Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation

<p>Glacier mass balance has been estimated on individual glacier and regional scales using repeat digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs often have gaps in coverage (“voids”), the properties of which depend on the nature of the sensor used and the surface being measured. The way that these void...

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Main Authors: R. McNabb, C. Nuth, A. Kääb, L. Girod
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2019-03-01
Series:The Cryosphere
Online Access:https://www.the-cryosphere.net/13/895/2019/tc-13-895-2019.pdf
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author R. McNabb
C. Nuth
A. Kääb
L. Girod
author_facet R. McNabb
C. Nuth
A. Kääb
L. Girod
author_sort R. McNabb
collection DOAJ
description <p>Glacier mass balance has been estimated on individual glacier and regional scales using repeat digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs often have gaps in coverage (“voids”), the properties of which depend on the nature of the sensor used and the surface being measured. The way that these voids are accounted for has a direct impact on the estimate of geodetic glacier mass balance, though a systematic comparison of different proposed methods has been heretofore lacking. In this study, we determine the impact and sensitivity of void interpolation methods on estimates of volume change. Using two spatially complete, high-resolution DEMs over southeast Alaska, USA, we artificially generate voids in one of the DEMs using correlation values derived from photogrammetric processing of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) scenes. We then compare 11 different void interpolation methods on a glacier-by-glacier and regional basis. We find that a few methods introduce biases of up to 20&thinsp;% in the regional results, while other methods give results very close (<span class="inline-formula">&lt;1</span>&thinsp;% difference) to the true, non-voided volume change estimates. By comparing results from a few of the best-performing methods, an estimate of the uncertainty introduced by interpolating voids can be obtained. Finally, by increasing the number of voids, we show that with these best-performing methods, reliable estimates of glacier-wide volume change can be obtained, even with sparse DEM coverage.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-b6de943033f944a7910d44efe18e26cb2022-12-22T02:35:56ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242019-03-011389591010.5194/tc-13-895-2019Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolationR. McNabbC. NuthA. KääbL. Girod<p>Glacier mass balance has been estimated on individual glacier and regional scales using repeat digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs often have gaps in coverage (“voids”), the properties of which depend on the nature of the sensor used and the surface being measured. The way that these voids are accounted for has a direct impact on the estimate of geodetic glacier mass balance, though a systematic comparison of different proposed methods has been heretofore lacking. In this study, we determine the impact and sensitivity of void interpolation methods on estimates of volume change. Using two spatially complete, high-resolution DEMs over southeast Alaska, USA, we artificially generate voids in one of the DEMs using correlation values derived from photogrammetric processing of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) scenes. We then compare 11 different void interpolation methods on a glacier-by-glacier and regional basis. We find that a few methods introduce biases of up to 20&thinsp;% in the regional results, while other methods give results very close (<span class="inline-formula">&lt;1</span>&thinsp;% difference) to the true, non-voided volume change estimates. By comparing results from a few of the best-performing methods, an estimate of the uncertainty introduced by interpolating voids can be obtained. Finally, by increasing the number of voids, we show that with these best-performing methods, reliable estimates of glacier-wide volume change can be obtained, even with sparse DEM coverage.</p>https://www.the-cryosphere.net/13/895/2019/tc-13-895-2019.pdf
spellingShingle R. McNabb
C. Nuth
A. Kääb
L. Girod
Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation
The Cryosphere
title Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation
title_full Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation
title_fullStr Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation
title_full_unstemmed Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation
title_short Sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to DEM void interpolation
title_sort sensitivity of glacier volume change estimation to dem void interpolation
url https://www.the-cryosphere.net/13/895/2019/tc-13-895-2019.pdf
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