Tropical glaciers / Georg Kaser and Henry Osmaston.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kaser, Georg, 1953-

Series:

International hydrology series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Glaciers--Tropics.

Glaciers.

Mountains--Tropics.

Mountains.

Tropics.

Physical Description:

xx, 207 pages : illustrations, maps ; 29 cm + 1 folded plate.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Contents:

Prologue: The Story of a Glacial Lake / Georg Kaser 1

I The Nature of Tropical Glaciers / Georg Kaser 13

2. The delimitation of the tropics 17

3. The distribution of glaciers in the tropics 19

4. Working hypotheses 21

4.1. A simplified assumption 21

4.2. How valid is this assumption? 21

4.3. The variation of the lower snowfall limit 23

4.4. How tropical are the outer tropics? A second assumption 24

4.5. Two tropical glacier regimes 25

5. Glaciological key variables: tropics and mid-latitudes in comparison 26

5.1. The vertical profile of the specific mass balance 26

5.1.1. The activity index and the vertical mass balance profile of a glacier 26

5.1.2. The modelling of the vertical mass balance profile 27

5.1.3. The vertical mass balance profile in the mid-latitudes 28

5.1.4. The vertical mass balance profile in the tropics 30

5.1.5. Summary of section 5.1 37

5.2. The reaction of the equilibrium line altitude to climatic variations 37

5.3. The reaction of glacier tongues to climatic variations 41

5.3.1. The length of the tongue in the steady-state case 41

5.3.2. The reaction of the position of the tongue to climatic changes 45

5.3.3. Reaction time and response time of glaciers to climatic changes 46

5.4. The accumulation area ratio of tropical glaciers 48

5.5. The temperature distribution in the snow cover and its consequences 49

5.5.1. The temperature distribution in snow and firn under ideal tropical conditions and the expected consequences 49

5.5.2. Accumulation measurements on tropical glaciers 50

5.5.3. Ice dynamics on tropical glaciers 55

5.6. The influence of the glaciers on the water balance of tropical mountains 57

II Modern Glacier Fluctuations in Tropical High Mountains / Georg Kaser 61

6. Modern glacier fluctuations on the Rwenzori 63

6.1. The Rwenzori Mountains 63

6.2. The essential features of the climate of the Rwenzori 63

6.3. Glacier research on the Rwenzori 67

6.3.1. Aerial photographs, maps and summarizing publications 68

6.3.2. Modern glacier extents 69

6.4. The 1906 glacier extent 70

6.5. The glacier extent around 1955 76

6.5.1. Mount Stanley 76

6.5.2. Mount Speke 76

6.5.3. Mount Baker 76

6.5.4. The Central Rwenzori Massif 81

6.6. The glacier extent around 1990 81

6.7. The retreat of individual glaciers 84

6.7.1. The Elena Glacier 84

6.7.2. The Speke Glacier 84

6.7.3. The Moore Glacier 99

6.7.4. The Savoia Glacier 100

6.8. Modern glacier fluctuations on the Rwenzori

review 100

7. Modern glacier fluctuations in the Cordillera Blanca 117

7.1. The Cordillera Blanca 117

7.2. Essential features of the climate in the Cordillera Blanca 118

7.3. The glaciology of the Cordillera Blanca 121

7.4. Modern glacier fluctuations 123

7.4.1. A synthesis 126

8. Modern glacier fluctuations in the tropics and their possible causes 130

8.1. Modern glacier fluctuations in the tropics

a synthesis 130

8.2. Possible causes of modern glacier fluctuations in the tropics 135

8.2.1. Basic considerations 135

8.2.2. Possible causes on individual tropical high mountains 137

8.2.3. Summary of section 8.2 146

III Former Quaternary Tropical Glaciers / Henry Osmaston 147

9. The nature, extents and climates of former Quaternary tropical glaciers, with special reference to the East African mountains 149

9.2. The nature of tropical Quaternary glaciers and estimation methods for their ELAs 152

9.2.1. The morphology of the glaciers and their moraines 152

9.2.2. Supraglacial moraine 154

9.2.3. ELA estimation

general principles 155

9.2.4. ELA estimation

methodology 156

9.2.5. Constraints 157

9.2.6. Estimation of ELA changes on tropical mountains 158

9.2.7. Deglacierization dates 160

9.3. Summary of field evidence of former glaciations in the tropics (excluding East Africa) 162

9.3.1. New Guinea (Australasia) 163

9.3.2. Mount Kinabalu (Sabah, East Malaysia) 166

9.3.3. Yu Shan (Taiwan) 166

9.3.4. Mauna Kea (Hawaii) 166

9.3.5. Central America 167

9.3.6. Andes (South America) 167

9.3.7. Ethiopia (Northeast Africa) 168

9.4. The East African mountains 169

9.4.1. Kilimanjaro 171

9.4.2. Mount Kenya 173

9.4.3. Elgon (Uganda and Kenya) 175

9.4.4. Aberdare (= Mt. Nyandarua) (Kenya) 177

9.4.5. Rwenzori (Uganda and Dem. Rep. of Congo) 177

9.5. Tropical climates at the LGM 185

9.5.1. Types of evidence 185

9.5.2. Climates in East Africa 187

9.5.3. Climates elsewhere in the tropics 189

9.5.4. Is there an LGM equatorial glacier type? 189

9.6.1. The LGM 190

9.6.2. ELA estimation 190

9.6.3. Debris cover 190

9.6.4. Local relief 190

9.6.5. ELA surface gradients and ELA differences 191

9.6.6. Climatic change 191

9.6.7. Atmospheric temperature lapse rates 191

9.6.8. Estimates of temperature change 191

9.6.9. Future studies 191

9.6.10. A new glacier type 192

Prospect / Georg Kaser, Henry Osmaston 193.

Notes:

Folded plate in pocket.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 195-203) and index.

ISBN:

0521633338

OCLC:

46456356