Rankl M, Braun M (2016)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Journal article, Original article
Publication year: 2016
Publisher: International Glaciological Society
Book Volume: 51
Pages Range: 273-281
Journal Issue: 71
URI: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/igsoc/agl/pre-prints/content-ings_agl_71a024
Snow cover and glaciers in the Karakoram region are important freshwater resources for many down-river communities as they provide water for irrigation and hydropower. A better understanding of current glacier changes is hence an important informational baseline. We present glacier elevation changes in the central Karakoram region using TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR DEM differences between 2000 and 2012. We calculated elevation differences for glaciers with advancing and stable termini or surge-type glaciers separately using an inventory from a previous study. Glaciers with stable and advancing termini since the 1970s showed nearly balanced elevation changes of –0.09 ± 0.12 m a–1 on average or mass budgets of –0.01 ± 0.02 Gt a–1 (using a density of 850 kg m–3). Our findings are in accordance with previous studies indicating stable or only slightly negative glacier mass balances during recent years in the Karakoram. The high-resolution elevation changes revealed distinct patterns of mass relocation at glacier surfaces during active surge cycles. The formation of kinematic waves at quiescent surge-type glaciers could be observed and points towards future active surge behaviour. Our study reveals the potential of the TanDEM-X mission to estimate geodetic glacier mass balances, but also points to still existing uncertainties induced by the geodetic method.
APA:
Rankl, M., & Braun, M. (2016). Glacier elevation and mass changes over the central Karakoram region estimated from TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR digital elevation models. Annals of Glaciology, 51(71), 273-281. https://dx.doi.org/10.3189/2016AoG71A024
MLA:
Rankl, Melanie, and Matthias Braun. "Glacier elevation and mass changes over the central Karakoram region estimated from TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR digital elevation models." Annals of Glaciology 51.71 (2016): 273-281.
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