Glacier Image Velocimetry: an open-source toolbox for easy and
rapid calculation of high-resolution glacier-velocity fields

Vries, Maximillian Van Wyk de; Wickert, Andrew D.

doi:10.5194/tc-2020-204

Cited by 3 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Ice surface velocities from 1972 to 1981 were derived from Landsat 1-3 optical satellite imagery using the Glacier Image Velocimetry (GIV) app (Van Wyk de Vries, 2021a, 2021b.…”

Section: Feature Trackingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics throughout a complete surge of Iceberg Glacier on western Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian High Arctic

et al. 2023

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This study provides the first comprehensive reconstruction of the dynamics of Iceberg Glacier, located on western Axel Heiberg Island, and reveals detailed observations of a complete surge for the first time in the Canadian Arctic. Historical aerial photographs, declassified intelligence satellite photographs, optical satellite imagery and synthetic aperture radar data were used to quantify changes in terminus position, ice velocity and glacier thickness since the 1950s. A surge initiated at the terminus in 1981 and terminated in 2003, suggesting a 22-year active phase. High surface velocities, reaching ~2300 m a−1 in 1991, were accompanied by a maximum terminus advance of >7 km and a large transfer of mass down-glacier, causing significant median trunk-wide surface elevation changes attaining >3 ± 1 m a−1. We suggest that the retreat from a pinning point, flotation of the terminus, the removal of sea-ice from the ice front, and an increase in subglacial meltwater availability from relatively high air temperatures in 1981 likely contributed to surge initiation. The ensuing quiescent period has seen a continual decrease in surface flow rates to an average centreline velocity of 11.5 m a−1 in 2020–21, a gradual steepening of the glacier surface and a > 2.5 km terminus retreat.

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“…Ice surface velocities from 1972 to 1981 were derived from Landsat 1-3 optical satellite imagery using the Glacier Image Velocimetry (GIV) app (Van Wyk de Vries, 2021a, 2021b.…”

Section: Feature Trackingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics throughout a complete surge of Iceberg Glacier on western Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian High Arctic

et al. 2023

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“…Optical feature tracking is a versatile technique which can be used to track surface motion by evaluating the relative position of features or patterns in repeat imagery. Feature tracking has been applied to a variety of problems, including tracking post-seismic ground deformation (e.g., Leprince et al, 2007), quantifying glacier flow velocities (e.g., Bindschadler and Scambos, 1991;Heid and Kääb, 2012;Millan et al, 2019;Van Wyk de Vries and Wickert, 2021), or measuring landslide displacements (e.g., Behling et al, 2014;Aryal et al, 2012;Lucieer et al, 2014;Peppa et al, 2017;Manconi et al, 2018;Darvishi et al, 2018;Jia et al, 2020;Dai et al, 2020a;Dille et al, 2021). The accuracy of feature tracking is limited by the spatial resolution of the imagery and the magnitude of displacements: in best-case scenarios displacement maps may reach a precision of ∼ 0.1 pixels (Leprince et al, 2007;Dille et al, 2021).…”

Section: Feature Trackingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pre-collapse motion of the February 2021 Chamoli rock–ice avalanche, Indian Himalaya

Vries

Bhushan

Jacquemart

et al. 2022

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Landslides are a major geohazard that cause thousands of fatalities every year. Despite their importance, identifying unstable slopes and forecasting collapses remains a major challenge. In this study, we use the 7 February 2021 Chamoli rock–ice avalanche as a data-rich example to investigate the potential of remotely sensed datasets for the assessment of slope stability. We investigate imagery over the 3 decades preceding collapse and assess the precursory signs exhibited by this slope prior to the catastrophic collapse. We evaluate monthly slope motion from 2015 to 2021 through feature tracking of high-resolution optical satellite imagery. We then combine these data with a time series of pre- and post-event digital elevation models (DEMs), which we use to evaluate elevation change over the same area. Both datasets show that the 26.9×106 m3 collapse block moved over 10 m horizontally and vertically in the 5 years preceding collapse, with particularly rapid motion occurring in the summers of 2017 and 2018. We propose that the collapse results from a combination of snow loading in a deep headwall crack and permafrost degradation in the heavily jointed bedrock. Despite observing a clear precursory signal, we find that the timing of the Chamoli rock–ice avalanche could likely not have been forecast from satellite data alone. Our results highlight the potential of remotely sensed imagery for assessing landslide hazard in remote areas, but that challenges remain for operational hazard monitoring.

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“…In the recent years, Earth observation satellites carrying optical sensors have seen a continuing increase in spatial and temporal resolution (Belward and Skøien, 2015) and are nowadays often available free of charge. Optical satellite images have also commonly been used to obtain glacier surface velocities and record glacier extents (e.g., Kääb et al, 2002;Paul et al, 2007Paul et al, , 2016Gjermundsen et al, 2011;Herman et al, 2011;Mouginot and Rignot, 2015;Wilson et al, 2016;Dell et al, 2019;Millan et al, 2019;Van Wyk de Vries and Wickert, 2020), with some studies focusing on ice-clad volcanoes (e.g., Martinis, 2007;. However, there is a lack of a systematic investigation of fluctuations in glacier velocity and terminus position before and during volcanically active periods.…”

Section: Scientific Background and Rationale For This Thesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thermal remote sensing allows, for example, the detection of hotspots on active volcanoes and the mapping of lava flow (e.g., Wright et al, 2004;Coppola et al, 2020). Most importantly (for this thesis), optical remote sensing techniques are routinely used to map glacier extents (e.g., Kääb et al, 2002;Paul et al, 2007Paul et al, , 2016Gjermundsen et al, 2011) and velocities (e.g., Herman et al, 2011;Mouginot and Rignot, 2015;Wilson et al, 2016;Dell et al, 2019;Millan et al, 2019;Van Wyk de Vries and Wickert, 2020). The continuous availability of satellite remote sensing data for the last ~40 years allows time-series analysis to investigate changes in glacier extents on longer timescales (e.g., .…”

Section: Localized Crevassing Due To Supraglacial Lava Flowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using glaciers to identify, monitor, and predict volcanic activity

Martin¹,

Barr²,

Edwards³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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<p>Many (about 250) volcanoes worldwide are occupied by glaciers. Often glaciers are regarded as problematic for volcano monitoring, since glacier ice potentially masks evidence of volcanic activity. The most devastating volcanic eruptions of the last 100 years involved volcano-glacier interactions. The 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz killed 23000 people, and the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallaj&#246;kull led to the closure of many European airports. Therefore, it is imperative to minimize these impacts on society by improving methods for monitoring of glacier-clad volcanoes. Amongst several methods, optical satellite remote sensing techniques are perhaps most auspicious, since they frequently have a relatively high temporal and spatial resolution, and are mostly freely available. They often clearly show the effects of volcanic activity on glaciers, including ice cauldron formation, ice fracturing and glacier terminus changes potentially due to subglacial melt or subglacial dome growth. This study has the objective to link pre-, syn- and post-eruption glacier behaviour to the type and timing of volcanic activity, and to develop a satellite based predictive tool for monitoring future eruptions. Despite several studies that link volcanic activity and changing glacier behaviour, the potential of using the latter to predict the former has yet to be systematically tested. Our approach is to observe how glaciers responded to past volcanic events using mostly, but not exclusively optical satellite imagery, and to build a database of examples for potential automated detection and forecasting on a global scale.</p>

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Glacier Image Velocimetry: an open-source toolbox for easy and rapid calculation of high-resolution glacier-velocity fields

Cited by 3 publications

References 39 publications

Dynamics throughout a complete surge of Iceberg Glacier on western Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian High Arctic

Dynamics throughout a complete surge of Iceberg Glacier on western Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian High Arctic

Pre-collapse motion of the February 2021 Chamoli rock–ice avalanche, Indian Himalaya

Using glaciers to identify, monitor, and predict volcanic activity

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