southeast alaska network inventory and monitoring program glacier dynamics glacier bay national park...
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Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Glacier Dynamics
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Justification
• Integrate weather, hydrology, landscapes, provide visitor opportunities
• “raison d’etre”• “Determine changes in
glacial extent and configuration of selected glaciers in GLBA and KLGO.”
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Alaska NPS Glacier Inventory and Change Assessment
1. Map change in areal extent in the 1950’s and 2000’s
2. Estimate volume changes over various time periods (~1995 – 2011)
3. More thoroughly characterize 1-3 “focus glaciers” per park
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Areal ExtentAnthony Arendt - UAF
• Glaciation in GLBA diminished 11% (from 53.5 to 48.4%) between 1952 and 2010
• Datasets describing physical characteristics of each glacier are in development (length, width, slope, area, elevation).
• Methods: image processing, digitizing, and watershed modelingSoutheast Alaska Network
Inventory and Monitoring Program
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Volume ChangeChris Larsen - UAF
• Found negative glacier-wide mass balance rates with 5 exceptions.
• Thinning was greatest on Grand Pacific 2001-2009 (1.99 m/yr)
• Methods: existing altimetry profiles extrapolated glacier-wide using best available DEM
• Will project to additional glaciers beyond those directly measured
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
What we’re learning
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
2000-2005
2000-2009
Volume change by elevation
Focus GlaciersMike Loso - APU
• Demonstrate unique ways in which A) glaciers change in response to climate, and B) landscapes respond to glacier change.
• Focuses on interpretation and synthesis.
• Narratives, photos, maps will be presented as “vignettes”.
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Focus Glaciers
• Brady – Remote tidewater with very low-elev accum. zone
• Margerie– Cruise-ship visible, tidewater, high-elev accum. zone
• Muir– Formerly tidewater with spectacular retreat history
• Nourse– Outside park, moraine-dammed threatens infrastructure
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Logistics and Budget
• 10 year revisit schedule• Current project
– 3 years, $400,000 statewide– Multiple investigators, minimal fieldwork– Methods and technology are feasible but developing
rapidly– Dependent on quality of available remotely sensed
data and DEMs
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
What we’re learning
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
• Ability to tell a more complete story• Drawing multiple partners together
Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program
Program Delivery
• GIS data will be in PDS, and IRMA, and GLIMS, and GINA
• First progress report headed to IRMA• Poster presented at SW AK Parks
Symposium• Reports and presentations are on W drive• Protocol status = pending outcomes
