Статья

The Randolph Glacier Inventory: a globally complete inventory of glaciers

W. T. PfefferInstitute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USAA. A. ArendtGeophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USAAndrew BlissGeophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USATobias BolchDepartment of Geography, University of Zu rich, Zu rich, SwitzerlandJ. Graham CogleyDepartment of Geography, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, CanadaAlex GardnerGraduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USAJon-Ove HagenDepartment of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayRegine HockDepartment of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenGeorg KaserInstitute of Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaChristian KienholzGeophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USAE.S. MilesScott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKGeir MoholdtInstitute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USANico MölgDepartment of Geography, University of Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandFrank PaulDepartment of Geography, University of Zu rich, Zu rich, SwitzerlandValentina RadićDepartment of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaP. RastnerDepartment of Geography, University of Zu rich, Zu rich, SwitzerlandBruce RaupNational Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USAJustin RichGeophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USAMartin SharpDepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

2014en

ABI

Аннотация

Abstract The Randolph Glacier Inventory (RGI) is a globally complete collection of digital outlines of glaciers, excluding the ice sheets, developed to meet the needs of the Fifth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for estimates of past and future mass balance. The RGI was created with limited resources in a short period. Priority was given to completeness of coverage, but a limited, uniform set of attributes is attached to each of the ~198 000 glaciers in its latest version, 3.2. Satellite imagery from 1999–2010 provided most of the outlines. Their total extent is estimated as 726 800 ± 34 000 km 2 . The uncertainty, about ±5%, is derived from careful single-glacier and basin-scale uncertainty estimates and comparisons with inventories that were not sources for the RGI. The main contributors to uncertainty are probably misinterpretation of seasonal snow cover and debris cover. These errors appear not to be normally distributed, and quantifying them reliably is an unsolved problem. Combined with digital elevation models, the RGI glacier outlines yield hypsometries that can be combined with atmospheric data or model outputs for analysis of the impacts of climatic change on glaciers. The RGI has already proved its value in the generation of significantly improved aggregate estimates of glacier mass changes and total volume, and thus actual and potential contributions to sea-level rise.

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Идентификаторы

DOI: 10.3189/2014jog13j176

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Цитирований: 2Использованных источников: 0

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