Theoretical Foundations of Remote Sensing for Glacier Assessment and Mapping

The international scientific community is actively engaged in assessing ice sheet and alpine glacier fluctuations at a variety of scales. The availability of stereoscopic, multitemporal, and multispectral satellite imagery from the optical wavelength regions of the electromagnetic spectrum has greatly increased our ability to assess glaciological conditions and map the cryosphere. There are, however, important issues and limitations associated with accurate satellite information extraction and mapping, as well as new opportunities for assessment and mapping that are all rooted in understanding the fundamentals of the radiation transfer cascade. We address the primary radiation transfer components, relate them to glacier dynamics and mapping, and summarize the analytical approaches that permit transformation of spectral variation into thematic and quantitative parameters. We also discuss the integration of satellite-derived information into numerical modeling approaches to facilitate understandings of glacier dynamics and causal mechanisms

Progress on Rock Glacier Research

This report is an account of research progress on rock glaciers of Afghanistan, Colorado, and Utah. Because of the preliminary nature of this work, some speculation is present; nevertheless, we think there is evidence for each major, new point expressed. The main thesis of our work is that rock glaciers are polygenetic and appear to be part of a continuum of similar landforms grading morphologically and, presumably, mechanically from one type to another type