High-resolution monitoring of Himalayan glacier dynamics using unmanned aerial vehicles

Immerzeel, Walter W.; Kraaijenbrink, Philip; Shea, J. M.; Shrestha, Arun B.; Pellicciotti, Francesca; Bierkens, Marc F. P.; Jong, S.M. de

doi:10.1016/j.rse.2014.04.025

Cited by 419 publications

(468 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Secondly, it provides insights in to the processes that control glacier melt over a debris-covered tropical glacier. Our findings regarding the importance of ice cliffs and surface melt ponds in debris-covered glacier melt processes corroborate findings for debris-covered glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca (Emmer et al, 2015) and the Himalaya (Buri et al, 2016;Immerzeel et al, 2014). The high spatial resolution of UAV-derived datasets facilitates a much better understanding of surface heterogeneity and spatial variability in debris-covered glacier melt processes and changes in proglacial lake systems.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…Also, a number of surface melt ponds disappeared between the two survey dates, indicating potential subglacial drainage pathways through englacial conduits . Immerzeel et al (2014) identified similar features through analysis of UAV datasets collected over a debris-covered glacier in the Himalaya and associated their presence with ice cliffs. The fine scale of these surface features could not be resolved using medium-and coarse-resolution satellite imagery and would be extremely labour intensive to observe with in situ measurements.…”

Section: Glacier and Proglacial Lake Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Processes of glacier melt and the formation of glacier lakes is controlled by a multitude of factors including local energy balance, topography, geology, aspect, valley dimensions, moraine stability, debris thickness and the presence of surface features such as melt ponds and ice cliffs Buri et al, 2016;Harrison et al, 2006;Huggel et al, 2002;Immerzeel et al, 2014;Lejeune et al, 2013;Portocarrero, 2014;Reid et al, 2012;Reid and Brock, 2010;Thompson et al, 2012). The impact of these variables has been studied extensively in other areas, particularly the Himalaya, where large debris-covered glacier tongues are common Buri et al, 2016;Immerzeel et al, 2014;Scherler et al, 2011;Shroder et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The impact of these variables has been studied extensively in other areas, particularly the Himalaya, where large debris-covered glacier tongues are common Buri et al, 2016;Immerzeel et al, 2014;Scherler et al, 2011;Shroder et al, 2000). However, few detailed studies of these processes have focussed on the Cordillera Blanca.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Friedli (2013) has investigated their potential for glacier monitoring on the Rhône Glacier, while Whitehead et al (2013) conducted a detailed glacier study in the Canadian Arctic, but this was at low elevation. At higher elevations Immerzeel et al (2014) and Kraaijenbrink et al (2016) successfully used a small fixed-wing platform to map glacier changes and surface velocities at 5000 m in the Himalaya. Recently researchers have begun to explore the use of UAVs within the Cordillera Blanca, however, to our knowledge no published studies to date have deployed UAVs to study glacier dynamics within the Cordillera Blanca or the Tropical Andes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Monitoring tropical debris-covered glacier dynamics from high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Wigmore

Mark

2017

The Cryosphere

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Abstract. The glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, are rapidly retreating and thinning as a result of climate change, altering the timing, quantity and quality of water available to downstream users. Furthermore, increases in the number and size of proglacial lakes associated with these melting glaciers is increasing potential exposure to glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Understanding how these glaciers are changing and their connection to proglacial lake systems is thus of critical importance. Most satellite data are too coarse for studying small mountain glaciers and are often affected by cloud cover, while traditional airborne photogrammetry and lidar are costly. Recent developments have made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) a viable and potentially transformative method for studying glacier change at high spatial resolution, on demand and at relatively low cost.Using a custom designed hexacopter built for high-altitude (4000-6000 m a.s.l.) operation, we completed repeat aerial surveys (2014 and 2015) of the debris-covered Llaca Glacier tongue and proglacial lake system. High-resolution orthomosaics (5 cm) and digital elevation models (DEMs) (10 cm) were produced and their accuracy assessed. Analysis of these datasets reveals highly heterogeneous patterns of glacier change. The most rapid areas of ice loss were associated with exposed ice cliffs and meltwater ponds on the glacier surface. Considerable subsidence and low surface velocities were also measured on the sediments within the pro-glacial lake, indicating the presence of extensive regions of buried ice and continued connection to the glacier tongue. Only limited horizontal retreat of the glacier tongue was observed, indicating that measurements of changes in aerial extent alone are inadequate for monitoring changes in glacier ice quantity.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Glacier and Proglacial Lake Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Monitoring tropical debris-covered glacier dynamics from high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Wigmore

Mark

2017

The Cryosphere

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Mineral dust impact on snow radiative properties in the European Alps combining ground, UAV, and satellite observations

et al. 2015

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In this paper, we evaluate the impact of mineral dust (MD) on snow radiative properties in the European Alps at ground, aerial, and satellite scale. A field survey was conducted to acquire snow spectral reflectance measurements with an Analytical Spectral Device (ASD) Field Spec Pro spectroradiometer. Surface snow samples were analyzed to determine the concentration and size distribution of MD in each sample. An overflight of a four-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) equipped with an RGB digital camera sensor was carried out during the field operations. Finally, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) data covering the central European Alps were analyzed. Observed reflectance evidenced that MD strongly reduced the spectral reflectance of snow, in particular, from 350 to 600 nm. Reflectance was compared with that simulated by parameterizing the Snow, Ice, and Aerosol Radiation radiative transfer model. We defined a novel spectral index, the Snow Darkening Index (SDI), that combines different wavelengths showing nonlinear correlation with measured MD concentrations (R 2 = 0.87, root-mean-square error = 0.037). We also estimated a positive instantaneous radiative forcing that reaches values up to 153 W/m 2 for the most concentrated sampling area. SDI maps at local scale were produced using the UAV data, while regional SDI maps were generated with OLI data. These maps show the spatial distribution of MD in snow after a natural deposition from the Saharan desert. Such postdepositional experimental data are fundamental for validating radiative transfer models and global climate models that simulate the impact of MD on snow radiative properties.

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Aerodynamic roughness of glacial ice surfaces derived from high‐resolution topographic data

et al. 2016

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This paper presents new methods of estimating the aerodynamic roughness (z 0 ) of glacier ice directly from three-dimensional point clouds and digital elevation models (DEMs), examines temporal variability of z 0 , and presents the first fully distributed map of z 0 estimates across the ablation zone of an Arctic glacier. The aerodynamic roughness of glacier ice surfaces is an important component of energy balance models and meltwater runoff estimates through its influence on turbulent fluxes of latent and sensible heat. In a warming climate these fluxes are predicted to become more significant in contributing to overall melt volumes. Ice z 0 is commonly estimated from measurements of ice surface microtopography, typically from topographic profiles taken perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. Recent advances in surveying permit rapid acquisition of high-resolution topographic data allowing revision of assumptions underlying conventional z 0 measurement. Using Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry with Multi-View Stereo (MVS) to survey ice surfaces with millimeter-scale accuracy, z 0 variation over 3 orders of magnitude was observed. Different surface types demonstrated different temporal trajectories in z 0 through 3 days of intense melt. A glacier-scale 2 m resolution DEM was obtained through terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), and subgrid roughness was significantly related to plot-scale z 0 . Thus, we show for the first time that glacier-scale TLS or SfM-MVS surveys can characterize z 0 variability over a glacier surface potentially leading to distributed representations of z 0 in surface energy balance models.

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High-resolution monitoring of Himalayan glacier dynamics using unmanned aerial vehicles

Cited by 419 publications

References 49 publications

Monitoring tropical debris-covered glacier dynamics from high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Monitoring tropical debris-covered glacier dynamics from high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Mineral dust impact on snow radiative properties in the European Alps combining ground, UAV, and satellite observations

Aerodynamic roughness of glacial ice surfaces derived from high‐resolution topographic data

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