Abstract:The Susitna River draining from the highly glacierized Central Alaska Range has repeatedly been considered a potential hydro-power source in recent decades, raising questions about the effect of glacier changes on the basin's river runoff. We determine changes in the glacier area , elevation (1951-2010, 1951-2005 and 2005-2010), equilibrium line altitude (ELA, 1999(ELA, -2015, and accumulation area ratio (AAR, 1999(AAR, -2015 This study focuses on the glaciers in the Susitna River basin in the Central Alaska Range (Figure 1), and aims to merge data from various satellite and airborne products in order to examine glacier changes during the period 1951-2015. The study area was initially chosen because the Susitna River has been Remote Sens. 2017, 9, 478; doi:10.3390/rs9050478 www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing Remote Sens. 2017, 9, 478 2 of 17 subject to plans for hydro-power extraction for several decades [9][10][11]; however, these projects are no longer being pursued. We determine the glacier area changes between 1951 and 2010, glacier elevation changes, and mass losses for the periods 1951-2005, 2005-2010, and 1951-2010. Additionally, we derive annual late summer snow line altitudes as an approximation for the equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) and determine the accumulation area ratios (AARs) for the period 1999-2015. These variables provide valuable proxies to assess the response of glaciers to climate change [12][13][14].Remote Sens. 2017, 8, 478 2 of 15 projects are no longer being pursued. We determine the glacier area changes between 1951 and 2010, glacier elevation changes, and mass losses for the periods 1951-2005, 2005-2010, and 1951-2010. Additionally, we derive annual late summer snow line altitudes as an approximation for the equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) and determine the accumulation area ratios (AARs) for the period 1999-2015. These variables provide valuable proxies to assess the response of glaciers to climate change [12][13][14].