Library Item
Recent mass changes of Peyto Glacier, Alberta, from remote sensing and field measurements
Description:
The Peyto Glacier is one of the most studied outlet glaciers draining the Wapta icefield in the Canadian Rockies. It has undergone significant retreat in the last century. We assess the change in volume of ablation area of the Peyto glacier since 1984, by comparing recent ground penetrating radar and GPS measurements to historical measurements. Additionally, we track the areal extent of the glacier using aerial photos to quantify the retreat history. We found that over the last 40 years, the area of the glacier has reduced by 1.67 * 10^4 km2/yr, and that the glacier has been losing volume by about 2.88 * 10^6 m3/yr. We project that at the current rate, the ablation area of the Peyto Glacier may be gone entirely in 20-40 years.
