Ablation stakes on Gulkana Glacier
Detailed Description
Ablation stakes on Gulkana Glacier, Alaska. Late summer fieldwork on Gulkana Glacier reveals ablation stakes emerging from the ice. Measurements of the change in the height of the snow and ice at these stakes is one aspect of determining glacier mass balance.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.
Photographer: Louis Sass, USGS
Related
Mass Balance Methods - Measuring Glacier Change
Nearly all Earth's alpine glaciers are losing ice, usually expressed as loss of mass. Rates of mass loss for North American glaciers are among the highest on Earth (Gardner, 2013) and shrinking glaciers are often the most visible indicators of mountain ecosystems responding to climate change.
Related
Mass Balance Methods - Measuring Glacier Change
Nearly all Earth's alpine glaciers are losing ice, usually expressed as loss of mass. Rates of mass loss for North American glaciers are among the highest on Earth (Gardner, 2013) and shrinking glaciers are often the most visible indicators of mountain ecosystems responding to climate change.