Université de Fribourg

Multi-decadal mass balance series of three Kyrgyz glaciers inferred from modelling constrained with repeated snow line observations

Barandun, Martina ; Huss, Matthias ; Usubaliev, Ryskul ; Azisov, Erlan ; Berthier, Etienne ; Kääb, Andreas ; Bolch, Tobias ; Hoelzle, Martin

In: The Cryosphere, 2018, vol. 12, no. 6, p. 1899–1919

Glacier surface mass balance observations in the Tien Shan and Pamir are relatively sparse and often discontinuous. Nevertheless, glaciers are one of the most important components of the high-mountain cryosphere in the region as they strongly influence water availability in the arid, continental and intensely populated downstream areas. This study provides reliable and continuous surface mass...

Université de Fribourg

Monitoring of seasonal glacier mass balance over the European Alps using low-resolution optical satellite images

Drolon, Vanessa ; Maisongrande, Philippe ; Berthier, Etienne ; Wwinnen, Else ; Huss, Matthias

In: Journal of Glaciology, 2016, vol. 62, no. 235, p. 912–927

We explore a new method to retrieve seasonal glacier mass balances (MBs) from low- resolution optical remote sensing. We derive annual winter and summer snow maps of the Alps during 1998–2014 using SPOT/VEGETATION 1 km resolution imagery. We combine these seasonal snow maps with a DEM to calculate a ‘mean regional’ altitude of snow (Z) in a region surrounding a glacier. Then, we compare...

Université de Fribourg

Reconstructing the annual mass balance of the Echaurren Norte glacier (Central Andes, 33.5° S) using local and regional hydroclimatic data

Masiokas, Mariano H. ; Christie, Duncan A. ; Quesne, Carlos Le ; Pitte, Pierre ; Ruiz, Lucas ; Villalba, Ricardo ; Luckman, Brian H. ; Berthier, Etienne ; Nussbaumer, Samuel U. ; González-Reyes, Álvaro ; McPhee, James ; Barcaza, Gonzalo

In: The Cryosphere, 2016, vol. 10, no. 2, p. 927–940

Despite the great number and variety of glaciers in southern South America, in situ glacier mass-balance records are extremely scarce and glacier–climate relationships are still poorly understood in this region. Here we use the longest (> 35 years) and most complete in situ mass-balance record, available for the Echaurren Norte glacier (ECH) in the Andes at ∼ 33.5° S, to...