Juneau Icefield Mass Balance Program 1946–2011

Abstract

Abstract. The mass balance records of the Lemon Creek Glacier and Taku Glacier observed by the Juneau Icefield Research Program are the longest continuous glacier mass balance data sets in North America. On Taku Glacier annual mass balance averaged +0.40 m a−1 from 1946–1985 and −0.08 m a−1 from 1986–2011. The recent mass balance decline has resulted in the cessation of the long term thickening of the glacier. Mean annual mass balance on Lemon Creek Glacier has declined from −0.30 m a−1 for the 1953–1985 period to −0.60 m a−1 during the 1986–2011 period. The overall mass balance change is −26.6 m water equivalent, a 29 m of ice thinning over the 55 yr. Probing transects above the transient snow line (TSL) indicate a consistent balance gradient from year to year. Observations of the rate of summer TSL rise on Lemon Creek and Taku Glacier indicate a comparatively consistent rate of 3.8 to 4.1 m d−1. The relationship between TSL on Lemon Creek and Taku Glacier to other Juneau Icefield glaciers, Norris, Mendenhall, Herbert, and Eagle, is strong with correlations exceeding 0.82 in all cases. doi:10.5065/D6NZ85N3