T193 Monitoring Climate through Glacier Change Using Geoinformatics (Posters)

Tuesday, 20 October 2009
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Hall A

MASS BALANCE, VELOCITY PROFILES AND EVALUATION OF METHODOLOGIES ON THE TAKU GLACIER, JUNEAU, ALASKA 2009

Paper number: T193-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Authors

Abstract

From 1946 –2009, the Taku Glacier located about 40 km northwest of Juneau, Alaska; has been monitored by the Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP). Between 1946-1988 this glacier had a positive average mass balance of +0.42m a-1. From 1988-2006 the glacier showed a negative average trend in the mass balance of -0.14m a-1. For the 2009 JIRP record our snow pit data showed a continuing trend of negative mass balance and lower surface elevation.

2009 ice velocity transects were added to those that have been measured since 1993 using GPS. These measurements continue to show a consistent mean center of glacier velocity of 60cm/day. These measurements support a constant flow and suggest that the Taku Glacier is generally in an equilibrium state.

Future coupling of JIRP’s GPS ground survey data with remotely sensed imagery of the Taku Glacier surface will better refine JIRP mass balance program methodologies