Point Measurements of Surface Mass Balance, Eklutna Glacier, Alaska, 2008-2015

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Louis Sass
Originator: Michael Loso
Originator: Jason Geck
Publication_Date: 201701
Title:

Edition: 1
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Anchorage, Alaska
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center

Online_Linkage: https://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7MP51CB
Larger_Work_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Michael Loso
Originator: Louis Sass
Publication_Date: 2008
Title: Eklutna Glacier Mass Balance
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: web site
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Anchorage, Alaska
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center

Online_Linkage: https://alaska.usgs.gov/portal/project.php?project_id=375

Description:

Abstract:

This data set consists of a time-series of direct measurements of glacier surface mass balance, at Eklutna Glacier, Alaska. It includes seasonal measurements of winter snow accumulation and summer snow and ice ablation.

Purpose:

To assess relationship between climate and changes in glacier geometry. The broader goal is to understand the function of Eklutna Glacier as part of the present water resource, and the implication for climate change on that water resource.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20080511
Ending_Date: 20150919

Currentness_Reference: observed

Status:

Progress: In work
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As possible

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Eklutna Glacier, Alaska
Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -149.08
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -148.88
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 61.27
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 61.17
Bounding_Altitudes:

Altitude_Minimum: 500
Altitude_Maximum: 2100
Altitude_Distance_Units: meters

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Metadata Identifier
Theme_Keyword: USGS:ASC74

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Glacier
Theme_Keyword: Mass balance

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NASA Earth Science Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Cryosphere
Theme_Keyword: Glaciers/Ice Sheets
Theme_Keyword: Ablation Zones/Accumulation Zones, Glaciers

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS CSA Biocomplexity Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Glaciology

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: Geoscientific Information

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Geographic Names Information System
Place_Keyword: Eklutna Glacier
Place_Keyword: Chugach State Park
Place_Keyword: Chugach Mountains
Place_Keyword: State of Alaska

Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:

It is requested that the authors and USGS Alaska Science Center should be cited and given credit for any subsequent publications or use of this data. When appropriate, please consider co-authorship with the authors. These data are the result of efforts by many participants in the field, as well as USGS and various researchers. All publications based on these data should acknowledge all of these efforts. If a publication is based solely on the analysis of this data, we suggest that you involve the authors of this data with the writing and/or review of the manuscript. We would also appreciate receiving a reprint or copy of any publications or reports that make use of the data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: USGS Alaska Science Center

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 4210 University Drive
City: Anchorage
State_or_Province: Alaska
Postal_Code: 99508

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 907 786 7000
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 907 786 7020
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ascweb@usgs.gov

Data_Set_Credit:

Michael Loso, Louis Sass, Jason Geck, Students of the Alaska Pacific University annual Glacier Travel and Glaciology course

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Louis C Sass
Originator: Michael G Loso
Originator: Jason Geck
Originator: Evan E Thoms
Publication_Date: 20170125
Title:

Geometry, mass balance, and thinning at Eklutna Glacier, Alaska: an altitude-mass-balance feedback with implications for water resources

Edition: April 2017
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: journal article
Series_Information:

Series_Name: Volume 63
Issue_Identification: 238

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Online
Publisher: Journal of Glaciology

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.146

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

All data contained herein is considered adequate for its originally intended use. All dates are accurate to the reported level of precision. Positional accuracies are described in the positional accuracy section. Thicknesses are accurate to the nearest 0.01 m, but spatial variability can be >0.1 m and the reported thicknesses do not represent any spatial average. Densities are accurate to 10 kg m-3, but again they do not represent any spatial average.

Logical_Consistency_Report: No formal logical accuracy tests were conducted.
Completeness_Report:

Data set is complete in the sense that no data points were excluded or altered. The number and distribution of observations varies from year to year as data acquisition was constrained by logistical considerations. The useful completeness may vary depending on the application.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

Positions were generated by post-processing mapping grade ( L1) GPS observations against local CORS stations using Trimble Office software. The software generated horizontal uncertainties were generally less than 1 m and always less than 3 m.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:

Use of snow-pits and cores to measure winter accumulation, use of stakes and wires to measure ablation, and the measurement of snow densities, as described in: Ostrem G, Brugman M (1991) Glacier Mass-Balance Measurements, National Hydrology Research Institute, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Process_Step:

Process_Description: No process steps have been described for this data set
Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Point

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Planar:

Grid_Coordinate_System:

Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

UTM_Zone_Number: 6
Transverse_Mercator:

Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.9996
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -147
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0
False_Easting: 500000
False_Northing: 0

Planar_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 1
Ordinate_Resolution: 1

Planar_Distance_Units: meters

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: World Geodetic System of 1984
Ellipsoid_Name: World Geodetic System of 1984
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.25722210088

Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Altitude_System_Definition:

Altitude_Datum_Name: WGS 84 Ellipsoid
Altitude_Resolution: 1.0
Altitude_Distance_Units: meters
Altitude_Encoding_Method:

Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Data table
Entity_Type_Definition:

The data consists of a .csv table. The data is arranged with a row for each measurement site and year, and columns for the measured values.

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: User defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Year
Attribute_Definition: Year in which the measurements occurred.
Attribute_Definition_Source: User defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 2008
Range_Domain_Maximum: 2016
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Year

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Easting [m]
Attribute_Definition: The easting coordinate for the measurements in UTM 6N.
Attribute_Definition_Source: NGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 390500
Range_Domain_Maximum: 396200
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: meters
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 1

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Northing [m]
Attribute_Definition: The northing coordinate for the measurements in UTM 6N.
Attribute_Definition_Source: NGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 6784600
Range_Domain_Maximum: 6792700
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: meters
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 1

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Elevation [m]
Attribute_Definition: Vertical distance above ellipsoid.
Attribute_Definition_Source: NGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 600
Range_Domain_Maximum: 1800
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: meters
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 1

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Day of year
Attribute_Definition: Day of year on which the measurement was made.
Attribute_Definition_Source: NASA GES DISC
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 90
Range_Domain_Maximum: 150
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: days
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: point balance [m]
Attribute_Definition:

The change in mass balance from the previous measurement, or if no previous measurement was made, from the previous mass minimum.

Attribute_Definition_Source:

Ostrem G, Brugman M (1991) Glacier Mass-Balance Measurements, National Hydrology Research Institute, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: -10
Range_Domain_Maximum: 10
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: meters
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: density [kg m-3]
Attribute_Definition: Average density of the snow or ice added or removed.
Attribute_Definition_Source:

Ostrem G, Brugman M (1991) Glacier Mass-Balance Measurements, National Hydrology Research Institute, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 100
Range_Domain_Maximum: 900
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 5

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: USGS Alaska Science Center

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 4210 University Drive
City: Anchorage
State_or_Province: Alaska
Postal_Code: 99508

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 907 786 7000
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ascweb@usgs.gov

Resource_Description: Authoritative source for access to this data
Distribution_Liability:

Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: zip
Format_Version_Number: 19
Format_Information_Content:

Zip file containing the data in CSV file format and FGDC metadata in XML and HTML formats.

File_Decompression_Technique: Winzip legacy compression applied.

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name: https://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7MP51CB

Fees: None

Technical_Prerequisites: none

Point Measurements of Surface Mass Balance, Eklutna Glacier, Alaska, 2008-2015

Metadata: