Glaciers and Ice Caps - Capabilities and Requirements (from IGOS Cryosphere Theme Report)
Parameter
|
CT O |
Measurement Range |
Measurement Accuracy |
Resolution |
Comment / Principal Driver |
||||||
Spatial |
Temporal |
||||||||||
L |
H |
U |
V |
U |
V |
U |
V |
U |
|||
Area |
C |
|
|
|
1 |
% |
5 |
m |
30 |
a |
airborne |
O |
|
|
|
3 |
% |
30 |
m |
5 |
a |
Landsat etc. |
|
T |
0.01 |
|
3 |
% |
50 |
m |
5 |
a |
Hi-res optical
|
||
O |
0.01 |
|
km2 |
1 |
% |
15 |
m |
1 |
a |
||
Topography |
O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Airborne |
C |
0 |
8500 |
m sl. |
5 |
m |
100 |
m |
5 |
a |
For models |
|
T |
0 |
8500 |
m sl. |
0.1 |
m |
30 |
m |
1 |
a |
Mass balance |
|
Velocity |
O |
|
|
|
1 |
% |
point |
|
1 |
a |
In situ |
C |
0 |
10 |
km/a |
5 |
% |
10 |
m |
1 |
a |
InSAR, hi res. optical, etc. |
|
T |
0 |
10 |
km/a |
1 |
% |
20 |
m |
1 |
m |
||
Glacier dammed lakes |
O |
|
|
|
1 |
% |
1 |
m |
1 |
a |
airborne |
C |
0.05 |
10 |
km2 |
3 |
% |
50 |
m |
1 |
m |
SAR, hi-res optical |
|
T |
0.01 |
10 |
km2 |
1 |
% |
15 |
m |
5 |
d |
||
Facies, snowline
|
C |
|
|
|
|
|
point |
|
|
|
In situ |
T |
|
|
class |
200 |
m |
100 |
m |
1 |
m |
Position of boundary |
|
O |
|
|
class |
30 |
m |
30 |
m |
10 |
d |
||
Accumulation |
C |
|
|
|
5 |
% |
point |
|
|
|
In situ |
T |
0.05 |
8 |
m |
10 |
% |
500 |
m |
1 |
a |
Ku-, X-SAR |
|
O |
0.10 |
5 |
m |
5 |
% |
100 |
m |
1 |
m |
||
Mass balance |
C |
|
|
|
0.10 |
m |
point |
|
|
|
In situ |
T |
0 |
±5 |
m |
0.20 |
m |
500 |
m |
1 |
m |
process model & SAR |
|
O |
0 |
±5 |
m |
0.05 |
m |
100 |
m |
1 |
a |
||
Ice thickness |
C |
0 |
200 |
m |
2-5 |
m |
100 |
M |
30 |
Yr |
In situ, airborne |
Codes are as follows: C = Current Capability, T = Threshold Requirement (Minimum necessary), O= Objective Requirement (Target), L = Low end of measurement range, U = Unit, H = High end of measurement range, V = Value, cl = climate, op = operational.