Climatic warming since the end of the Little Ice Age has resulted in substantial glacier ice loss around the world. Most glaciers have undergone thinning and many exhibit retreat at their margins. Glacier loss triggers a cascade of hydrological and ecological effects that impact plants, animals and can create human hazard and economic hardship. USGS scientists are using a variety of methods and technologies to track glacier change in glacierized regions in North America. By understanding the link between climate and glacier loss scientists aim to enhance preparedness as increasing temperatures influence mountain ecosystems worldwide.
Benchmark Glacier Fact Sheet
The U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project combines decades of direct glaciological data with remote sensing data to advance the quantitative understanding of glacier-climate interactions.
Glacier-Climate Connection
The Glacier-Climate Connection geonarrative tells the story of the U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project, one of the longest running studies of glaciers on Earth.
USGS Glacier Research - Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems (CCME)
Understanding Climate Drivers – The loss of glaciers has far-reaching physical and ecological consequences that impact society. Glaciers are sensitively linked to climate, yet predicting exact glacier response to regional and local climate conditions requires research. Understanding glacier response to climate helps natural resource managers and policy makers prepare for change.
Glacier Monitoring - USGS scientists use emerging technologies to advance understanding of physical properties and the influence of climate variability on glacier loss.
USGS Benchmark Glacier Studies - Long-term mass balance research among five benchmark glaciers (including Sperry Glacier, GNP) advances our understanding of glacier-climate interactions and glacier processes. New fact sheet provides overview of USGS Benchmark Glacier Program.
Status of Glaciers in Glacier National Park- Glacier studies specific to the glaciers of Glacier National Park, MT.
Repeat Photography Project - Photographic documentation of glacier change in Glacier National park, MT.
Related Links:
Back to CCME
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Science in Glacier National Park
Time Series of Glacier Retreat
Repeat Photography Project
Status of Glaciers in Glacier National Park
Glacier Monitoring Studies
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are FAQ associated with this project.
How do we know glaciers are shrinking?
Repeat photography and aerial / satellite photo analysis provide evidence of glacier loss in terms of shape and area. The USGS Benchmark Glacier project has collected mass balance data on a network of glaciers in Alaska, Washington, and Montana for decades, quantifying trends of mass loss at all sites. Extensive field data collection at these sites includes twice yearly visits to measure seasonal...
- Overview
Climatic warming since the end of the Little Ice Age has resulted in substantial glacier ice loss around the world. Most glaciers have undergone thinning and many exhibit retreat at their margins. Glacier loss triggers a cascade of hydrological and ecological effects that impact plants, animals and can create human hazard and economic hardship. USGS scientists are using a variety of methods and technologies to track glacier change in glacierized regions in North America. By understanding the link between climate and glacier loss scientists aim to enhance preparedness as increasing temperatures influence mountain ecosystems worldwide.
Benchmark Glacier Fact Sheet
The U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project combines decades of direct glaciological data with remote sensing data to advance the quantitative understanding of glacier-climate interactions.
Glacier-Climate Connection
The Glacier-Climate Connection geonarrative tells the story of the U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project, one of the longest running studies of glaciers on Earth.
USGS Glacier Research - Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems (CCME)
Understanding Climate Drivers – The loss of glaciers has far-reaching physical and ecological consequences that impact society. Glaciers are sensitively linked to climate, yet predicting exact glacier response to regional and local climate conditions requires research. Understanding glacier response to climate helps natural resource managers and policy makers prepare for change.
Glacier Monitoring - USGS scientists use emerging technologies to advance understanding of physical properties and the influence of climate variability on glacier loss.
USGS Benchmark Glacier Studies - Long-term mass balance research among five benchmark glaciers (including Sperry Glacier, GNP) advances our understanding of glacier-climate interactions and glacier processes. New fact sheet provides overview of USGS Benchmark Glacier Program.
Status of Glaciers in Glacier National Park- Glacier studies specific to the glaciers of Glacier National Park, MT.
Repeat Photography Project - Photographic documentation of glacier change in Glacier National park, MT.
Related Links:
Back to CCME
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Science in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park (GNP) is considered a stronghold for a large diversity of plant and animal species and harbors some of the last remaining populations of threatened and endangered species such as grizzly bear and bull trout, as well as non threatened keystone species such as bighorn sheep and black bear. The mountain ecosystems of GNP that support these species are dynamic and influenced by...Time Series of Glacier Retreat
The retreat of glaciers (see PDF at end of page) in Glacier National Park, Montana, has received widespread attention by the media, the public, and scientists because it is a clear and poignant indicator of change in the northern Rocky Mountains of the USA. In 2017, the USGS and Portland State University released a dataset which describes the areas of the 37 named glaciers in Glacier National Park...Repeat Photography Project
Repeat photography provides objective visual evidence of landscape change. USGS scientists created approximately sixty repeat photography pairs that document glacier change in Glacier National Park. These photograph pairs are available as a collection hosted by the USGS Photographic Library and are publicly available for download. Modern (1997 to 2019) photographs were taken from precisely the...Status of Glaciers in Glacier National Park
Glaciers on the Glacier National Park (GNP) landscape have ecological value as a source of cold meltwater in the otherwise dry late summer months, and aesthetic value as the park’s namesake features. USGS scientists have studied these glaciers since the late 1800s, building a body of research that documents widespread glacier change over the past century. Ongoing USGS research pairs long-term data...Glacier Monitoring Studies
The purpose of the CCME's glacier monitoring studies is to systematically monitor changes in Glacier National Park’s namesake glaciers and to determine the causes of changes, assess their ecological and hydrological effects, and predict future changes and effects. - Data
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
- Web Tools
- FAQ
Below are FAQ associated with this project.
How do we know glaciers are shrinking?
Repeat photography and aerial / satellite photo analysis provide evidence of glacier loss in terms of shape and area. The USGS Benchmark Glacier project has collected mass balance data on a network of glaciers in Alaska, Washington, and Montana for decades, quantifying trends of mass loss at all sites. Extensive field data collection at these sites includes twice yearly visits to measure seasonal...