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  2. Essential Climate Variables
  3. Glaciers
  4. ECV Products and Requirements for Glaciers

ECV Products and Requirements for Glaciers

These products and requirements reflect the Implementation Plan 2016 (GCOS-200). GCOS is reviewing and will update the requirements until 2022. More information on: gcos.wmo.int.

 

 

Product Definition Resolution Frequency Required Measurement Uncertainty Stability Standards/ References
Glacier Area Area covered by glaciers (per glacier) Annual(at end of ablation season) Horizontal(at the end of the ablation period)15-30 m 5% N/A IGOS (2009), Paul et al. (2009), Zemp et al. (2013)
Glacier Elevation Change 2d map of change in height of surface of glacier Decadal Horizontal 30-100 m x vertical 1 m 2 m/ decade 1 m/ decade IGOS (2009), Paul et al. (2009), Zemp et al. (2013)
Glacier Mass Change Annual change in total mass of glacier (at the end of the ablation period) Seasonal to annual (the latter at end of ablation period) Vertical: 0.01 m per 10 kg/ m2 (at point location) Better than 200 kg/m2/year (glacier-wide) N/A IGOS (2009), Paul et al. (2009), Zemp et al. (2013)

 

 

 

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