From Doktor Kurowski's Schneegrenze to our modern glacier equilibrium line altitude (ELA)

Braithwaite, Roger J.

doi:10.5194/tc-9-2135-2015

Cited by 25 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…We follow the approach of Braithwaite and Raper (2010) in using the median altitude of each glacier, information available in the RGI, to estimate the ELA of glaciers in our sample. Such an approach is most appropriate for glaciers in a state of balanced mass budget (Braithwaite and Raper, 2010;Braithwaite, 2015); thus the ELA estimates produced using this method could be considered an underestimate of modern-day ELAs given the negative state of mass balance of the majority of Himalayan glaciers. However, without measured mass balance records of adequate length against which to compare this or other (Braithwaite, 2015) ELA estimation methods, we take it as the best available approach.…”

Section: Estimation Of Elasmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such an approach is most appropriate for glaciers in a state of balanced mass budget (Braithwaite and Raper, 2010;Braithwaite, 2015); thus the ELA estimates produced using this method could be considered an underestimate of modern-day ELAs given the negative state of mass balance of the majority of Himalayan glaciers. However, without measured mass balance records of adequate length against which to compare this or other (Braithwaite, 2015) ELA estimation methods, we take it as the best available approach. This is a method that has previously been employed in the Himalayas (Zhao et al, 2016), although we also note that this method cannot account for the input of avalanched material from steep valley walls -a substantial source of accumulation for Himalayan glaciers (Benn and Lehmkuhl, 2000).…”

Section: Estimation Of Elasmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial variability in mass loss of glaciers in the Everest region, central Himalayas, between 2000 and 2015

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Region-wide averaging of Himalayan glacier mass change has masked any catchment or glacier-scale variability in glacier recession; thus the role of a number of glaciological processes in glacier wastage remains poorly understood. In this study, we quantify mass loss rates over the period 2000–2015 for 32 glaciers across the Everest region and assess how future ice loss is likely to differ depending on glacier hypsometry. The mean mass balance of all 32 glaciers in our sample was −0.52 ± 0.22 m water equivalent (w.e.) a−1. The mean mass balance of nine lacustrine-terminating glaciers (−0.70 ± 0.26 m w.e. a−1) was 32 % more negative than land-terminating, debris-covered glaciers (−0.53 ± 0.21 m w.e. a−1). The mass balance of lacustrine-terminating glaciers is highly variable (−0.45 ± 0.13 to −0.91 ± 0.22 m w.e. a−1), perhaps reflecting glacial lakes at different stages of development. To assess the importance of hypsometry on glacier response to future temperature increases, we calculated current (Dudh Koshi – 0.41, Tama Koshi – 0.43, Pumqu – 0.37) and prospective future glacier accumulation area Ratios (AARs). IPCC AR5 RCP 4.5 warming (0.9–2.3 °C by 2100) could reduce AARs to 0.29 or 0.08 in the Tama Koshi catchment, 0.27 or 0.17 in the Dudh Koshi catchment and 0.29 or 0.18 in the Pumqu catchment. Our results suggest that glacial lake expansion across the Himalayas could expedite ice mass loss and the prediction of future contributions of glacial meltwater to river flow will be complicated by spatially variable glacier responses to climate change.

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Section: Estimation Of Elasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Estimation Of Elasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial variability in mass loss of glaciers in the Everest region, central Himalayas, between 2000 and 2015

et al. 2017

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“…Clearly, these examples demonstrate the obvious, which is the calculation of ELA and/or AAR is sensitive to the method chosen to do it (e.g. Braithwaite, 2015).…”

Section: Resolving Equilibrium State Ela and Aarmentioning

confidence: 99%

An 11-year record of mass balance of Brewster Glacier, New Zealand, determined using a geostatistical approach

et al. 2016

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ABSTRACT. Recognising the scarcity of glacier mass-balance data in the Southern Hemisphere, a massbalance measurement programme was started at Brewster Glacier in the Southern Alps of New Zealand in 2004. Evolution of the measurement regime over the 11 years of data recorded means there are differences in the spatial density of data obtained. To ensure the temporal integrity of the dataset a new geostatistical approach is developed to calculate mass balance. Spatial co-variance between elevation and snow depth allows a digital elevation model to be used in a co-kriging approach to develop a snow depth index (SDI). By capturing the observed spatial variability in snow depth, the SDI is a more reliable predictor than elevation and is used to adjust each year of measurements consistently despite variability in sampling spatial density. The SDI also resolves the spatial structure of summer balance better than elevation. Co-kriging is used again to spatially interpolate a derived mean summer balance index using SDI as a co-variate, which yields a spatial predictor for summer balance. The average glacier-wide surface winter, summer and annual balances over the period 2005-15 are 2484, −2586 and −102 mm w.e., respectively, with changes in summer balance explaining most of the variability in annual balance.

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“…Although both of these methods have well‐known drawbacks and operate without the input of glacier mass‐balance and other glaciological information (Benn & Lehmkuhl ; Barr & Spagnolo ), they provide useful ELA estimates, if glacier properties are carefully considered and unsuitable glaciers (such as glaciers with non‐linear mass‐balance gradients) are excluded from the calculation (Loibl et al . ; Braithwaite ). Another problem arises from the present lack of absolute age control on Pleistocene moraines in the study area, and thus it is currently often uncertain whether similar ice‐marginal landforms preserved across neighbouring mountain areas formed during the same glacial period.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Pleistocene glaciations at Lake Donggi Cona, eastern Kunlun Shan (NE Tibet): early maxima and a diminishing trend of glaciation during the last glacial cycle

Rother

Stauch

Loibl

et al. 2017

Boreas

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2017 (July): Late Pleistocene glaciations at Lake Donggi Cona, eastern Kunlun Shan (NE Tibet): early maxima and a diminishing trend of glaciation during the last glacial cycle.The Burhan Budai Shan in NE Tibet represents a key location for examining the variable influence of the midlatitude westerly and monsoonal circulations on late Quaternary glaciations in this sector of the Tibetan Plateau. Our study investigates the glacial history of mountains near Lake Donggi Cona (35°17 0 N, 98°33 0 E) using field mapping in combination with 10 Be surface exposure dating and numerical reconstructions of former glacial equilibrium line altitudes (palaeo-ELA). A set of 23 new exposure ages, collected from moraines in four glacial valleys, ranges from 45 to 190 ka, indicating ice expansion during the early and middle part of the last glacial cycle, and during the penultimate and possibly an earlier Mid-Pleistocene glaciation. Ice advances reaching 12-15 km in length occurred at around 190-180 ka (≥MIS 6), between 140-100 ka (late MIS 6/MIS 5), and 90-65 ka (late MIS 5/early MIS 4), with a maximum ELA depression of 400-500 m below the estimated modern snowline. Exposure ages from the valley headwaters further indicate a small glaciation between c. 60-50 ka (late MIS 4/early MIS 3), which was essentially restricted to the cirque areas. Significantly, we find no evidence for any subsequent glaciation in the area during MIS 2 or the Holocene period. These results indicate a diminishing trend of glaciation in the region since at least MIS 4, and corroborate the case of a 'missing LGM' in the more interior parts of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. The emerging pattern suggests that the most favourable conditions for glaciation during the Late Pleistocene correspond to periods of relatively moderate cooling combined with an intermediate or rising East Asian monsoon strength.

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From Doktor Kurowski's Schneegrenze to our modern glacier equilibrium line altitude (ELA)

Cited by 25 publications

References 63 publications

Spatial variability in mass loss of glaciers in the Everest region, central Himalayas, between 2000 and 2015

Spatial variability in mass loss of glaciers in the Everest region, central Himalayas, between 2000 and 2015

An 11-year record of mass balance of Brewster Glacier, New Zealand, determined using a geostatistical approach

Late Pleistocene glaciations at Lake Donggi Cona, eastern Kunlun Shan (NE Tibet): early maxima and a diminishing trend of glaciation during the last glacial cycle

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