Geology topics

R.S. March

Publications and source records attributed to R.S. March.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2017

Glacier mass-balance fluctuations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, USA

The more than 40 year record of net and seasonal mass-balance records from measurements made by the United States Geological Survey on South Cascade Glacier, Washington, and Wolverine and Gulkana Glaciers, Alaska, shows annual and interannual fluctuations that reflect changes in the controlling climatic conditions at regional and global scales. As the mass-balance record grows in length, it is revealing significant changes in previously described glacier mass-balance behavior, and both inter-glacier and glacier-climate relationships. South Cascade and Wolverine Glaciers are strongly affected by the warm and wet maritime climate of the northeast Pacific Ocean. Their net balances have generally been controlled by winter accumulation, with fluctuations that are strongly related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Recently, warm dry summers have begun to dominate the net balance of the two maritime glaciers, with a weakening of the correlation between the winter balance fluctuations and the PDO. Non-synchronous periods of positive and negative net balance for each glacier prior to 1989 were followed by a 1989-2004 period of synchronous and almost exclusively negative net balances that averaged -0.8 m for the three glaciers.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1999

Mass-balance measurements in Alaska and suggestions for simplified observation programs

US Geological Survey glacier fieldwork in Alaska includes repetitious measurements, corrections for leaning or bending stakes, an ability to reliably measure seasonal snow as deep as 10 m, absolute identification of summer surfaces in the accumulation area, and annual evaluation of internal accumulation, internal ablation, and glacier‐thickness changes. Prescribed field measurement and note‐taking techniques help eliminate field errors and expedite the interpretative process. In the office, field notes are transferred to computerized spreadsheets for analysis, release on the World Wide Web, and archival storage. The spreadsheets have error traps to help eliminate notetaking and transcription errors. Rigorous error analysis ends when mass‐balance measurements are extrapolated and integrated with area to determine glacier and basin mass balances. Unassessable errors in the glacier and basin mass‐balance data reduce the value of the data set for correlations with climate change indices. The minimum glacier mass‐balance program has at least three measurement sites on a glacier and the measurements must include the seasonal components of mass balance as well as the annual balance.

Geografiska Annaler, Series A: Physical Geography↗

USGS1998

Climate variations and changes in mass of three glaciers in western North America

Time series of net and seasonal mass balances for three glaciers in western North America, one in the Pacific Northwest and two in Alaska, show various relationships to Pacific hemisphere climate indexes. During the winter season the two coastal, maritime-regime glaciers, over 2000 km apart, are affected almost identically, albeit inversely, by atmospheric and oceanic conditions in both the tropical and North Pacific. The two Alaska glaciers, only 350 km apart, have almost no coherence. Lag correlations show that in winter the maritime glaciers are influenced by concurrent conditions in the North Pacific, but by conditions in the tropical Pacific in August-September of the prior northern summer. The winter balance variations contain interannual El Nino-Southern Oscillation variability superimposed on North Pacific interdecadal variability; the interdecadal 1976-77 climate regime shift is clearly evident. The summer balances and the continental-regime glacier have a general lack of correlations, with no clear, strong, consistent patterns, probably a result of being influenced more by local processes or by circulation patterns outside the Pacific Ocean basin. The results show the Pacific Northwest is strongly influenced by conditions in the tropical Pacific, but that this teleconnection has broken down in recent years, starting in 1989. During the seven years since then (1989-95), all three glaciers have shown, for the first time, coherent signals, which were net mass loss at the highest rate in the entire record. The authors' results agree with those of other recent studies that suggest these recent years are unusual and may be a signature of climate warming.

Journal of Climate↗

USGS1996

Mass balance, meteorological, ice motion, surface altitude, and runoff data at Gulkana Glacier, Alaska, 1992 balance year

The 1992 measured winter snow, maximum winter snow, net, and annual balances in the Gulkana Glacier basin were evaluated on the basis of meteorological, hydrological, and glaciological data measured in the basin and are reported herein. Averaged over the glacier, the measured winter snow balance was 0.97 meters on March 26, 1992; the maximum winter snow balance was 1.05 meters on May 19, 1992; the net balance (from September 8, 1991 to August 17, 1992) was -0.29 meters; and the annual balance (October 1, 1991 to September 30, 1992) was -0.38 meters. Ice surface, motion, and altitude changes measured at three index sites document seasonal changes in ice speed and glacier thickness. Annual stream runoff was 1.24 meters averaged over the basin.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1995

Observations of the surge-type Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, during a quiescent period, 1970-92

This report presents 23 years (1970 to 1992) of observations of Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska. Black Rapids Glacier is a surge-type glacier which most recently surged in 1936-37, and is currently in its quiescent phase. This glacier is of special interest because it is a potential hazard to the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Ten sites on the glacier were monitored from 1972 to 1987, and three sites were monitored from 1988 to 1992. The measurement program presented here includes observations of surface mass balance, ice velocity, and surface altitude made twice each year. Additional one-time data include observations of ice thickness, previously unreported observations of the 1936-37 surge, establishment of the geodetic control monuments, and a new map of Black Rapids Glacier.

Open-File Report↗