Map-based methods for estimating glacier equilibrium-line altitudes

被引:46
作者
Leonard, KC [1 ]
Fountain, AG [1 ]
机构
[1] Portland State Univ, Dept Geol, Portland, OR 97207 USA
关键词
D O I
10.3189/172756503781830665
中图分类号
P9 [自然地理学];
学科分类号
0705 ; 070501 ;
摘要
We examine the validity of two methods for estimating glacier equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) from topographic maps. The ELA determined by contour inflection (the kinematic ELA) and the mean elevation of the glacier correlate extremely well with the ELA determined from mass-balance data (observed ELA). However, the range in glacier elevations above sea level is much larger than the variation in ELA, making this correlation unhelpful. The data were normalized and a reasonable correlation (r(2) = 0.59) was found between observed and kinematic ELA. The average of the normalized kinematic ELAs was consistently located down-glacier from the observed ELA, consistent with theory The normalized mean elevation of the glacier exhibited no correlation and suggests that the toe-headwall altitude ratio is not a good approximation for the ELA. Kinematic waves had no effect on the position of the kinematic ELA. Therefore, topographic maps of glacier surfaces can be used to infer the position of the ELA and provide a method for estimating past ELAs front historic topographic maps.
引用
收藏
页码:329 / 336
页数:8
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