Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau
The west branch of Karayaylak Glacier (eastern Pamir Plateau) surged in May 2015, significantly impacting on local socio-economic development. This event was also of great significance for studies of surging glaciers. Using Sentinel-1 imagery analyzed by offset tracking, based on normalized cross-co...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/774 |
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| author | Yanfei Peng Zhongqin Li Chunhai Xu Hui Zhang Weixiao Han |
| author_facet | Yanfei Peng Zhongqin Li Chunhai Xu Hui Zhang Weixiao Han |
| author_sort | Yanfei Peng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The west branch of Karayaylak Glacier (eastern Pamir Plateau) surged in May 2015, significantly impacting on local socio-economic development. This event was also of great significance for studies of surging glaciers. Using Sentinel-1 imagery analyzed by offset tracking, based on normalized cross-correlation (NCC), and with the support of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, we quantified the ice surface velocity of the west branch and terminus of Karayaylak Glacier from 13 October 2014 to 17 October 2020. Sentinel-1 images were acquired at intervals of 12 or 24 days. We also used a three-dimensional (3-D) laser scanner to measure the velocity of 3 ablation stakes and 56 feature points in the study region from 15 August to 6 October 2015, for the purpose of accuracy assessment. We set up an automatic meteorological station to record the air temperature in the same period and combined this with data from Tashkurgan meteorological station from 1957 to 2015. Analysis of this dataset provided insights into the glacier surge mechanism, with the following conclusions. (1) Surface velocity of the west branch and terminus of Karayaylak Glacier increased sharply after October 2014. The velocity then dropped significantly in the two months after the surge, and stayed at low values for nearly a year. After 2017, the velocity was slightly higher than in the previous period. (2) The surge event occurred from 11 April to 17 May 2015; the average surface velocity in this phase attained 2395 m a<sup>−1</sup> with a maximum velocity of 4265 m a<sup>−1</sup> at the west branch terminus. (3) From 2017 to 2020, the velocity showed periodic annual changes. (4) Based on the meteorological data analysis, we conclude that this surge resulted from the interaction between thermal and hydrological control mechanisms. Simultaneously, we demonstrate the high potential of the GEE platform and Sentinel-1 data to extract glacier surface velocity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:42:28Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:42:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ef3129a8ddb4edaa2fa8eb9ecdd74092023-12-11T17:45:07ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922021-02-0113477410.3390/rs13040774Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir PlateauYanfei Peng0Zhongqin Li1Chunhai Xu2Hui Zhang3Weixiao Han4College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaCollege of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences/Tien Shan Glaciological Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences/Tien Shan Glaciological Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Remote Sensing of Gansu Province/Heihe Remote Sensing Experimental Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaThe west branch of Karayaylak Glacier (eastern Pamir Plateau) surged in May 2015, significantly impacting on local socio-economic development. This event was also of great significance for studies of surging glaciers. Using Sentinel-1 imagery analyzed by offset tracking, based on normalized cross-correlation (NCC), and with the support of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, we quantified the ice surface velocity of the west branch and terminus of Karayaylak Glacier from 13 October 2014 to 17 October 2020. Sentinel-1 images were acquired at intervals of 12 or 24 days. We also used a three-dimensional (3-D) laser scanner to measure the velocity of 3 ablation stakes and 56 feature points in the study region from 15 August to 6 October 2015, for the purpose of accuracy assessment. We set up an automatic meteorological station to record the air temperature in the same period and combined this with data from Tashkurgan meteorological station from 1957 to 2015. Analysis of this dataset provided insights into the glacier surge mechanism, with the following conclusions. (1) Surface velocity of the west branch and terminus of Karayaylak Glacier increased sharply after October 2014. The velocity then dropped significantly in the two months after the surge, and stayed at low values for nearly a year. After 2017, the velocity was slightly higher than in the previous period. (2) The surge event occurred from 11 April to 17 May 2015; the average surface velocity in this phase attained 2395 m a<sup>−1</sup> with a maximum velocity of 4265 m a<sup>−1</sup> at the west branch terminus. (3) From 2017 to 2020, the velocity showed periodic annual changes. (4) Based on the meteorological data analysis, we conclude that this surge resulted from the interaction between thermal and hydrological control mechanisms. Simultaneously, we demonstrate the high potential of the GEE platform and Sentinel-1 data to extract glacier surface velocity.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/774Karayaylak glaciersurge glacierglacier surface velocityGoogle Earth EngineSentinel-1offset tracking |
| spellingShingle | Yanfei Peng Zhongqin Li Chunhai Xu Hui Zhang Weixiao Han Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau Remote Sensing Karayaylak glacier surge glacier glacier surface velocity Google Earth Engine Sentinel-1 offset tracking |
| title | Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau |
| title_full | Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau |
| title_short | Surface Velocity Analysis of Surge Region of Karayaylak Glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the Pamir Plateau |
| title_sort | surface velocity analysis of surge region of karayaylak glacier from 2014 to 2020 in the pamir plateau |
| topic | Karayaylak glacier surge glacier glacier surface velocity Google Earth Engine Sentinel-1 offset tracking |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/774 |
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