Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: There have been numerous studies of glaciers in the Greater Caucasus, but none that have generated a modern glacier database across the whole mountain range. Here, we present an updated and expanded glacier inventory at three time periods (1960, 1986, 2014) covering the entire Greater Caucasus. Large-scale topographic maps and satellite imagery (Corona, Landsat 5, Landsat 8 and ASTER) were used to conduct a remote-sensing survey of glacier change, and the 30 m resolution Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM; 17 November 2011) was used to determine the aspect, slope and height distribution of glaciers. Glacier margins were mapped manually and reveal that in 1960 the mountains contained 2349 glaciers with a total glacier surface area of 1674.9 ± 70.4 km 2 . By 1986, glacier surface area had decreased to 1482.1 ± 64.4 km 2 (2209 glaciers), and by 2014 to 1193.2 ± 54.0 km 2 (2020 glaciers). This represents a 28.8 ± 4.4 % (481 ± 21.2 km 2 ) or 0.53 % yr −1 reduction in total glacier surface area between 1960 and 2014 and an increase in the rate of area loss since 1986 (0.69 % yr −1 ) compared to 1960–1986 (0.44 % yr −1 ). Glacier mean size decreased from 0.70 km 2 in 1960 to 0.66 km 2 in 1986 and to 0.57 km 2 in 2014. This new glacier inventory has been submitted to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) database and can be used as a basis data set for future studies.
Source: The Cryosphere
Authors: Levan G. Tielidze, Roger D. Wheate
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,574
Award: G2475943718
OpenAlex ID: W2604275083