Title

Melt water input from the Bering Glacier watershed into the Gulf of Alaska

Authors

Edward G. Josberger, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
Robert Shuchman, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
Liza K. Jenkins, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
K. A. Endsley, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2014

Abstract

The annual runoff from the melting of large glaciers and snow fields along the northern perimeter of the Gulf of Alaska is a critical component of marine physical and biological systems; yet, most of this freshwater is not measured. Here we show estimates of melt for the watershed that contains the largest and longest glacier in North America, the Bering Glacier. The procedure combines in situ observations of snow and ice melt acquired by a long-term monitoring program, multispectral satellite observations, and nearby temperature measurements. The estimated melt is 40 km3 per melt season, ± 3.0 km3, observed over the decadal period, 2002–2012. As a result of climate change, these estimates could increase to 60 km3/yr by 2050. This technique and the derived melt coefficients can be applied to estimate melt from Alaska to Washington glaciers.

Publisher's Statement

© 2015 American Geophysical Union. Publisher's version of record: https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058734

Supplemental files available below.

Publication Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Josberger, E. G., Shuchman, R., Jenkins, L. K., & Endsley, K. A. (2014). Melt water input from the Bering Glacier watershed into the Gulf of Alaska. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(3), 886-890. http://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058734
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