FINAL REPORT

of the


WORKSHOP ON LONG-TERM MONITORING OF GLACIERS OF

NORTH AMERICA AND NORTHWESTERN EUROPE

 

(Convened at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA on 11-13 September 1996)


Workshop Coordinators: Richard S. Williams, Jr., and Jane G. Ferrigno, USGS

 


USGS OPEN-FILE REPORT 98-31

1997


INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPATION:

. Environment Canada

. Environmental Research Institute of Michigan

. Geological Survey of Canada

. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland

. International Glaciological Society

. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

. French Space Agency

. National Energy Authority (Iceland)

. Portland State University

. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

. University of Alaska

. U.S. Department of the Interior

. University of Colorado

. University of Oslo (Norway)

. University of Wales (U.K.)

. University of Zürich-Irchel (Switzerland)


USGS

Woods Hole, MA 02543

1997

Sponsored by: Global Change and Climate History Program, Geologic Division, USGS


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Executive Summary

Workshop recommendations

Introduction

History of USGS Involvement in Glacier Studies

Climate Change and Variations in the Earth's Cryosphere

Reviews and Assessment of USGS Glaciology Programs

Objectives and Rationale for the Workshop

Participating Institutions

Structure of the Workshop

Acknowledgments

Long-Term Monitoring of Glaciers of North America and Northwestern Europe: Workshop Summaries and Abstracts


I. Existing Data Bases and Current Status for Monitoring Glaciers of North America and Northwestern Europe

ALASKA

Data Base and Geographical Perspective for Monitoring 28 Glaciers of Alaska
by Dennis C. Trabant, USGS, with contributions from Carl S. Benson and Keith Echelmeyer, University of Alaska, and Phil Brease and James Roush, National Park Service.

CANADA

The Canadian Glacier Variations Monitoring and Assessment Network: Status and Future Perspectives
by Michael N.Demuth, National Hydrology Research Institute (Canada).

Status of Glacier Monitoring in the Canadian Arctic
by Roy M. Koerner, Geological Survey of Canada.

Monitoring and Inventorying the Glaciers of Canada: An Historical Review and Personal Comments
by C. Simon, L. Ommanney, International Glaciological Society.

CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES

Status of Glacier Monitoring and the Remote Sensing Snow and Ice-Data Base in the Conterminous USA
by Robert M. Krimmel, USGS.

GREENLAND

Status of Glacier Monitoring of Greenland
by Anker Weidick, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Denmark).

ICELAND

Glacier Monitoring in Iceland: The Glacier Variation Data Set of the Iceland Glaciological Society
by Oddur Sigurðsson, National Energy Authority (Iceland).

NORWAY AND SWEDEN

Status of Ground-Based Glacier Monitoring in Scandinavia and Svalbard
by Jon Ove Hagen, University of Oslo (Norway).

HIGH ARCTIC

Arctic Ice Masses, Recent Climate Change, and Implications for Global Sea Level
by Julien A. Dowdeswell, University of Wales, Centre for Glaciology

II. Current and Planned Remote Sensing Technology for Monitoring Glaciers

Monitoring Glaciers with Airborne and Spaceborne Laser Altimetry
by James B. Garvin, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Satellite Remote Sensing (Imaging)
by Dorothy K. Hall, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Use of Upcoming Satellite Technology
by Hugh H. Kieffer, USGS

Glacier Monitoring Using Classified National Systems
by Edward G. Josberger, USGS

An Overview of LightSAR; A Proposed Radar Satellite
by James W. Schoonmaker, Jr., USGS

Monitoring of Glaciers: The NASA Pathfinder Program
by David A. Kirtland, USGS

Measurement of Changes in the Area and Volume of the Earth's Large Glaciers with Satellite Sensors
by Richard S. Williams, Jr., USGS; James B. Garvin, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Oddur Sigurðsson, National Energy Authority (Iceland); Dorothy K. Hall, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; and Jane G. Ferrigno, USGS

III. International Data Centers for Archiving Ground, Airborne, and Satellite Data of Glaciers

Data Management for Long-Term Monitoring of Fluctuations of Glaciers of North America and Northwestern Europe
by Greg Scharfen, National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center-A for Glaciology, John L. Dwyer, EROS Data Center, and Stephan Suter, World Glacier Monitoring Service/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

The World Glacier Monitoring Service
by Wilfried Haeberli, University of Zürich-Irchel, and Martin Hoelzle and Stephan Suter, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

IV. Monitoring of Various Glaciers in North America and Northwestern Europe: Miscellaneous Contributions

Determination of Changes in the Volume of Mountain Glaciers Using Airborne Laser Altimetry
by Keith Echelmeyer, William D. Harrison, Joseph J. Sapiano, Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir, Laurence Sombardier,Bernard T. Rabus, and Jeannette (De Mallie) Gorda, University of Alaska-Geophysical Institute

The Mass of McCall Glacier. Its Regional Relevance and Climatological Implications for Climate Change in the Arctic
by Bernard T. Rabus and Keith Echelmeyer, University of Alaska-Geophysical Institute

Remote Sensing of Glacier Fluctuations Using Landsat Data: Lessons Learned
by John L. Dwyer, EROS Data Center

Glacier Recession and Ecological Implications at Glacier National Park, Montana
by Carl H. Key, Starr Johnson, and Daniel B. Fagre, USGS, and Richard K. Menicke, National Park Service

Glacier Monitoring in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska: Integrating Field Study and Remote Sensing
by James Roush and Phil Brease, National Park Service

An Integrated Approach for Monitoring Changes at Bering Glacier, Alaska
by Bruce F. Molnia and Austin Post, USGS

V. Appendices

  1. Planned Agenda for Workshop on Monitoring Fluctuations of Glaciers of North America and Northwestern Europe
  2. List of Attendees
  3. List of Invitees Who Were Unable to Attend
  4. Selected Background Reading [Pre-Workshop]
  5. Selected Reading [Post-Workshop]
  6. Importance of Revitalization of the USGS Glaciology Program, by Robert A. Bindschadler, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
  7. Review of Past, Present, and Future Earth Observing Platforms (USGS Biological Resources Division)
  8. Available Data from the World Glacier Monitoring Service
  9. How to Get Data from the World Glacier Monitoring Service
  10. International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) Priority Projects, Core Groups and Networks

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