Glaciology Commons^™

Geomorphic And Paleoclimatic Implications Of Glacial Extent Records In The Sierra Nevada Del Cocuy, Colombia During Termination 1, Jordan Nickerson Herbert

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Reconstructions of past glacial extents using geomorphic mapping and cosmogenic dating provide an opportunity to infer past climates. A record of the past extents of tropical mountain glaciers is particularly useful because there are few other means to reconstruct past temperatures in high-altitude, low-latitude locations. The tropics play an outsized role in mediating global climate, yet there is a lack of understanding of how the tropics may have influenced past climate changes such as the most recent deglaciation (Termination 1, ~18–11.7 ka). Improving reconstructions of tropical mountain glaciers will aid in understanding the role of the tropics in the global …

Late Quaternary Glacier Fluctuations At Picayune Lake, Northern California, Aidan Patrick Cowan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Klamath Mountains are a 233-km-long (north to south) mountain range located in northern California that shows extensive geomorphic evidence of Pleistocene glaciation. Within the Klamath’s there are many highland lakes, which record evidence of glacial deposition, one of which is Picayune Lake. Lake sediment data collected from Picayune Lake offers insights into the glaciation, and broader depositional history of the Picayune Lake Valley, as well as the climate history of the Klamath Mountains region. I measured magnetic susceptibility, loss on ignition, and grain size in sediment cores and used radiocarbon dating to determine a chronology of glacier fluctuations in …

Snowmelt Detection On Alpine Glaciers Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Time Series, Corey Scher

Dissertations and Theses

Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) glaciers serve as some of the most sensitive indicators of changes in global climate. These glaciers shape the hydrologic dynamics of river systems supplying freshwater to over 2 billion people throughout Asia and regulate the geochemistry of sensitive aquatic alpine ecosystems. As snowmelt onsets sooner, lasts longer, and snowfields retreat due to increases in global temperature, the hydrologic dynamics of catchments draining HKH threaten to change the availability of surface freshwater resources for nearly one fifth of the global population, disturb sensitive aquatic habitat, and precipitate hazards associated with glacier wasting. Informed planning and decision-making around …

Developing A Risk Assessment Protocol To Quantify Distribution And Uptake Of Persistent Organic Pollutants In Glacial Outflows, Kimberley Rain Miner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pollutants released by industrialized nations between 1960 and 2004 have been transported northward through atmospheric processes and deposited into glaciated alpine ecosystems. Many of these chemicals retain their original structure and are absorbed into the biota thousands of miles away from where they were originally utilized. With a warming climate increasing the melt of alpine glaciers, these glaciers may be introducing growing amounts of toxins into the watershed. While studies have demonstrated the existence of resident pollutants within glaciated ecosystems, no one has developed a risk assessment to identify sources and quantity of risk posed by these compounds when released …

Novel Methods For Quantifying Spatio-Temporal Change In Glaciated And Subaqueous Environments, Jordan Mertes

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In many scientific fields, it is important to actively develop new approaches to monitoring and quantifying changes within different systems. Often adapting existing tools or applying techniques from alternative fields can greatly improve our ability to monitor spatial and temporal changes. In this dissertation, I present four studies aimed at demonstrating new innovative ways at improving our ability to observe and quantify changes occurring on glaciers, submerged cultural resources (SCRs) and supraglacial lakes by using technology such as Structure from Motion + Multi-view stereo photogrammetry (SfM) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveying combined with facies analysis.

I have successfully reconstructed …

Glacial Lacustrine Records Of Holocene Climate Variations In The Tropical Peruvian Andes, Sasha Rothenberg

Honors Theses

Lake sediment cores taken from glacial lakes and wetlands are valuable proxies of glacial activity because they offer a continuous record of sediment input. Tropical alpine glaciers are especially sensitive to changes in precipitation and temperature, and thus the history of glaciation can be used in the reconstruction of past climates. Owing to a steep east-­‐to-­‐west moisture gradient across the Andes, glaciers in the eastern cordillera are more sensitive to changes in temperature whereas those in the drier, western, cordillera are more sensitive to changes in precipitation. Multiple lacustrine sediment cores were taken from two sites in the central Peruvian …

Applying Gis Metrics To Determine Degree Of Glacial Modification In Mountainous Landscapes, Carl Delbert Swanson Ii

All Master's Theses

The ability to quantitatively assess the degree of glaciation in mountainous areas can be a powerful tool in unraveling the evolution of landscapes, and provide key insights in regions where field research is difficult. Here we determine, test, and apply metrics that assess the relative degree of past glacial modification in mountainous landscapes. Results show that slope results can be used to quantitatively assess the degree to which an area is modified by glaciation. In particular, analysis of basins using slope frequency distribution curves and slope vs. elevation plots capture steeper slopes, flatter valley bottoms, cirques, and arêtes of glaciated …

An Interhemispheric Comparison Of The Recession Of Mountain Glaciers In The Last 150 Years, Colby Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historical records in the Northern Hemisphere show overall glacier retreat since about AD 1860-1890. A glacial retreat of similar timing and magnitude in the Southern Hemisphere is less well established. Comparison of the timing and magnitude of glacial recession in the two polar hemispheres over the past century can elucidate mechanisms driving global climatic change. In order to determine the recession patterns of Murchison, Hooker, and Tasman Glaciers in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, geomorphic maps were constructed and recent glacial deposits were dated using lichenometry. Since the mid-to-late nineteenth century, each glacier terminus has retreated about 1.5 km. …