A new study from UNBC is shedding light on changes in glacier mass due to rising temperatures.
Ben Pelto, a PhD Candidate in the UNBC Geography Program, tracked the impact the rising temperature is having on glaciers in the Columbia River basin.
“Knowing how much glaciers contribute to streamflow today is important for understanding how the ecosystems they support, and services they provide, will fare when the glaciers are gone or greatly reduced in size,” said Pelto.
The study was a multi-year project where 40 volunteers visited six glaciers twice per year to measure winter snowfall and summer snow and ice melt.
According to Pelto, this is the first time a team has tracked the changing size of glaciers in the Columbia River basin.
The team used an airborne laser scanner to create detailed maps of the glaciers each season.
“These estimates are as valuable as calibration and validation data for glacier models, better allowing us to predict future glacier response to climate change and runoff from these glaciers as they continue to shrink,” said Pelto.
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