Elevation and volume changes on the Harding Icefield, Alaska

Abstract

Airborne surface elevation profiles of the Harding Ice field, south-central Alaska, were made in 1991 and 1996. Thirteen glaciers were profiled, along with the tipper region of the icefield. The profiles were compared to U.S. Geological Survey topographie maps made in the 1950s, to obtain elevation and volume changes. Comparison of the changes for the different glaciers shows no significant correlation between volume change and the type of glacier or characteristics such as location, aspect, size, slope or terminus changes. Estimated total volume change tor this ~43 year period is about -34 km³, which corresponds to an area-average elevation change of-21 m. The estimated error in this elevation change of 5 m is mainly due to errors in the maps at higher elevations. Our measurements provide an accurate baseline against which future determinations of volume change can be made.