MODELLING MASS BALANCE OF GLACIERS USING SATELLITE DATA

A spatially detailed glacier mass balance model was developed that calculates daily accumulation and ablation in dependence of surface elevation. Meteorological input is obtained from stations or numerical analysis. Satellite data are used for model setup and continuous model runs. Glacier boundaries are mapped from optical and SAR images, and topography can be obtained from SAR interferometry. During diagnostic runs the temporal dynamics of the snow and ice zones, derived from satellite image time series, enables updating the mass fluxes at the glacier surface. For this task we use Envisat ASAR and on large glacier also MODIS images. Examples of mass balance modelling are shown for glaciers in Scandinavia, the Alps and Patagonia, revealing significant differences in mass balance properties. 1