Determining glacier velocity with single frequency GPS receivers

Abstract

A well-known phenomenon in glacier dynamics is the existence of a relation between the glacier velocity and available amount of melt water (Zwally et al., 2002; Van de Wal et al., 2008). This relation is of particular importance when estimating the reaction of glaciers and ice sheets to climate change. In order to better understand this relation, detailed flow velocity and mass balance information is crucial. For this purpose, the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research Utrecht (IMAU) developed a low cost stand-alone single-frequency GPS unit to perform year round ice velocity observations.