HR: 0830h
AN: C11B-0813    [PDF]
TI: Recent Changes of the Mass Balance of a Small Glacier in the Colorado Front Range
AU: * Barrett, A P
EM: apbarret@kryos.colorado.edu
AF: National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado - Boulder CIRES-NSIDC Campus Box 449, Boulder, CO 80309-0449 United States
AU: Dyurgerov, M B
EM: dyurg@tintin.colorado.edu
AF: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado - Boulder Campus Box 450, Boulder, CO 80309-0450 United States
AU: Painter, T
EM: tpainter@nsidc.org
AF: National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado - Boulder CIRES-NSIDC Campus Box 449, Boulder, CO 80309-0449 United States
AU: Pfeffer, W T
EM: pfeffer@tintin.colorado.edu
AF: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado - Boulder Campus Box 450, Boulder, CO 80309-0450 United States
AU: Raup, B H
EM: braup@kryos.colorado.edu
AF: National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado - Boulder CIRES-NSIDC Campus Box 449, Boulder, CO 80309-0449 United States
AB: Estimates of mass balance for 2003 are used in conjunction with historical records of mass balance, photographs and remotely sensed images to document changes in the mass balance and area of Arapaho Glacier for the period 1970 to 2003. Arapaho Glacier is one of 14 small glaciers located on the east side of the Continental Divide in the Colorado Front Range. There are also hundreds of semi-permanent snow patches in the area. Changes in the mass of glaciers and snow patches can provide information about how the regional water balance changes with climate. Measurements of snow accumulation and summer balance at Arapaho Glacier were made every 2 to 3 weeks between May and October of the 2003 season. These frequent measurements allow the close relationship between glacier regime and local climate conditions to be studied. In particular, the date when mass balance changes from positive to negative can be determined. In 2003, this change occurred in the first week of August. Glacier runoff after this date represents a release of water from long-term storage as glacier ice to the regional hydrological system. Estimates of glacier area and accumulation area ratio were made from photogrammetric interpretation of oblique terrestrial photographs and remote sensing data. Changes in glacier area are used with mass balance records to estimate changes in glacier volume over previous decades and to interpret these changes in terms of sensitivity to climate change.
DE: 1655 Water cycles (1836)
DE: 1827 Glaciology (1863)
DE: 1836 Hydrologic budget (1655)
DE: 1863 Snow and ice (1827)
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting