Assessing Glacier Mass Budgets by Reconnaissance Aerial Photography

Abstract

Abstract Glacier reconnaissance in North America depends largely on aerial photography. Qualitative interpretation of such photography presently yields information on extent and yearly variations of existing glaciers, vigor of their activity, formation of kinematic waves, snow-line altitudes, residual annual snow accumulation, and recent climatic changes. Methods are proposed whereby such data can be combined with limited ground observations to obtain quantitative mass budget data.