Surge-related topographic change of the glacier Sortebræ, East Greenland, derived from synthetic aperture radar interferometry

Abstract A major surge of the glacier complex of Sortebræ, East Greenland, occurred between 1992 and 1995. The impact of this surge on the topography of Sortebræ was examined through the production of a pre-surge (1981) digital elevation model (DEM) from interpolated digital map data, and a post-surge DEM from differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry using European Remote-sensing Satellite (ERS) imagery. The combined vertical error is typically 30–40 m; however, downdraw of up to 270 m in the reservoir zone, and uplift of up to 145 m in the receiving zone were measured. The upper glacier reservoir area discharged in excess of 24.3 ± 9.5 km3 volume over the surge, of which ∼12.5 km3 was stored in the advanced lower glacier, the balance being lost, predominantly to calving.

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