Thickness estimation of the Longbasaba Glacier: methods and application |
| |
Authors: | GuangLi He JunFeng Wei Xin Wang |
| |
Institution: | 1.School of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411100, China;2.State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Ecology and Environmental Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China |
| |
Abstract: | A total of 71,177 glaciers exist on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, according to the Randolph Glacier Inventory (RGI 6.0). Despite their large number, glacier ice thickness data are relatively scarce. This study utilizes digital elevation model data and ground-penetrating radar thickness measurements to estimate the distribution and variation of ice thickness of the Longbasaba Glacier using Glacier bed Topography (GlabTop), a full-width expansion model, and the Huss and Farinotti (HF) model. Results show that the average absolute deviations of GlabTop, the full-width expansion model, and the HF model are 9.8, 15.5, and 10.9 m, respectively, indicating that GlabTop performs the best in simulating glacier thickness distribution. During 1980-2015, the Longbasaba Glacier thinned by an average of 7.9±1.3 m or 0.23±0.04 m/a, and its ice volume shrunk by 0.28±0.04 km3 with an average reduction rate of 0.0081±0.0001 km3/a. In the investigation period, the area and volume of Longbasaba Lake expanded at rates of 0.12±0.01 km2/a and 0.0132±0.0018 km3/a, respectively. This proglacial lake could potentially extend up to 5,000 m from the lake dam. |
| |
Keywords: | Longbasaba Glacier ice thickness distribution ice volume change glacial lake retention role glacial lake expansion |
|
| 点击此处可从《寒旱区科学》浏览原始摘要信息 |
| 点击此处可从《寒旱区科学》下载免费的PDF全文 |
|