Optical Remote Sensing of Glacier Characteristics: A Review with Focus on the Himalaya

The increased availability of remote sensing platforms with appropriate spatial and temporal resolution, global coverage and low financial costs allows for fast, semi-automated, and cost-effective estimates of changes in glacier parameters over large areas. Remote sensing approaches allow for regular monitoring of the properties of alpine glaciers such as ice extent, terminus position, volume and surface elevation, from which glacier mass balance can be inferred. Such methods are particularly useful in remote areas with limited field-based glaciological measurements. This paper reviews advances in the use of visible and infrared remote sensing combined with field methods for estimating glacier parameters, with emphasis on volume/area changes and glacier mass balance. The focus is on the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) sensor and its applicability for monitoring Himalayan glaciers. The methods reviewed are: volumetric changes inferred from digital elevation models (DEMs), glacier delineation algorithms from multi-spectral analysis, changes in glacier area at decadal time scales, and AAR/ELA methods used to calculate yearly mass balances. The current limitations and on-going challenges in using remote sensing for mapping characteristics of mountain glaciers also discussed, specifically in the context of the Himalaya.

[1]  W. Landman.  Climate change 2007: the physical science basis , 2010 .

[2]  J. Oerlemans,et al.  Reconstructing the glacier contribution to sea-level rise back to 1850 , 2007 .

[3]  Adrian Luckman,et al.  The potential of satellite radar interferometry and feature tracking for monitoring flow rates of Himalayan glaciers , 2007 .

[4]  William F. Manley,et al.  Evaluating digital elevation models for glaciologic applications: An example from Nevado Coropuna, Peruvian Andes , 2007 .

[5]  J. Bamber,et al.  A review of remote sensing methods for glacier mass balance determination , 2007 .

[6]  Vladimir B. Aizen,et al.  Glaciers and hydrological changes in the Tien Shan: simulation and prediction , 2007 .

[7]  Vladimir B. Aizen,et al.  Glacier changes in the Siberian Altai Mountains, Ob river basin, (1952–2006) estimated with high resolution imagery , 2007 .

[8]  Andreas Kääb,et al.  Glacier volume changes using ASTER optical stereo. A test study in Eastern Svalbard , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[9]  P. Chevallier,et al.  Remote sensing estimates of glacier mass balances in the Himachal Pradesh (Western Himalaya, India) , 2007 .

[10]  Tobias Bolch,et al.  Climate change and glacier retreat in northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan) using remote sensing data , 2007 .

[11]  M. Hoelzle,et al.  The application of glacier inventory data for estimating past climate change effects on mountain glaciers: A comparison between the European Alps and the Southern Alps of New Zealand , 2007 .

[12]  Adrian Luckman,et al.  Early recognition of glacial lake hazards in the Himalaya using remote sensing datasets , 2007 .

[13]  I. M. Bahuguna,et al.  Himalayan glacier retreat using IRS 1C PAN stereo data , 2007 .

[14]  Anil V. Kulkarni,et al.  Glacial retreat in Himalaya using Indian remote sensing satellite data , 2006, SPIE Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing.

[15]  Koji Fujita,et al.  Spatial Distribution of Thermal Properties on Debris-Covered Glaciers in the Himalayas Derived From ASTER Data , 2006 .

[16]  A. Ohmura,et al.  Mass balance of glaciers and ice caps: Consensus estimates for 1961–2004 , 2006 .

[17]  Arzhan B. Surazakov,et al.  Estimating volume change of mountain glaciers using SRTM and map-based topographic data , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

[18]  Roger G. Barry,et al.  The status of research on glaciers and global glacier recession: a review , 2006 .

[19]  Roger G. Barry,et al.  Changes in glacier extent in the eastern Pamir, Central Asia, determined from historical data and ASTER imagery , 2006 .

[20]  Y. Arnaud,et al.  Biases of SRTM in high‐mountain areas: Implications for the monitoring of glacier volume changes , 2006 .

[21]  David J. Harding,et al.  SRTM C-band and ICESat Laser Altimetry Elevation Comparisons as a Function of Tree Cover and Relief , 2006 .

[22]  Hiroyuki Fujisada,et al.  ASTER DEM performance , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

[23]  Jeffrey S. Kargel,et al.  Multispectral imaging contributions to global land ice measurements from space , 2005 .

[24]  A. P. Krishna.  Snow and glacier cover assessment in the high mountains of Sikkim Himalaya , 2005 .

[25]  K. Itten,et al.  Accuracy assessment of automatically derived digital elevation models from aster data in mountainous terrain , 2005 .

[26]  A. Kulkarni,et al.  Application of digital elevation model and orthoimages derived from IRS-1C pan stereo data in monitoring variations in glacial dimensions , 2005 .

[27]  Jeffrey A. Olsenholler,et al.  Geomorphometry of Cerro Sillajhuay (Andes, Chile/Bolivia): Comparison of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from ASTER Remote Sensing Data and Contour Maps , 2005 .

[28]  A. Kääb.  Combination of SRTM3 and repeat ASTER data for deriving alpine glacier flow velocities in the Bhutan Himalaya , 2005 .

[29]  Shi Jiancheng,et al.  Sub-pixel lake mapping in Tibetan Plateau , 2004, IGARSS 2004. 2004 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[30]  Andreas Kääb,et al.  Rapid disintegration of Alpine glaciers observed with satellite data , 2004 .

[31]  Siri Jodha Singh Khalsa,et al.  Space-based mapping of glacier changes using ASTER and GIS tools , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

[32]  I. M. Bahuguna,et al.  Technical Note: DEM from IRS-1C PAN stereo coverages over Himalayan glaciated region—accuracy and its utility , 2004 .

[33]  Y. Arnaud,et al.  Recent rapid thinning of the “Mer de Glace” glacier derived from satellite optical images , 2004 .

[34]  Jonathan L. Bamber,et al.  Mass Balance of the Cryosphere , 2004 .

[35]  Andreas Kääb,et al.  Combining satellite multispectral image data and a digital elevation model for mapping debris-covered glaciers , 2004 .

[36]  C. Georges.  20th-Century Glacier Fluctuations in the Tropical Cordillera Blanca, Perú , 2004 .

[37]  Eric Rignot,et al.  Contribution of the Patagonia Icefields of South America to Sea Level Rise , 2003, Science.

[38]  Jean-Pierre Dedieu,et al.  Glacier mass balance determination by remote sensing in the French Alps: progress and limitation for time series monitoring , 2003, IGARSS 2003. 2003 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium. Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37477).

[39]  M. Hoelzle,et al.  Secular glacier mass balances derived from cumulative glacier length changes , 2003 .

[40]  Akira Hirano,et al.  Mapping from ASTER stereo image data: DEM validation and accuracy assessment , 2003 .

[41]  A. Roth,et al.  The shuttle radar topography mission—a new class of digital elevation models acquired by spaceborne radar , 2003 .

[42]  A. Arendt,et al.  Rapid Wastage of Alaska Glaciers and Their Contribution to Rising Sea Level , 2002, Science.

[43]  Roberto Ranzi,et al.  Comparing the opportunities of Landsat-TM and Aster data for monitoring a debris covered glacier in the Italian Alps within the GLIMS project , 2002, IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[44]  A. Kääb,et al.  Glacier Monitoring From ASTER Imagery: Accuracy and Applications , 2001 .

[45]  Michael P. Bishop,et al.  Terrain analysis and data modeling for alpine glacier mapping , 2001 .

[46]  K. Fujita,et al.  Shrinkage of Glacier AX010 in Shorong region, Nepal Himalayas in the 1990s , 2001 .

[47]  D. R. Gurung,et al.  Inventory of Glaciers, Glacial Lakes and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods: Monitoring and Early Warning Systems in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region - Bhutan , 2001 .

[48]  Jeffrey S. Kargel,et al.  Generation of data acquisition requests for the ASTER satellite instrument for monitoring a globally distributed target: glaciers , 2000, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[49]  M. Meier,et al.  Twentieth century climate change: evidence from small glaciers. , 2000, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[50]  M. Nakawo,et al.  Estimate of ablation rate of glacier ice under a supraglacial debris layer , 1999 .

[51]  G. Casassa,et al.  Volume changes on Pio XI glacier, Patagonia: 1975-1995 , 1999 .

[52]  Y. Takeuchi,et al.  Comparison of heat balance characteristics at five glaciers in the Southern Hemisphere , 1999 .

[53]  P. Mayewski,et al.  Maximum Temperature Trends in the Himalaya and Its Vicinity: An Analysis Based on Temperature Records from Nepal for the Period 1971-94 , 1999 .

[54]  D. Vaughan,et al.  Reassessment of net surface mass balance in Antarctica , 1999 .

[55]  T. Painter,et al.  Classification of surface types using SIR‐C/X‐SAR, Mount Everest Area, Tibet , 1998 .

[56]  Hiroshi Murakami,et al.  ASTER as a source for topographic data in the late 1990s , 1998, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[57]  W. T. Pfeffer,et al.  Response time of glaciers as a function of size and mass balance 2. Numerical experiments , 1998 .

[58]  J. Masek,et al.  Comparison of Late Pleistocene and Modern Glacier Extents in Central Nepal Based on Digital Elevation Data and Satellite Imagery , 1998, Quaternary Research.

[59]  S. Peckham,et al.  The physical basis of glacier volume-area scaling , 1997 .

[60]  K. Fujita,et al.  Basic studies for assessing the impacts of the global warming on the Himalayan cryosphere, 1994-1996 , 1997 .

[61]  Jiancheng Shi,et al.  Mapping seasonal snow with SIR-C/X-SAR in mountainous areas , 1997 .

[62]  D. Dobhal,et al.  Inventory of Glacier Basins in Himachal Himalaya , 1996 .

[63]  I. Willis,et al.  THE PHYSICS OF GLACIERS, third edition, by W. S. B. Paterson, Elsevier, Oxford, New York and Tokyo, 1994. No. of pages: ix + 480. Price £25.00. ISBN 0080379443. , 1996 .

[64]  T. Yasunari,et al.  Establishment of the GEN Automatic Weather Station(AWS)in Khumbu region, Nepal Himalayas , 1996 .

[65]  A. P. Krishna.  Satellite remote sensing applications for snow cover characterization in the morphogenetic regions of upper Tista river basin, Sikkim Himalaya , 1996 .

[66]  D. Hall,et al.  Development of methods for mapping global snow cover using moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer data , 1995 .

[67]  David B. Bahr,et al.  The Physics of Glaciers, 3rd Edition , 1995 .

[68]  Dorothy K. Hall,et al.  Observations on glaciers in the eastern Austrian Alps using satellite data , 1994 .

[69]  G. Østrem,et al.  Glacier mass-balance measurements : A manual for field and office work , 1993 .

[70]  Russell G. Congalton,et al.  A review of assessing the accuracy of classifications of remotely sensed data , 1991 .

[71]  J. Dozier.  Spectral Signature of Alpine Snow Cover from the Landsat Thematic Mapper , 1989 .

[72]  Y. Ageta,et al.  Estimation of Mass Balance Components of a Summer-Accumulation Type Glacier in the Nepal Himalaya , 1984 .

[73]  Jeff Dozier,et al.  Snow Reflectance from LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper , 1984, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

[74]  R. Armstrong,et al.  The Physics of Glaciers , 1981 .

[75]  P. Mayewski,et al.  Himalayan and Trans-Himalayan Glacier Fluctuations Since AD 1812 , 1979 .

[76]  水越 武.  熱帯の氷河 = The tropical glaciers , 2009 .

[77]  Yves Arnaud,et al.  Decadal changes in glacier parameters in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, derived from remote sensing , 2008, Journal of Glaciology.

[78]  T. Bolch,et al.  Planimetric and volumetric glacier changes in the Khumbu Himal, Nepal, since 1962 using Corona, Landsat TM and ASTER data , 2008 .

[79]  Koji Fujita,et al.  Performance of ASTER and SRTM DEMs, and their potential for assessing glacial lakes in the Lunana region, Bhutan Himalaya , 2008, Journal of Glaciology.

[80]  J. Gardner,et al.  Ablation on Debris Covered Glaciers: an Example from the Rakhiot Glacier, Punjab, Himalaya , 2008 .

[81]  J. Dedieu,et al.  25 years (1981–2005) of equilibrium-line altitude and mass-balance reconstruction on Glacier Blanc, French Alps, using remote-sensing methods and meteorological data , 2008, Journal of Glaciology.

[82]  Yves Arnaud,et al.  Four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India, a new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya , 2007, Journal of Glaciology.

[83]  Manfred F. Buchroithner,et al.  Automated delineation of debris-covered glaciers based on ASTER data , 2007 .

[84]  Masson-Delmotte,et al.  The Physical Science Basis , 2007 .

[85]  J. Overpeck,et al.  Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis , 2007 .

[86]  A. Anthwal,et al.  Retreat of Himalayan Glaciers - Indicator of Climate Change , 2006 .

[87]  J. Dedieu,et al.  Using remote-sensing data to determine equilibrium-line altitude and mass-balance time series: validation on three French glaciers, 1994–2002 , 2005 .

[88]  E. Berthiera,et al.  Surface motion of mountain glaciers derived from satellite optical imagery , 2005 .

[89]  Anil V. Kulkarni,et al.  Alarming retreat of Parbati glacier, Beas basin, Himachal Pradesh , 2005 .

[90]  Anil V. Kulkarni,et al.  Monitoring of glacial mass balance in the Baspa basin using accumulation area ratio method , 2004 .

[91]  R. Thayyen,et al.  Recession and morphogeometrical changes of Dokriani glacier (1962-1995) Garhwal Himalaya, India , 2004 .

[92]  Jiancheng Shi,et al.  Sub-pixel lake mapping in Tibetan Plateau , 2004, IGARSS.

[93]  L. Braun,et al.  A comparison of three methods of mass-balance determination in the Tuyuksu glacier region, Tien Shan, Central Asia , 2004, Journal of Glaciology.

[94]  Georg Kaser,et al.  A manual for monitoring the mass balance of mountain glaciers , 2003 .

[95]  Frank Paul,et al.  The new Swiss glacier inventory 2000 : application of remote sensing and GIS , 2003 .

[96]  Andreas Kääb,et al.  The new remote-sensing-derived Swiss glacier inventory: II. First results , 2002, Annals of Glaciology.

[97]  Andreas Kääb,et al.  The new remote-sensing-derived Swiss glacier inventory: I. Methods , 2002, Annals of Glaciology.

[98]  I. M. Bahuguna,et al.  Glacial retreat in the Baspa basin, Himalaya, monitored with satellite stereo data , 2002, Journal of Glaciology.

[99]  Jeffrey S. Kargel,et al.  ASTER measurement of supraglacial lakes in the Mount Everest region of the Himalaya , 2002, Annals of Glaciology.

[100]  K. Ueno.  Meteorological observations during 1994-2000 at the Automatic Weather Station (GEN-AWS) in Khumbu region, Nepal Himalayas , 2001 .

[101]  Rijan Bhakta Kayastha,et al.  Characteristics of ablation and heat balance in debris-free and debris-covered areas on Khumbu Glacier, Nepal Himalayas, in the pre-monsoon season , 2000 .

[102]  Howard Conway,et al.  Summer temperature profiles within supraglacial debris on Khumbu Glacier, Nepal , 2000 .

[103]  S. Yamaguchi,et al.  Shrinkage of the Khumbu Glacier, east Nepal from 1978 to 1995 , 2000 .

[104]  Jeffrey S. Kargel,et al.  Remote-sensing science and technology for studying glacier processes in high Asia , 2000, Annals of Glaciology.

[105]  Rijan Bhakta Kayastha,et al.  Practical prediction of ice melting beneath various thickness of debris cover on Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, using a positive degree-day factor , 2000 .

[106]  W. Tangborn,et al.  Mass balance and runoff of the partially debris-covered Langtang Glacier, Nepal , 2000 .

[107]  H. Yabuki,et al.  Characteristics of Khumbu Glacier, Nepal Himalaya: recent change in the debris-covered area , 1999, Annals of Glaciology.

[108]  M. Dyurgerov,et al.  Characteristic mass-balance scaling with valley glacier size , 1999, Journal of Glaciology.

[109]  R. W. Sidjak.  Glacier mapping of the Illecillewaet icefield, British Columbia, Canada, using Landsat TM and digital elevation data , 1999 .

[110]  Y. Ageta,et al.  Application of a mass-balance model to a Himalayan glacier , 1999, Journal of Glaciology.

[111]  D. Bahr.  Width and length scaling of glaciers , 1997, Journal of Glaciology.

[112]  K. Fujita,et al.  Changes in glaciers in Hidden Valley, Mukut Himal, Nepal Himalayas, from 1974 to 1994 , 1997, Journal of Glaciology.

[113]  S. P. Shukla,et al.  TONGUE FLUCTUATION STUDIES ON GANGOTRI GLACIER, UTTARKASHI DISTRICT, UTTARPRADESH , 1996 .

[114]  S. Hastenrath,et al.  Recession of Yanamarey Glacier in Cordillera Blanca, Peru, during the 20th century , 1995, Journal of Glaciology.

[115]  Anil V. Kulkarni,et al.  Mass balance of Himalayan glaciers using AAR and ELA methods , 1992, Journal of Glaciology.

[116]  G. Kaser,et al.  Glacier Fluctuations and Climate in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru , 1990, Annals of Glaciology.

[117]  M. F. Meier,et al.  Remote sensing of snow and ice. , 1980 .

[118]  M. Meier,et al.  A System to Combine Stratigraphic and Annual Mass-Balance Systems: A Contribution to the International Hydrological Decade , 1972, Journal of Glaciology.