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| Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Global Land Ice Measurements from Space |
| Abbreviation | GLIMS |
| Established | 2000 |
| Parent | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
| Partners | United States Geological Survey (USGS), University of Zurich, National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) |
| Region | Global |
| Focus | Glacier monitoring, satellite remote sensing |
Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) Global Land Ice Measurements from Space is an international glacier observation initiative that integrates satellite remote sensing, field observations, and geospatial analysis to map and monitor terrestrial ice. The project links data from orbital platforms with field programs and academic centers to produce standardized glacier inventories and time-series products. It supports climate science, hydrology, and policy by providing open datasets used by researchers, agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
The project compiles glacier outlines, change metrics, and metadata using inputs from Landsat missions, ASTER, Sentinel-2, and other Earth observation platforms. It maintains interoperable products that are discoverable through repositories operated by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United States Geological Survey, and National Snow and Ice Data Center. The initiative engages with research institutions such as University of Zurich, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Ohio State University, and regional centers including Wegener Institute and British Antarctic Survey. GLIMS-derived datasets support assessments by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and reporting by agencies like United Nations Environment Programme.
The program began around 2000 under leadership linked to National Aeronautics and Space Administration programs and collaborators in the International Glaciological Society. Early development intersected with missions such as Landsat 7 and instruments like Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer. Key milestones include establishment of a distributed database model influenced by practices at United States Geological Survey and archival services at National Snow and Ice Data Center. Technical advances were driven by algorithmic work from groups at University of Zurich, University of Colorado Boulder, ETH Zurich, and outreach with regional programs in Nepal, Peru, Iceland, and Greenland. The evolution paralleled international efforts such as Global Climate Observing System and projects funded by agencies like European Space Agency.
Primary objectives are to produce consistent glacier inventories, quantify mass and area changes, and enable long-term monitoring for cryospheric science. Scope spans mountain ranges and ice fields in regions including the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rocky Mountains, Scandinavia, Alaska Peninsula, Svalbard, Patagonia, East Antarctica, and Greenland Ice Sheet margins. The program aims to support assessments by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, inform water-resource studies in basins such as the Ganges River, Indus River, Mekong River, and Río Santa (Peru), and assist hazard management for agencies like United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Methods combine manual digitization, automated classification, and change detection using imagery from Landsat 5, Landsat 8, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and spaceborne altimeters such as ICESat and CryoSat. Elevation change and mass-balance estimates integrate point measurements from field programs led by institutes like Scott Polar Research Institute and Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. Geospatial workflows use software frameworks developed by teams at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Google Earth Engine, ESRI, and open-source tools from OpenStreetMap communities. Ancillary datasets include climate reanalyses from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, topography from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and glacier inventories such as the Randolph Glacier Inventory.
Deliverables include glacier outlines, centroids, length measurements, area time series, change vectors, and metadata accessible through portals hosted by National Snow and Ice Data Center, United States Geological Survey, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration data servers. Data formats follow geospatial standards promoted by Open Geospatial Consortium and are interoperable with platforms like Google Earth Engine and institutional repositories at PANGAEA. Access mechanisms support bulk download, web services, and integration with modeling frameworks used by investigators at Columbia University, Purdue University, and University of Leeds.
GLIMS products inform glacier mass-balance studies cited in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, hydrological modeling for water managers in basins like the Indus River and Ganges River, and hazard assessments for communities in Nepal and Peru. Research leveraging the datasets has influenced policy discussions at United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings and supported adaptation planning by organizations such as World Bank and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Academic outputs have been produced by investigators from University of British Columbia, University of Oslo, University of Copenhagen, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
GLIMS operates as a distributed effort involving partners including National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United States Geological Survey, National Snow and Ice Data Center, academic institutions such as University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Colorado Boulder, and international bodies like European Space Agency and Committee on Earth Observation Satellites. Regional collaborations engage national research centers such as Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú, Nepalese Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Icelandic Meteorological Office, and Instituto Geofísico del Perú. Funding and technical support have been provided through programs at National Science Foundation, European Commission, and bilateral partnerships with ministries in countries hosting key mountain ranges.