Scientists at NSIDC: Ted Scambos

High-resolution image

Specialties

Recent Highlights

Ted Scambos

Senior Research Scientist
Lead Scientist for NSIDC Science Team

PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1991

Specialties [top]

Glaciology; remote sensing of the poles; climate change effects on the cryosphere; Antarctic history; geochemistry; and planetary science

Recent Highlights and Upcoming Expeditions [top]

October 2012: Scambos was selected by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a member of the Landsat Science Team. Scambos will serve from 2012 to 2017 and will provide technical and scientific input on issues vital to the study of the cryosphere.
Fall 2010: Scambos participated in the Larsen Ice Shelf System, Antarctica (LARISSA) Project from October through December. He and his colleagues repaired equipment and removed a measurement station on the Antarctic Peninsula. They hope to gain insight into the factors that lead to ice shelf collapse, and better understand the environmental impact of such break-up events. The team reported the expedition's progress through a blog, On Thin Ice.
Winter 2009: Scambos completed a traverse from Troll Station near the Dronning Maud Land coast in Antarctica to the South Pole as part of the Norwegian-American Scientific Traverse of East Antarctica.
February 2008: Scambos, as one of 17 Principal Investigators, will begin an interdisciplinary study focusing on the rapid effects of climate change now occurring on the Antarctic Peninsula. For more information, read the press release.
February 2008: Scambos co-authored new research on the 2002 collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf. For more information, read the press release on the International Glaciological Society Web site.
October 2007: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was named to receive the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, along with former Vice President Al Gore. Scambos contributed to the most recent IPCC report, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis.
October 2007: Briefed former Vice President Al Gore on ice sheets
September 2007: Reported on 2007 record Arctic sea ice loss and its global significance: collaborated on an analysis of the factors contributing to the extreme ice losses in 2007 with M. Serreze, J. Maslanik, M. Holland, W. Meier, and J. Stroeve
February 2007: Scambos collaborated with NSIDC/University of Washington researcher Dr. Ian Howat to show that partial recovery and slowdown can follow glacier acceleration in Greenland
October 2006: Reported on 2006 Arctic sea ice minimum and its global warming significance; collaborated on an analysis of the predicted and observed sea ice decline rates with J. Stroeve, M. Serreze, M. Holland, and W. Meier
January-April 2006: Participated in the 2006 IceTrek expedition, which involved landing on an Antarctic iceberg to set up observational instruments for detecting changes as the iceberg drifts north and begins to melt. The work was in collaboration with the Argentine national Antarctic research program. Scambos is analyzing the continuing results of iceberg changes during drift and decay, using data and images transmitted by the AMIGOS sites on AMIGOSberg and A22a. For more information, see the IceTrek Web site.
Developed preliminary AMIGOS (Automated Met-Ice-Geophysics Observing System ) for field work on icebergs in 2006. Planning further system development in 2006 and 2007 in collaboration with D. MacAyeal, R. Ross, and T. Haran. The AMIGOS station concept is an automated in situ observing system for weather, surface processes, ice motion, ice thickness, tilt and acceleration, and surface firn temperature that uses a satellite communication system (Iridium) to uplink data and pictures.

Current Research [top]

Investigating megadunes, large-scale wind-ripple features, in the East Antarctic Plateau and their possible effects on ice core chemistry (see NSIDC's Antarctic Megadunes Web site)
Evaluating the ability of images and laser altimetry to detect water movement beneath the ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. Image analysis includes a new technique based on image differencing.
Understanding the processes that lead to rapid ice-shelf retreat by studying the similar melting processes of drifting icebergs (see NSIDC's IceTrek Web site).
Combining laser altimetry data from MODIS/ICESat with high-resolution images to create improved digital elevation models of the ice sheets.
Mapping Antarctic ice flow and ice temperature changes during the past 30 to 50 years into two projects called VELMAP and THERMAP (see NSIDC's VELMAP Web site and THERMAP Web site)

Current Projects [top]

The Antarctic Glaciological Data Center: Continued Data Collection and Management for Antarctic Glaciology

"At Risk" Ice Shelves and Outlet Glaciers

Building the VELMAP Database for Antarctic Outlet Glaciers

Characteristics of Snow Megadunes and their Potential Effects on Ice Core Interpretation

Detecting Ice Sheet Changes via Optical Image Differencing

Improved Ice Sheet DEMs Using MODIS and GLAS

An International Workshop on the Ice and Climate System of the Antarctic Peninsula

Investigating Iceberg Evolution During Drift and Break-Up: A Proxy for Climate-Related Changes in Antarctic Ice Shelves

Activities [top]

Member, American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Member, International Glaciology Society (IGS)

Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Member, Radarsat Antarctic Mapping Advisory Group (AMAG)

NSIDC Liaison, ICESat Science Team

Science Editor, Journal of Glaciology

Publications [top]

2012

Blunden, J., D. S. Arndt, K. M. Willett, A. J. Dolman, B. D. Hall, P. W. Thorne, M. C. Gregg, M. L. Newlin, Y. Xue, Z. Hu, A. Kumar, V. Banzon, T. M. Smith, N. A. Rayner, M. O. Jeffries, J. Richter-Menge, J. Overland, U. Bhatt, J. Key, Y. Liu, J. Walsh, M. Wang, R. L. Fogt, T. A. Scambos, A. J. Wovrosh, S. Barreira, R. L. Fogt, T. A. Scambos, A. Sanchez-Lugo, J. A. Renwick, W. M. Thiaw, S. J. Weaver, R. Whitewood, and D. Phillips. 2012. State of the climate in 2011. Special Supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 93(7): S1-S264.

Berthier, E., T. A. Scambos, and C. A. Shuman. 2012. Mass loss of Larsen B tributary glaciers (Antarctic Peninsula) unabated since 2002. Geophysical Research Letters 39, L13501, doi:10.1029/2012GL051755.

Catania, G. C., Hulbe, H. Conway, T. Scambos, and C. Raymond. 2012. Variability in the mass flux of the Ross Sea ice streams, Antarctica, over the last millennium. Journal of Glaciology 58(210): 741-752.

Kargel, J. S., A. .P Ahlstrom, R. B. Alley, J. L. Bamber, T. J. Benham, J. E. Box, C. Chen, P. Christoffersen, M. Citterio, J. G. Cogley, H. Jiskoot, G. J. Leonard, P. Morin, T. Scambos, T. Sheldon, and I. Willis. 2012. Greenland's shrinking ice cover: "fast times" but not that fast. The Cryosphere 6(3): 533-537, doi:10.5194/tc-6-533-2012.

McGrath, D., K. Steffen, H. Rajaram, T. A. Scambos, W. Abdalati, and E. Rignot. 2012. Basal crevasses on the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica: Implications for meltwater ponding and hydrofracture. Geophysical Research Letters 39, L16504, doi:10.1029/2012GL052413.

McGrath, D., K. Steffen, T. A. Scambos, H. Rajaram, and J.-L. Rodriguez Lagos. 2012. Basal crevasses and associated surface crevassing on the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and their role in ice-shelf instability. Annals of Glaciology 58(60): 10-18, doi:10.3189/2012AoG60A005.

Padman, L., D. P. Costa, M. S. Dinniman, H. A. Fricker, M. E. Goebel, L. A. Huckstadt, A. Humbert, I. Joughin, J. T. M. Lenaerts, S. R. M. Ligtenberg, T. Scambos, and M. R. van den Broeke. 2012. Oceanic controls on the mass balance of Wilkins Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans 117, C01010, doi:10.1029/2011JC007301.

Scambos, T. A., M. Frezzotti, T. Haran, J. Bohlander, J. T. M. Lenaerts, M. R. Van Den Broeke, K. Jezek, D. Long, S. Urbini, K. Farness, T. Neumann, M. Albert, J.-G. Winther. 2012. Extent of low-accumulation 'wind glaze' areas on the East Antarctic plateau: implications for continental ice mas balance. Journal of Glaciology 58(210): 633-647.

Zagorodnov, V., O. Nagornov, T. A. Scambos, A. Muto, E. Mosley-Thompson, E. C. Pettit, and S. Tyuflin. 2012. Borehole temperatures reveal details of 20th century warming at Bruce Plateau, Antarctic Peninsula. The Cryospheree 6 (3) 675-686, doi:10.5194/tc-6-675-2012.

2011

Dixon, D. P. A. Mayewski, E. Kokorish, S. B. Sneed, M. J. Handley, D. J. Krone, and T. A. Scambos. 2011. A spatial framework for assessing current conditions and monitoring future change in teh chemistry of the Antarctic atmosphere. The Cryosphere Discusions 5 885, doi:10.5194/tcd-5-885-2011.

Glasser, N. F., T.A. Scambos, J. Bohlander, M. Truffer, E. Pettit and B. J. Davies. 2011. From ice-shelf tributary to tidewater glacier: continued rapid recession, acceleration and thinning of Rohss Glacier following the 1995 collapse of the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Glaciology 57(203): 397-406, doi:10.3189/002214311796905578.

Langley, K., J. Kohler, K. Matsuoka, A. Sinisalo, T. Scambos, T. Neumann, A. Muto, J. G. Winther, and M. Albert. 2011. Recovery Lakes, East Antarctica: Radar assessment of sub-glacial water extent. Geophysical Research Letters 38, L05501, doi:10.1029/2010GL046094.

Muto, A., T. A. Scambos, K. Steffen, A. G. Slater, and G. .D Clow. 2011. Recent surface temperature trends in the interior of East Antarctica from borehole firn temperature measurements and geophysical inverse methods. Geophyical Research Letters 38, L15502, doi:10.1029/2011GL048086.

Scambos, T. 2011. Earth's ice: Sea level, climate, and our future commitment. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 67 (1) 28-40, doi:10.1177/0096340210392965.

Scambos, T. A., E. Berthier, and C. A. Shuman. 2011. The triggering of subglacial lake drainage during rapid glacier drawdown: Crane Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula. Annals of Glaciology 52(59): 74-82.

Shuman, C. A., E. Berthier and T. A. Scambos. 2011. 2001-2009 elevation and mass losses in the Larsen A and B embayments, Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Glaciology 57(204): 737-754.

2010

Bindschadler, R. A., T. A. Scambos, H. Choi, and T. M. Haran. 2010. Ice sheet change detection by satellite image differencing. Remote Sensing of the Environment 114 (7): 1,353-1,362, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2010.01.014.

Brunt, K. M., H. A. Fricker, L. Padman, T. A. Scambos, and S. O'Neel. 2010. Mapping the grounding zone of the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, using ICESat laser altimetry. Annals of Glaciology 51(55): 71-79.

Fricker, H. A., T. A. Scambos, S. Carter, C. Davis, T. Haran, and I. Joughin. 2010. Synthesizing multiple remote sensing techniques for subglacial hydrologic mapping: application to a lake system beneath MacAyeal Ice Stream, West Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology 56 (196): 187-199.

Haugen, B. D., T. A. Scambos, W. T. Pfeffer, and R. S. Anderson. 2010. Twentieth-century changes in the thickness and extent of Arapaho Glacier, Front Range, Colorado. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 42(2): 198-209, doi:10.1657/1938-4246-42.2.198z.

Joughin, I., B. E. Smith, I. M. Howat, T. Scambos, and T. Moon. 2010. Greenland flow variability from ice-sheet-wide velocity mapping. Journal of Glaciology 56(197): 415-430.

Martin, S., R. Drucker, R. Aster, F. Davey, E. Okal, T. Scambos, and D. MacAyeal. 2010. Kinematic and seismic analysis of the breakup of giant tabular icebergs at Cape Adare, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth 115, B06311, doi:10.1029/2009JB006700.

Severinghaus, J., M. Albert, Z. Courville, M. Fahnestock, K. Kawamura, S. Montzka, J. Muhle, T. Scambos, E. Sheilds, C. Shuman, M. Suwa, P. Tans, and R. Weiss. 2010. Deep air convection in the firn at a zero-accumulation site, central Antarctica. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 293: 359-367, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2010.03.003.

2009

Fricker, H. A., and T. Scambos. 2009. Connected subglacial lake activity on lower Mercer and Whillans Ice Streams, West Antarctica, 2003–2008. Journal of Glaciology 55(190): 303-315.

Fricker, H. A., R. Coleman, L. Padman, T. A. Scambos, J. Bohlander, and K. M. Brunt. 2009. Mapping the grounding zone of the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica using InSAR, MODIS and ICESat. Antarctic Science 21(5): 515-532, doi:10.1017/S095410200999023X.

Glasser, N. F., B. Kulessa, A. Luckman, D. Jansen, E. C. King, P. R. Sammonds, T. A. Scambos, and K. C. Jezek. 2009. Surface structure and stability of the Larsen C ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Glaciology 55(191): 400-410.

Scambos, T. A. 2009. Ice Shelves. In Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment 2007-2008: A contribution to the International Polar Year, edited by J. Turner et al., 248-252. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.

Scambos, T., H. A. Fricker, Cheng-Chien Liu, J. Bohlander, J. Fastook, A. Sargent, R. Massom, and An-Ming Wu. 2009. Ice shelf disintegration by plate bending and hydro-fracture: Satellite observations and model results of the 2008 Wilkins ice shelf break-ups. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 280(1-4): 51-60, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.12.027.

2008

Glasser, N. F., and Scambos, T. A. 2008. A structural glaciological analysis of the 2002 Larsen B ice shelf collapse. Journal of Glaciology 54(184): 3–16, doi:10.3189/002214308784409017.

Howat, I., I. Joughin, M. Fahnestock, B. Smith, and T. Scambos. 2008. Synchronous retreat and acceleration of southeast Greenland outlet glaciers 2000-2006: Ice dynamics and coupling to climate. Journal of Glaciology 54(187): 646-660, doi:10.3189/002214308784409017.

Howat, I. M., B. E. Smith, I. Joughin, and T. A. Scambos. 2008. Rates of southeast Greenland ice volume loss from combined ICESat and ASTER observations. Geophysical Research Letters 35, L17505, doi:10.1029/2008GL034496.

Hulbe, C., T. A. Scambos, T. Youngberg, and A. K. Lamb. 2008. Patterns of glacier response to disintegration of the Larsen B Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Earth and Planetary Change 63(1): 1-8, doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2008.04.001.

Lazzara, M. A., K. C. Jezek, T. A. Scambos, D. R. MacAyeal, and C. J. Van Der Veen. 2008. On the recent calving of icebergs from the Ross ice shelf. Polar Geography 31(1-2): 15-26. doi:10.1080/10889370802175937.

Massom, R. A., S. E. Stammerjohn, W. Lefebvre, S. A. Harangozo, N. Adams, T. A. Scambos, M. J. Pook, and C. Fowler. 2008. West Antarctic Peninsula sea ice in 2005: Extreme ice compaction and ice edge retreat due to strong anomaly with respect to climate. Journal of Geophysical Research 113, C02S20, doi:10.1029/2007JC004239.

Scambos, T., R. Ross, R. Bauer, Y. Yermolin, P. Skvarca, D. Long, J. Bohlander, T. Haran. 2008. Calving and ice shelf break-up processes investigated by proxy: Antarctic tabular iceberg evolution during northward drift. Journal of Glaciology 54(187): 579-591, doi:10.3189/002214308786570836.

2007

Fricker, H. A., T. Scambos, R. Bindschadler, and L. Padman. 2007. An active subglacial water system in West Antarctica mapped from space. Science 315: 1544-1548, doi:10.1126/science.1136897.

Howat, I. M., I. Joughin, and T. A. Scambos. 2007. Rapid changes in ice discharge from Greenland outlet glaciers. Science 315(5818): 1559-1561, doi: 10.1126/science.1138478.

Scambos. T., et al. 2007. Antarctic. In State of the Climate, ed. A. Arguez. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 88: S71-S77.

Scambos, T. A., T. M. Haran, M. A. Fahnestock, T. H. Painter, and J. Bohlander. 2007. MODIS-based Mosaic of Antarctica (MOA) data sets: Continent-wide surface morphology and snow grain size. Remote Sensing of the Environment 111(2-3): 242-257, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2006.12.020.

Stroeve, J., M. M. Holland, W. Meier, T. Scambos, and M. Serreze. 2007. Arctic sea ice decline: Faster than forecast. Geophysical Research Letters 34, L09501, doi:10.1029/2007GL029703.

2006

Catania, G. A., H. Conway, C. F. Raymond, and T. A. Scambos. 2006. Evidence for floatation or near floatation in the mouth of Kamb Ice Stream, West Antarctica, prior to stagnation. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, doi:10.1029/2005JF000355.

Catania, G. A., T. A. Scambos, H. Conway, and C. F. Raymond. 2006. Sequential stagnation of Kamb Ice Stream, West Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters 33, doi:10.1029/2006GL026430.

Joughin, I., J. Bamber, T. Scambos, S. Tulaczyk, M. Fahnestock, and D. MacAyeal. 2006. Integrating satellite observations with modeling: basal shear stress of the Filchner-Ronne Ice Streams, Antarctica. Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences 15(1844): 1795-814.

Massom, R. A., A. Worbe, V. Lytle, T. Markus, I. Allison, T. Scambos, H. Enomoto, K. Tateyama, T. Haran, J. Comiso, A. Pfaffling, T. Tamura, A. Muto, P. Kanagaratnam, B. Giles, N. Young, G. Hyland, and E. Key. 2006. ARISE (Antarctic Remote Ice Sensing Experiment) in the East 2003: validation of satellite-derived sea-ice data products. Annals of Glaciology 44(1): 288-296, doi:10.3189/172756406781811268.

Scambos, T. A., T. M. Haran, M. A. Fahnestock, T. H. Painter, and J. Bohlander. 2006. MODIS-based mosaic of Antarctica (MOA) data sets: continent-wide surface morphology and snow grain size. Remote Sensing of the Environment 111(2): 242-257, doi:doi:10.1016/j.rse.2006.12.020.

Scambos, T. A., T. M. Haran, and R. Massom. 2006. Validation of AVHRR and MODIS ice surface temperature products using in situ radiometers. Annals of Glaciology 44(1): 345-351, doi:10.3189/172756406781811457.

Scambos, T., and C. Novak. 2006. On the current location of the Byrd 'Snow Cruiser' and other artifacts from Little America I, II, III, and Framheim. Polar Geography 29(4): 237-252.

Smith, B. E., C. F. Raymond, and T. Scambos. 2006. Anisotropic texture of ice sheet surfaces. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, F01019, doi:10.1029/2005JF000393.

2005

Albert, M, C. Shuman, Z. Courville, R. Bauer, M. Fahnestock, and T. Scambos. 2005. Extreme firn metamorphism: impact of decades of vapor transport on near-surface firn at a low-accumulation glazed site on the East Antarctic plateau. Annals of Glaciology 39: 73-78.

Brown, I., and T. Scambos. 2005. Satellite monitoring of blue ice extent near Byrd Glacier, Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology 39: 223-230.

Catania, G., H. Conway, C. Raymond, and T. Scambos. 2005. Evidence for floatation or near floatation in the mouth of Kamb Ice Stream, West Antarctica, prior to stagnation. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, doi:10/1029/2005JF000355.

Hulbe, C., R. Johnston, I. Joughin, and T. Scambos. 2005. Marine ice modification of fringing ice shelf flow. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 37(3): 323-330.

Raup, B., T. Scambos, and T. Haran. 2005. Mapping and topography of streaklines on an Antarctic ice shelf using Advanced Land Imager (ALI). IEEE Transactions of Geoscience and Remote Sensing (TGARS) 43(4): 736-742.

Scambos, T., O. Sergienko, A. Sargent, D. MacAyeal, and J. Fastook. 2005. ICESat profiles of tabular iceberg margins and iceberg break-up at low latitudes. Geophysical Research Letters 23, doi:10.1029/2005GL023802.

Stroeve, J. C., D. Long, J. C. Comiso, T. A. Scambos, and C. A. Shuman. 2005. Estimation of glaciers and sea ice extent and their properties. In Encyclopedia of hydrological sciences, volume 2. Ed. Malcom G. Anderson, 831-852. London: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

2004

Berthier, E., B. Raup, and T. A. Scambos. 2004. New velocity map and mass-balance estimate of Mertz Glacier, East Antarctica, derived from Landsat sequential imagery. Journal of Glaciology 49(167): 503-511, doi:10.3189/172756503781830377.

Scambos, T. A., J. Bohlander, B. Raup, and T. Haran. 2004. Glaciological characteristics of the Institute Ice Stream using remote sensing. Antarctic Science 16(2): 205-213, doi:10.1017/S0954102004001919.

Scambos, T. A., J. Bohlander, C. Shuman, and P. Skvarca. 2004. Glacier acceleration and thinning after ice shelf collapse in the Larsen B embayment, Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters 31, doi:10.1029/2004GL020670.

2003

Scambos, T. A., C. Hulbe, and M. A. Fahnestock. 2003. Climate-induced ice shelf disintegration in the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctic Research Series 79: 79-92.

Serreze, M., J. Maslanik, T. Scambos, and seven others. 2003. A record minimum arctic sea ice extent and area in 2002. Geophysical Research Letters 30(3), doi:10.1029/2002GL016406.

2002

Nolin, A., F. Fetterer, and T. Scambos. 2002. Surface roughness characterizations of sea ice and ice sheets: case studies with MISR data. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 40(7): 1605-1615, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2002.801581.

Scambos, T. A., and T. Haran. 2002. An image-enhanced DEM of the Greenland ice sheet. Annals of Glaciology 34: 291-298.

2000

Fahnestock. M. A., T. A. Scambos, R. A. Bindschadler, and G. Kvaran. 2000. A millennium of variable ice flow recorded in the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology 46(155): 652-664, doi:.10.3189/172756500781832693.

Fahnestock, M. A., T. A. Scambos, C. A. Shuman, R. J. Athern, D. P. Winebrenner, and R. Kwok. 2000. Snow megadunes on the East Antarctic Plateau: extreme atmosphere-ice interaction. Geophysical Research Letters 27(22): 3719-3722.

Scambos, T. A., C. Hulbe, M. A. Fahnestock, and J. Bohlander. 2000. The link between climate warming and breakup of ice shelves in the Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Glaciology 46(154): 516-530, doi:10.3189/172756500781833043.

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