Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery
Abstract Due to increased demand for electric energy, which in Norway is produced almost entirely by hydro-electric power plants, extensive glacierized basins are now considered for future power production, However, glacier behaviour has a great impact on the annual run-off from these basins, and in...
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Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1975
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000034511 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000034511 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000034511 2024-06-23T07:53:04+00:00 Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery Østrem, Gunnar 1975 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000034511 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000034511 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 15, issue 73, page 403-415 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 journal-article 1975 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000034511 2024-06-12T04:04:20Z Abstract Due to increased demand for electric energy, which in Norway is produced almost entirely by hydro-electric power plants, extensive glacierized basins are now considered for future power production, However, glacier behaviour has a great impact on the annual run-off from these basins, and information about expected annual deviations from a “normal” discharge must be obtained from mass-balance studies on representative glaciers within the basin. For this reason such studies are presently performed at eight selected Norwegian glaciers; the costs involved are in the order of $3 000-$10 000 annually for each observed glacier. The transient snow line can be identified easily on conventional air photographs and its height determined by direct comparisons with reliable topographie maps (with contour lines on glaciers). The resolution in ERTS images is sufficiently good to use the satellite data for a similar height determination of the transient snow line on glaciers—at least on the larger valley glaciers and, of course, on ice caps. Due to an existing correlation between the height of the transient snow line (at the end of the melt season) and the annual specific net mass balance, it is possible to construct a diagram expressing this relationship, provided detailed mass-balance studies have been performed during a period of several years of different mass-balance conditions (ideally comprising both years of negative and of positive net balances). Determinations of the transient snow-line height based upon ERTS data, obtained at the end of the summer season, can then be used to determine the mass balance for those glaciers where the above-mentioned relationship is established. This would be a great advantage in cases where there is a request for information on the net balance only; no separate data on winter balance or summer balance will be obtained by this method. Experiments have been performed to delineate the transient snow line on glaciers directly from ERTS digital data (CCT magnetic tape). The results ... Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Norway Journal of Glaciology 15 73 403 415 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Due to increased demand for electric energy, which in Norway is produced almost entirely by hydro-electric power plants, extensive glacierized basins are now considered for future power production, However, glacier behaviour has a great impact on the annual run-off from these basins, and information about expected annual deviations from a “normal” discharge must be obtained from mass-balance studies on representative glaciers within the basin. For this reason such studies are presently performed at eight selected Norwegian glaciers; the costs involved are in the order of $3 000-$10 000 annually for each observed glacier. The transient snow line can be identified easily on conventional air photographs and its height determined by direct comparisons with reliable topographie maps (with contour lines on glaciers). The resolution in ERTS images is sufficiently good to use the satellite data for a similar height determination of the transient snow line on glaciers—at least on the larger valley glaciers and, of course, on ice caps. Due to an existing correlation between the height of the transient snow line (at the end of the melt season) and the annual specific net mass balance, it is possible to construct a diagram expressing this relationship, provided detailed mass-balance studies have been performed during a period of several years of different mass-balance conditions (ideally comprising both years of negative and of positive net balances). Determinations of the transient snow-line height based upon ERTS data, obtained at the end of the summer season, can then be used to determine the mass balance for those glaciers where the above-mentioned relationship is established. This would be a great advantage in cases where there is a request for information on the net balance only; no separate data on winter balance or summer balance will be obtained by this method. Experiments have been performed to delineate the transient snow line on glaciers directly from ERTS digital data (CCT magnetic tape). The results ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Østrem, Gunnar |
spellingShingle |
Østrem, Gunnar Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery |
author_facet |
Østrem, Gunnar |
author_sort |
Østrem, Gunnar |
title |
Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery |
title_short |
Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery |
title_full |
Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery |
title_fullStr |
Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery |
title_full_unstemmed |
Erts Data in Glaciology—An Effort to Monitor Glacier Mass Balance from Satellite Imagery |
title_sort |
erts data in glaciology—an effort to monitor glacier mass balance from satellite imagery |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1975 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000034511 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000034511 |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
glacier Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
glacier Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 15, issue 73, page 403-415 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000034511 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
73 |
container_start_page |
403 |
op_container_end_page |
415 |
_version_ |
1802644544550862848 |