Estimation of ice thickness using surface velocities and slope: case study at Gangotri Glacier, India

2014/01/01 by Prateek Gantayat, Anil V. Kulkarni, J. Srinivasan · 3 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Cryospheric studies and observations #Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics #Climate change and permafrost

paper · pdf · doi:10.3189/2014jog13j078

Abstract

Abstract We estimate the distribution of ice thickness for a Himalayan glacier using surface velocities, slope and the ice flow law. Surface velocities over Gangotri Glacier were estimated using sub-pixel correlation of Landsat TM and ETM+ imagery. Velocities range from ˜14–85 m a –1 in the accumulation region to ˜20–30 m a –1 near the snout. Depth profiles were calculated using the equation of laminar flow. Thickness varies from ˜540 m in the upper reaches to ˜50–60 m near the snout. The volume of the glacier is estimated to be 23.2 ± 4.2 km 3 .

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