measurements here and on Rainbow Glacier and Lower Curtis Glacier in the same watershed provide a direct assessment of the contribution of glaciers to Baker Lake.  The glacier is adjacent to Deming Glacier, which supplies water to Bellingham, WA. The Deming is too difficult to access, and we use the Easton Glacier to understand timing and magnitude of glacier runoff from Deming Glacier.

The glacier terminates at an elevation of 1650 m, but thinning and marginal retreat extends much higher.  A few areas of bedrock have begun to emerge from beneath the ice as high as 2200 m. The changes in ice thickness are minor above 2500 m, indicating this glacier can retreat to a new equilibrium point with current climate.

Mass balance, terminus and supra glacial stream assessment are illustrated in the video, Filmed by Mauri Pelto, Jill Pelto, Melanie Gajewski, with music from Scott Powers.

easton 2010
Mass balance Map in 2010 of Easton Glacier used in the field for reference in following years. 

easton aar

Accumulation Area Ratio/Mass balance relationship for Easton Glacier

Suatisi Glacier Retreat, Mount Kazbek, Georgia

On By mspeltoIn Caucasus Glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Suatisi compare

Comparison of Suatisi Vost (SV) and Suatisi Sredny (SS) in 1986 and 2015 Landsat images.  The red arrow is the 1986 terminus and the yellow arrows the 2015 terminus.  Point A and B are to areas of expanding bedrock amidst the glacier. 

Suatisi Vost and Suatisi Sredny Glacier are two glaciers on the south flank of Mount Kazbek in northern Georgia.  The region is prone to landslides and debris flows. On September 20, 2002 a collapse of a hanging glacier from the slope of Mt Dzhimarai-Khokh onto the Kolka glacier triggered an avalanche of ice and debris that went over the Maili Glacier terminus then slid over 15 miles (NASA Earth Observatory, 2002). It buried small villages in the Russian Republic of North Ossetia, killing dozens of people. The glacier runoff from Suatisi Glacier supplies the Terek River, which has a hydropower project under construction.  The Dariali Hydroplant will have an installed capacity of 108 MW and is a run of river type plant near Stepantsminda, Georgia. This plant has suffered from two landslides in 2014 (Glacier Hub, 2014) that jeopardize its completion.

Shagadenova et al (2014) examined glaciers in the Caucasus mountains and found that from 1999/2001 and 2010/2012 total glacier area decreased by 4.7%. They also noted that recession rates of valley glacier termini increased between 1987– 2000 and 2001–2010, with the latter period featuring retreats averaging over 10 m/year.  A positive trend in summer temperatures forced glacier recession (Shagadenova et al 2014). Here we examine changes in Suatisi Glacier from 1986 to 2015 with Landsat imagery.

In 1986 Suatisi Vost western side terminates at the top of deep canyon, red arrow.  The eastern side of the terminus is on a flatter till plain.  The area around Point B is all glacier ice.  Suastisi Sredny terminates near the end of the valley it occupies in 1986.  In the 2001 image a large debris flow/landslide has covered the eastern margin of Suatisi Vost surrounding the area of Point B, black arrow in 2001 image below.  By 2010 the Google Earth image indicates significant retreat of Suatisi Vost and the debris flow below point B is a light gray color. The bedrock at Point B has expanded.   By 2015 Suatisi Vost terminus has retreated 350 m since 1986, what is just as evident is the loss in width of the terminus in the 1986-2015 side by side comparison. Suatisi Sredny has retreated 450 m.  The snowline is at an elevation of 3750-3800 m in 1986, 2010 and 2015. With the terminus at 3250 m and the highest elevation at 3950-4000 m, this is too high to sustain the glacier at its current size and retreat will continue. The debris cover has reached the terminus on the east side of the glacier by 2015. The changes are the same across the border in Russia, for example Lednik Midagrabin.

suatisi ge

2010 Google Earth image of Suatisi Vost and Suatisi Sredny.  

suatisi 2001

2001 Landsat image indicating the landslide covering surface of Suatisi Vost.

suatisi j2015

2015 Landsat image indicates Landslide deposit evolution, with movement downglacier and retreat, it is now close to the ice front on the east side of the margin.