File:NASA Climate Change - Glaciers circa 2024.png

• https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153482/todays-glacial-retreat-is-a-recent-phenomenon

• https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153337/keeping-tabs-on-north-cascades-glaciers

Today’s Accelerating Melt

Scientists are tracking the behavior of the world’s alpine glaciers, 45 of which are part of a network of reference glaciers across the planet. Each of these glaciers has over 30 years of continuous measurements.

Reference Glaciers

Glacier mass balance is the direct and undelayed response to atmospheric climate change and hence is among the essential variables required for climate system monitoring. Glacier melt contributes to runoff and has been recognised as one of the largest non-steric contributor to sea-level rise. With the reference glaciers, the WGMS aims at providing a reliable and well documented sample of globally distributed long-term observation series to document the impact of climate change on glacier mass-balance. The reference glaciers have more than 30 years of ongoing glaciological mass-balance measurements. As an essential climate variable, these glaciers build the backbone of the observational network of the WGMS within the Global Climate Observation System in support of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change.

List of 'reference glaciers'

REGION COUNTRY GLACIER NAME

ALASKA US GULKANA

ALASKA US WOLVERINE

WESTERN NORTH AMERICA US COLUMBIA (2057)

WESTERN NORTH AMERICA US EASTON WESTERN NORTH AMERICA US LEMON CREEK WESTERN NORTH AMERICA US RAINBOW WESTERN NORTH AMERICA US SOUTH CASCADE WESTERN NORTH AMERICA CA HELM WESTERN NORTH AMERICA CA PEYTO WESTERN NORTH AMERICA CA PLACE

ARCTIC CANADA NORTH & SOUTH CA DEVON ICE CAP NW

ARCTIC CANADA NORTH & SOUTH CA MEIGHEN ICE CAP ARCTIC CANADA NORTH & SOUTH CA MELVILLE SOUTH ICE CAP ARCTIC CANADA NORTH & SOUTH CA WHITE

ICELAND IS BRÚARJÖKULL

ICELAND IS EYJABAKKAJÖKULL ICELAND IS HOFSJÖKULL E ICELAND IS HOFSJÖKULL N ICELAND IS HOFSJÖKULL SW ICELAND IS TUNGNÁRJÖKULL

SVALBARD & JAN MAYEN SJ AUSTRE BROEGGERBREEN

SVALBARD & JAN MAYEN SJ MIDTRE LOVÉNBREEN

SCANDINAVIA NO AALFOTBREEN

SCANDINAVIA NO ENGABREEN SCANDINAVIA NO GRAASUBREEN SCANDINAVIA NO HELLSTUGUBREEN SCANDINAVIA NO LANGFJORDJOEKELEN SCANDINAVIA NO NIGARDSBREEN SCANDINAVIA NO REMBESDALSKAAKA SCANDINAVIA NO STORBREEN SCANDINAVIA SE MARMAGLACIÄREN SCANDINAVIA SE RABOTS GLACIÄR SCANDINAVIA SE RIUKOJIETNA SCANDINAVIA SE STORGLACIÄREN

CENTRAL EUROPE AT GOLDBERGKEES

CENTRAL EUROPE AT HINTEREISFERNER CENTRAL EUROPE AT JAMTALFERNER CENTRAL EUROPE AT KESSELWANDFERNER CENTRAL EUROPE AT PASTERZE CENTRAL EUROPE AT VERNAGTFERNER CENTRAL EUROPE CH ALLALIN CENTRAL EUROPE CH BASÒDINO CENTRAL EUROPE CH GIÉTRO CENTRAL EUROPE CH GRIES CENTRAL EUROPE CH SILVRETTA CENTRAL EUROPE ES MALADETA CENTRAL EUROPE FR ARGENTIÈRE CENTRAL EUROPE FR SAINT SORLIN CENTRAL EUROPE FR SARENNES CENTRAL EUROPE IT CARESÈR CENTRAL EUROPE IT CIARDONEY

CAUCASUS & MIDDLE EAST RU DJANKUAT

CAUCASUS & MIDDLE EAST RU GARABASHI CAUCASUS & MIDDLE EAST RU LEVIY AKTRU

CENTRAL ASIA KG ABRAMOV

CENTRAL ASIA KG GOLUBIN CENTRAL ASIA KG KARA-BATKAK CENTRAL ASIA KZ TS. TUYUKSUYSKIY CENTRAL ASIA CN URUMQI GLACIER NO. 1

SOUTHERN ANDES BO ZONGO

SOUTHERN ANDES CL ECHAURREN NORTE

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