Glaciers

Glacier changes provide independent and reliable evidence of climate change. Past, current and future glacier changes impact global sea level, the regional water cycle, and may increase local hazard risks.

Change in Glacier Mass

Source: https://wgms.ch/data/faq/_FAQ_RefGlac_Global_Annual_MB.svg


ECV Products and Requirements

These products and requirements reflect the Implementation Plan 2022 (GCOS-244).

The requirements are found in the complete 2022 ECVs Requirements document as well: ECV Glaciers.

Products Glacier Area  Glacier Elevation Change  Glacier Mass Change
 (*)UnitValues UnitValues UnitValues
Horizontal ResolutionGm1 m1   
B20 25  
T100 90  
Vertical ResolutionG - m0.01 m 
B- 2 0.01
T- 5 0.05
Temporal ResolutionGy1 y1 month1
B    3
T10 10 12
TimelinessGy1    d 
B     
T10   365
Required Measurement Uncertainty (2-sigma)G%1 m  kg m-2 y-1 
B5 2 0.2
T20   0.5
StabilityG   m/decade  kg m-2 / decade 
B  2  
T    2
 

(*) Goal (G): an ideal requirement above which further improvements are not necessary. Breakthrough (B): an intermediate level between threshold and goal which, if achieved, would result in a significant improvement for the targeted application. The breakthrough value may also indicate the level at which specified uses within climate monitoring become possible. It may be appropriate to have different breakthrough values for different uses. Threshold (T): the minimum requirement to be met to ensure that data are useful.

Data sources

This list provides sources for openly accessible data sets with worldwide coverage for which metadata is available. It is curated by the respective GCOS ECV Steward(s). The list does not claim to be complete. Anyone with a suitable dataset who wishes it to be added to this list should contact the abombelliatwmo [dot] int (GCOS Secretariat).

In Situ Data:


Satellite:

  • Satellite ECV Inventory by the CEOS/CGMS Working Group on Climate (WGClimate)
  • GLIMS Glacier Database, NASA
  • Randolph Glacier Inventory (RGI)
Glaciers
النطاق:
Land
Subdomain:
Cryosphere
Scientific Area:
Snow and Ice
ECV Steward:
Isabelle Gärtner-Roer
Products:
Glacier Area; Glacier Elevation Change; Glacier Mass Change