Measuring and inferring the ice thickness distribution of four glaciers in the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan
Van Tricht L, Huybrechts P, Van Breedam J, Fürst J, Rybak O, Satylkanov R, Ermenbaiev B, Popovnin V, Neyns R, Paice CM, Malz P (2021)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2021
Journal
Book Volume: 67
Pages Range: 269-286
Journal Issue: 262
DOI: 10.1017/jog.2020.104
Abstract
Glaciers in the Tien Shan mountains contribute considerably to the fresh water used for irrigation, households and energy supply in the dry lowland areas of Kyrgyzstan and its neighbouring countries. To date, reconstructions of the current ice volume and ice thickness distribution remain scarce, and accurate data are largely lacking at the local scale. Here, we present a detailed ice thickness distribution of Ashu-Tor, Bordu, Golubin and Kara-Batkak glaciers derived from radio-echo sounding measurements and modelling. All the ice thickness measurements are used to calibrate three individual models to estimate the ice thickness in inaccessible areas. A cross-validation between modelled and measured ice thickness for a subset of the data is performed to attribute a weight to every model and to assemble a final composite ice thickness distribution for every glacier. Results reveal the thickest ice on Ashu-Tor glacier with values up to 201 ± 12 m. The ice thickness measurements and distributions are also compared with estimates composed without the use of in situ data. These estimates approach the total ice volume well, but local ice thicknesses vary substantially.
Authors with CRIS profile
Johannes Fürst
Institut für Geographie
Philipp Malz
Professur für Geographie (Fernerkundung und GIS)
Involved external institutions
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Belgium (BE)
National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan (NAN KR) / Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences
Kyrgyzstan (KG)
Lomonosov Moscow State University / Московский государственный университет имени М.В.Ломоносова
Russian Federation (RU)
Belgium (BE)
National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan (NAN KR) / Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences
Kyrgyzstan (KG)
Lomonosov Moscow State University / Московский государственный университет имени М.В.Ломоносова
Russian Federation (RU)
How to cite
APA:
Van Tricht, L., Huybrechts, P., Van Breedam, J., Fürst, J., Rybak, O., Satylkanov, R.,... Malz, P. (2021). Measuring and inferring the ice thickness distribution of four glaciers in the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan. Journal of Glaciology, 67(262), 269-286. https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.104
MLA:
Van Tricht, Lander, et al. "Measuring and inferring the ice thickness distribution of four glaciers in the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan." Journal of Glaciology 67.262 (2021): 269-286.
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