Introduction
Changes in glaciers
and ice caps provide some of the clearest evidence of climate
change, constitute key variables for early-detection strategies
in global climate-related observations and cause serious
impacts on the terrestrial water cycle and societies dependent
on glacial melt water (GCOS 2004).
ECV
Glaciers and ice caps standards report
As requested
by UNFCCC SBSTA/COP for its 23rd Session in Montreal, November
2005, GTOS is undertaking the assessment of the status of
the development of standards for each of the essential climate
variables in the terrestrial domain. The following report,
documentation and other material have been compiled for
glaciers and ice caps. We very much welcome your comments
and inputs in improving and completing the analysis. Please
send any material and comments to the GTOS
Secretariat.
References
Within the Global Terrestrial Network for
Glaciers (GTN-G), the following selected guidelines and
standards have been established for the international monitoring
of glaciers:
International
glacier monitoring strategy
•
Haeberli, W., Cihlar, J. and Barry, R.G. (2000): Glacier
monitoring
within the Global Climate Observing System. Annals of Glaciology,
31: p. 241–246
•
Haeberli, W. (2004): Glaciers and ice caps: historical background
and
strategies of world-wide monitoring. In: Bamber, J.L., Payne
A.J. (eds.): Mass balance of the cryosphere. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge: p. 559–578
•
Haeberli, W., Hoelzle, M., Paul, F. and Zemp, M. (2007):
Integrated
monitoring of mountain glaciers as key indicators of global
climate
change: the European Alps. Annals of Glaciology, 46 (119).
Measurement of glacier fluctuations (i.e.
front variation and mass balance)
•
Forel (1895): Instructions pour l’observation des
variations des
glaciers. Discours préliminaire. Archives des Sciences
physiques et naturelles, XXXIV, 209-229
•
Gletscherkommission der Schweizerischen Naturforschenden
Gesellschaft (1956): Instruktionen für die Kontrolle
der Gletscher in den Schweizeralpen
•
Kaser, G., Fountain, A., and Jansson, P. 2002. A manual
for monitoring the mass balance of mountain glaciers with
particular attention to low latitude characteristics. A
contribution from the International Commission on Snow and
Ice (ICSI) to the UNESCO HKH-Friend programme. IHP-VI, Technical
Documents in Hydrology, No. 59, UNESCO, Paris. 107p. + Appendices
•
Østrem, G. and Stanley, A. (1969): Glacier mass balance
measurements. A
manual for field and office work. Canadian Department of
Energy, Mines and Resources, Norwegian Water Resources and
Electricity Board. 125 pp
•
Østrem, G. and Brugman, M. (1991): Glacier mass-balance
measurements: a
manual for field and office work, NHRI Science Report.
Guidelines for the submission of glacier fluctuation
data
•
General guidelines for the data submission to the World
Glacier
Monitoring Service
•
Digital data submission form of the World Glacier Monitoring
Service for
the submission of data on glacier fluctuations
•
Notes on the completion of the data submission form of the
World Glacier
Monitoring Service
All
three files can be downloaded from the website of the World
Glacier Monitoring Service: http://www.wgms.ch/datasub.html
Historical guidelines for the World Glacier Inventory
(based on aerial photography and maps)
•
Müller, F., Caflisch, T. and Müller, G. (Eds.).
1977. Instructions for the compilation and assemblage of
data for a world glacier inventory. IAHS(ICSI)/UNESCO report,
Temporal Technical Secretariat for the World Glacier Inventory
(TTS/WGI), ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
•
Müller, F. (Ed.). 1978. Instructions for the compilation
and assemblage of data for a world glacier inventory; Supplement:
Identification/glacier number IAHS(ICSI)/UNEP/UNESCO report,
Temporal Technical Secretariat for the World Glacier Inventory
(TTS/WGI), ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
•
Scherler, K. (Ed.). 1983. Guidelines for preliminary glacier
inventories. IAHS(ICSI)/ UNEP/UNESCO report, Temporal Technical
Secretariat for the World Glacier Inventory (TTS/WGI), ETH
Zurich, Switzerland.
•
UNESCO (1970): Perennial ice and snow masses – a guide
for compilation and assemblage of data for the World Glacier
Inventory. Technical Papers in Hydrology No. 1
•
UNESCO 1970/73. Combined heat, ice and water balances at
selected glacier basins. Part I: A guide for compilation
and assemblage of data for glacier mass balance measurements.
Part II: Specifications, standards and data exchange. UNESCO/
IAHS Technical Papers in Hydrology 5.
Guidelines for the Glacier Inventory of the GLIMS
initiative
(based on satellite images)
•
Rau, F., Mauz, F., Vogt, S., Khalsa, J.S. and Raup, B. (2005):
Illustrated GLIMS glacier classification manual. Glacier
classification guidance for the GLIMS Inventory. NSIDC:
36 pp.
•
GLIMS Algorithm Working Group. 2006. GLIMS algorithm document
•
Raup, B., and Khalsa, J.S. 2006. GLIMS analysis tutorial.
Draft,
20060919. 13p.
Based on the glacier inventory standards above
Recommendations and requirements for satellite-based components
of the cryospheric monitoring have been derived and published
in.
•
GCOS (2006): Systematic observation requirements for satellite-
based
products for climate. Supplemental details to the satellite-based
component of the “Implementation Plan for the Global
Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC”,
Report GCOS-107 (WMO/TD No. 1338), September 2006. 90p
•
IGOS (2006): IGOS Cryosphere theme For the Monitoring of
our Environment
from Space and from Earth. Version 0.9.5.1, November 2006.
118p.
Relevant
Web links
Listed
below are relevant links to the glaciers and ice caps ECVs.
New links are welcome.
