Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year
Widespread glacier losses have been observed in most glaciated regions on Earth during recent decades, with a typical pattern of strong thinning in their lower reaches and limited elevation changes in their accumulation areas. Here, we use Pléiades satellite stereo-images of the Mont-Blanc massif (A...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
|
| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023001004/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797391434884579328 |
|---|---|
| author | Etienne Berthier Christian Vincent Delphine Six |
| author_facet | Etienne Berthier Christian Vincent Delphine Six |
| author_sort | Etienne Berthier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Widespread glacier losses have been observed in most glaciated regions on Earth during recent decades, with a typical pattern of strong thinning in their lower reaches and limited elevation changes in their accumulation areas. Here, we use Pléiades satellite stereo-images of the Mont-Blanc massif (Alps) to reveal that thinning took place through the entire elevation range during the exceptional 2021/22 mass-balance year. Above 3000 m a.s.l. on Argentière glacier and Mer de Glace, thinning rates exceeded 3.5 m a−1 while almost no change occurred during the previous 9 years. Below 3000 m a.s.l., these anomalous thinning rates are essentially explained by changes in surface mass balance. At higher altitudes, other processes such as firn densification may play a role. Our analysis shows that high altitude glaciers, mostly stable during the last 100 years, are now responding to the impact of climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:32:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4155d0828e1d47e5b82ddfe446b45f9b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:32:35Z |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4155d0828e1d47e5b82ddfe446b45f9b2023-12-14T09:51:26ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56521610.1017/jog.2023.100Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance yearEtienne Berthier0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5978-9155Christian Vincent1Delphine Six2LEGOS, Université de Toulouse, CNES, CNRS, IRD, UT3, Toulouse, FranceUniv. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, INRAE, IGE, Grenoble, FranceUniv. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, INRAE, IGE, Grenoble, FranceWidespread glacier losses have been observed in most glaciated regions on Earth during recent decades, with a typical pattern of strong thinning in their lower reaches and limited elevation changes in their accumulation areas. Here, we use Pléiades satellite stereo-images of the Mont-Blanc massif (Alps) to reveal that thinning took place through the entire elevation range during the exceptional 2021/22 mass-balance year. Above 3000 m a.s.l. on Argentière glacier and Mer de Glace, thinning rates exceeded 3.5 m a−1 while almost no change occurred during the previous 9 years. Below 3000 m a.s.l., these anomalous thinning rates are essentially explained by changes in surface mass balance. At higher altitudes, other processes such as firn densification may play a role. Our analysis shows that high altitude glaciers, mostly stable during the last 100 years, are now responding to the impact of climate change.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023001004/type/journal_articleClimate changeglacier mass balanceglacier monitoringmountain glaciersremote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Etienne Berthier Christian Vincent Delphine Six Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year Journal of Glaciology Climate change glacier mass balance glacier monitoring mountain glaciers remote sensing |
| title | Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year |
| title_full | Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year |
| title_fullStr | Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year |
| title_short | Exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of Mont-Blanc glaciers during the 2021/22 mass balance year |
| title_sort | exceptional thinning through the entire altitudinal range of mont blanc glaciers during the 2021 22 mass balance year |
| topic | Climate change glacier mass balance glacier monitoring mountain glaciers remote sensing |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023001004/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT etienneberthier exceptionalthinningthroughtheentirealtitudinalrangeofmontblancglaciersduringthe202122massbalanceyear AT christianvincent exceptionalthinningthroughtheentirealtitudinalrangeofmontblancglaciersduringthe202122massbalanceyear AT delphinesix exceptionalthinningthroughtheentirealtitudinalrangeofmontblancglaciersduringthe202122massbalanceyear |