Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century
Observations show that glaciers around the world are in retreat and losing mass. Internationally coordinated for over a century, glacier monitoring activities provide an unprecedented dataset of glacier observations from ground, air and space. Glacier studies generally select specific parts of these...
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International Glaciological Society
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ftunivzuerich:oai:www.zora.uzh.ch:116709 2024-09-30T14:37:52+00:00 Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century Zemp, Michael Frey, Holger Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle Nussbaumer, Samuel U Hoelzle, Martin Paul, Frank Haeberli, Wilfried Denzinger, Florian 2015 application/pdf https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/116709/ https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/116709/1/2015_Zemp_etal_JoG_2015%20.pdf https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-116709 https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG15J017 eng eng International Glaciological Society https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/116709/1/2015_Zemp_etal_JoG_2015%20.pdf doi:10.5167/uzh-116709 doi:10.3189/2015JoG15J017 urn:issn:0022-1430 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Zemp, Michael; Frey, Holger; Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle; Nussbaumer, Samuel U; Hoelzle, Martin; Paul, Frank; Haeberli, Wilfried; Denzinger, Florian; et al (2015). Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century. Journal of Glaciology, 61(228):745-762. Institute of Geography 910 Geography & travel Journal Article PeerReviewed info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2015 ftunivzuerich https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-11670910.3189/2015JoG15J017 2024-09-18T00:49:47Z Observations show that glaciers around the world are in retreat and losing mass. Internationally coordinated for over a century, glacier monitoring activities provide an unprecedented dataset of glacier observations from ground, air and space. Glacier studies generally select specific parts of these datasets to obtain optimal assessments of the mass-balance data relating to the impact that glaciers exercise on global sea-level fluctuations or on regional runoff. In this study we provide an overview and analysis of the main observational datasets compiled by the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS). The dataset on glacier front variations (⇠42 000 since 1600) delivers clear evidence that centennial glacier retreat is a global phenomenon. Intermittent readvance periods at regional and decadal scale are normally restricted to a subsample of glaciers and have not come close to achieving the maximum positions of the Little Ice Age (or Holocene). Glaciological and geodetic observations (⇠5200 since 1850) show that the rates of early 21st-century mass loss are without precedent on a global scale, at least for the time period observed and probably also for recorded history, as indicated also in reconstructions from written and illustrated documents. This strong imbalance implies that glaciers in many regions will very likely suffer further ice loss, even if climate remains stable. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology University of Zurich (UZH): ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Zurich (UZH): ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftunivzuerich |
language |
English |
topic |
Institute of Geography 910 Geography & travel |
spellingShingle |
Institute of Geography 910 Geography & travel Zemp, Michael Frey, Holger Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle Nussbaumer, Samuel U Hoelzle, Martin Paul, Frank Haeberli, Wilfried Denzinger, Florian Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
topic_facet |
Institute of Geography 910 Geography & travel |
description |
Observations show that glaciers around the world are in retreat and losing mass. Internationally coordinated for over a century, glacier monitoring activities provide an unprecedented dataset of glacier observations from ground, air and space. Glacier studies generally select specific parts of these datasets to obtain optimal assessments of the mass-balance data relating to the impact that glaciers exercise on global sea-level fluctuations or on regional runoff. In this study we provide an overview and analysis of the main observational datasets compiled by the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS). The dataset on glacier front variations (⇠42 000 since 1600) delivers clear evidence that centennial glacier retreat is a global phenomenon. Intermittent readvance periods at regional and decadal scale are normally restricted to a subsample of glaciers and have not come close to achieving the maximum positions of the Little Ice Age (or Holocene). Glaciological and geodetic observations (⇠5200 since 1850) show that the rates of early 21st-century mass loss are without precedent on a global scale, at least for the time period observed and probably also for recorded history, as indicated also in reconstructions from written and illustrated documents. This strong imbalance implies that glaciers in many regions will very likely suffer further ice loss, even if climate remains stable. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Zemp, Michael Frey, Holger Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle Nussbaumer, Samuel U Hoelzle, Martin Paul, Frank Haeberli, Wilfried Denzinger, Florian |
author_facet |
Zemp, Michael Frey, Holger Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle Nussbaumer, Samuel U Hoelzle, Martin Paul, Frank Haeberli, Wilfried Denzinger, Florian |
author_sort |
Zemp, Michael |
title |
Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
title_short |
Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
title_full |
Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
title_fullStr |
Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
title_full_unstemmed |
Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
title_sort |
historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century |
publisher |
International Glaciological Society |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/116709/ https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/116709/1/2015_Zemp_etal_JoG_2015%20.pdf https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-116709 https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG15J017 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Zemp, Michael; Frey, Holger; Gärtner-Roer, Isabelle; Nussbaumer, Samuel U; Hoelzle, Martin; Paul, Frank; Haeberli, Wilfried; Denzinger, Florian; et al (2015). Historically unprecedented global glacier decline in the early 21st century. Journal of Glaciology, 61(228):745-762. |
op_relation |
https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/116709/1/2015_Zemp_etal_JoG_2015%20.pdf doi:10.5167/uzh-116709 doi:10.3189/2015JoG15J017 urn:issn:0022-1430 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-11670910.3189/2015JoG15J017 |
_version_ |
1811640653909590016 |