Evaluating glacier movement fluctuations using remote sensing: A case study of the Baird, Patterson, LeConte, and Shakes glaciers in central Southeastern Alaska

Global Land Survey (GLS) data encompassing Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS), Landsat 5's Thematic Mapper (TM), and Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) were used to determine the terminus locations of Baird, Patterson, LeConte, and Shakes Glaciers in Alaska in the time period 1975-2010. The sequences of the terminuses locations were investigated to determine the movement rates of these glaciers with respect to specific physical and environmental conditions.;GLS data from 1975, 1990, 2000, 2005, and 2010 in false-color composite images enhancing ice-snow differentiation and Iterative Self-Organizing (ISO) Data Cluster Unsupervised Classifications were used to 1) quantify the movement rates of Baird, Patterson, LeConte, and Shakes Glaciers; 2) analyze the movement rates for glaciers with similar terminal terrain conditions and; 3) analyze the movement rates for glaciers with dissimilar terminal terrain conditions. From the established sequence of terminus locations, movement distances were quantified between the glacier locations. Movement distances were then compared to see if any correlation existed between glaciers with similar or dissimilar terminal terrain conditions. The Global Land Ice Measurement from Space (GLIMS) data was used as a starting point from which glacier movement was measured for Baird, Patterson, and LeConte Glaciers only as the Shakes Glacier is currently not included in the GLIMS database.;The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) temperature data collected at the Petersburg, Alaska, meteorological station (from January 1, 1973 to December 31, 2009) were used to help in the understanding of the climatic condition in this area and potential impact on glaciers terminus.;Results show that glaciers with similar terminal terrain conditions (Patterson and Shakes Glaciers) and glaciers with dissimilar terminal terrain conditions (Baird, Patterson, and LeConte Glaciers) did not exhibit similar movement rates. Glacier movement rates were greatest for glaciers whose terminuses were in fresh water (Patterson and Shakes Glaciers), less for those with terminuses in salt water (LeConte Glacier), and least for glaciers with terminuses on dry land (Baird Glacier).Based upon these findings, the presence of water, especially fresh water, at the terminal end of the Patterson and Shakes Glaciers had a greater effect on glacier movement than slope. Possible explanations for this effect might include a heat sink effect or tidal motions that hasten glacier disintegration in the ablation zone. In a heat sink scenario, the water bodies in which the Patterson and Shakes Glaciers terminus are located could act as a thermal energy transfer medium that increases glacier melting and subsequent retreat. On the other hand, tidal motions could act as horizontal and vertical push/pull forces, which increase the fracturing rate, calving, and subsequent retreat of glaciers terminus that are is salt water like the LeConte Glacier.;Over the length of the study period, 1975 through 2010, there has been a 0.85°C increase in annual air temperatures that, although may seem low, may prove important when determining glacial mass balance rates. Further studies are necessary to test these hypotheses to determine if a heat sink effect and tidal motions significantly affected the movement rates for the glaciers in this study area.;An additional significant result of this study was the creation of shapefiles delineating the positions of the Shakes Glaciers that are being submitted to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) program for inclusion in their master worldwide glacier database.