Below is a description of GLIMPSE field expedition to Greenland.  Photographs of our trips will be available online soon.  

Summer 2009:

Details coming soon!

Summer 2008:

Details: In July 2008 we flew lidar (laser altimetry) over 12 outlet glaciers in the southern part of Greenland with Bill Krabill's team at NASA. During the flights GLIMPSE were running GPS base stations from Kulusuk and Nararsuaq airports.

Objectives: The aim of the campaign is to measure how these glaciers have changed in their volume and surface speed. We will use the altimetry data to control digital photogrammetry to measure the volume changes since the 1940s. We also intend to measure ice velocities through cross correlation of repeat lidar measurements over ~1 week.

Summer of 2007:

Details: In summer 2007 the NERC Airborne Remote Sensing Facility flew a campaign in Greenland as part of the International Polar Year. We collected lidar (laser altimetry) data over Helheim and Kangerdlussuaq glaciers in the rapidly changing South-East of Greenland. This field season was supported by the Royal Society.

Objectives: The aim of the campaign was to assess topographic and velocity changes on these glaciers. We will use digital photogrammetry to produce digital elevation models (DEMs) of the glaciers using historic photographs from a number of epochs since the 1940s. Ground-control will be extracted from a lidar strip flown each side of the glacier. Subtracting DEMs gives volume change. Our data together with centre-line altimetry profiles flown periodically since 1993 will allow us to test whether the current thinning is unusual. We also measured ice velocities through cross correlation of repeat lidar measurements over ~1 week. By combining thickness changes, models of mass balance, known flow histories and ice front positions we can test whether thinning is a direct result of atmospheric warming or changes in ice dynamics.

Outcomes: This figure shows the coverage of our lidar campaign over Helheim glacier.