The inventory includes 5,297 Glaciers from west Greenland between 59 to 71 degrees latitude north and 43 to 53 degrees longitude west. The glacier data basin division is based on a simplified version of the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) system. Data are based on 1:250000 maps, Landsat imagery, and aerial photos that were taken between 1948 and 1985.
Glacier Inventory of West Greenland, Version 1
This is the most recent version of these data.
Overview
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Citing These Data
As a condition of using these data, you must cite the use of this data set using the following citation. For more information, see our Use and Copyright Web page.
Weidick, A., C. E. Boeggild, and N. T. Knudsen. 1992. Glacier Inventory of West Greenland, Version 1. [Indicate subset used]. Boulder, Colorado USA. NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center. doi: https://doi.org/10.7265/N50Z715N. [Date Accessed].Documentation
Detailed Data Description
Glacier Identification: The glacier code is based on the division of the Greenland coast into hydrological basins. The continent and administrative unit, typically included in WGMS data base entries, are omitted from all ID numbers as in all cases they are GL 2U (for the administrative unit of Greenland and the continent of North America).
Latitude and Longitude: The geographic coordinates of the glacier. The location is defined as a point situated on the central line of movement in the ablation area. For the sectors of outlets of the Greenland ice sheet the coordinate point is placed in the ablation zone close to the margin so that redefinition of the total sector area will not influence the coordinates given.
Orientation: The orientation of the ablation area in the down glacier direction.
Maximum glacier elevation: The highest elevation of the glacier in decameter above sea level (a.s.l.). Data are taken from topographic maps and should be considered as estimates. For outlets of the Greenland ice sheet the maximum elevation is omitted and 1800 decameters a.s.l. is assumed as an upper limit of the measured glacier area.
Minimum glacier elevation: The lowest elevation of the glacier in decameters above sea level. This field is left blank if the glacier terminus is unmeasured because the glacier terminates in the sea.
Surface area: The surface area of the glacier in square kilometers. Areas were measured using a high resolution digitizer. For outlet glaciers from the Greenland ice sheet, measured areas are for the marginal areas under 1800 meters a.s.l.
Morphology code: A series of six codes describing various morphology characteristics of the glacier. The codes are described in the following tables.
Digit 1 - Primary classification 0 Uncertain or miscellaneous 1 Continental ice sheet 2 Ice-field 3 Ice cap 4 Unused 5 Valley glacier 6 Mountain glacier 7 Glacier and snowfield 8 Ice shelf 9 Rock glacier Digit 2 - Form 0 Uncertain or miscellaneous 1 Compound basins 2 Compound basin 3 Simple basin 4 Cirque 5 Niche 6 Outlet 7 Ice apron 8 Group 9 Remnant Digit 3 - Frontal characteristic 0 normal or miscellaneous 1 Piedmont 2 Expanded foot 3 Lobed 4 Calving in sea; considerable calf ice 5 Calving in sea ice; grounded 6 Calving in lake 7 Confluent Digit 4 - Longitudinal profile 0 Uncertain or miscellaneous 1 Even, regular 2 Hanging 3 Cascading 4 Ice-fall 5 Interrupted Digit 5 - Major source of nourishment 0 unknown 1 Snow and/or drift snow 2 Avalanche ice and/or snow 3 Superimposed ice Digit 6 - Activity of tongue 0 uncertain 1 Marked retreat (> 1.5 km) 2 Slight retreat (< 1.5 km) 3 Stationary 4 Slight advance 5 Marked advance 6 Possible surge 7 Known surge 8 Oscillating
Map: Reference to maps contained within the Atlas publication (Weidick, Bogglid, and Knudsen 1992).
1AA01001,60.05N, 44.75W,NW, 99, 74,0000.01,740110,6000-02 1AA01001 - Glacier Identification number 60.05N - Latitude 44.75W - Longitude NW - Orientation 99 - Maximum glacier elevation 74 - Minimum glacier elevation 00.01 - Surface area 740110 - Morphology code 6000-02 - Map reference
Please note: A user discovered errors in this data set. The tables below describes the errors, their corrections, and the source of the error. Possible error sources include the publication titled "Glacier Inventory and Atlas of West Greenland" (Weidick et al. 1992), and the original data file distributed by NSIDC, titled glaciers.dat
. An updated data file titled glaciers_08302004.dat
, which includes all corrections, is available by FTP as of 21 September 2004.
Glacier Identification Number | Glacier Orientation | Corrected Glacier Orientation | Source of Error |
---|---|---|---|
1GH03001 | N | NE | glaciers.dat |
1EA04011 | MW | NW | Atlas* |
* Glacier Inventory and Atlas of West Greenland
Glacier Identification Number | Maximum and Minimum Glacier Elevations | Corrected Maximum and Minimum Glacier Elevations | Source of Error |
---|---|---|---|
1AG10037 | 195, 200 | 195, 20 | Atlas |
1GH03001 | E100, 95 | 100, 95 | glaciers.dat |
1HB15008 | 100, 700 | 100, 70 | Atlas |
1HD07012 | 11, 80 | 110, 80 | Atlas |
1HD09004 | 1000, 80 | 100, 80 | Atlas |
1HE01006 | 95, 700 | 95, 70 | Atlas |
Glacier Identification Number | Maximum and Minimum Glacier Elevations | Corrected Maximum and Minimum Glacier Elevations | Source of Error |
---|---|---|---|
1AB05020 | 165, 180 | 180, 165 | Atlas |
1BK01003 | 160, 165 | 165, 160 | Atlas |
1CH38008 | 120, 165 | 165, 120 | Atlas |
1DG01005 | 110, 115 | 115, 110 | Atlas |
The following records in the Atlas publication appear to contain typographical errors in the latitude and/or the longitude. One user of this data set has suggested the following values as replacements. Please note that NSIDC did not change these values in the data file glaciers_08302004.dat.
Glacier Identification Number | Potential Erroneous Latitude or Longitude | Suggested Value | Source of Error |
---|---|---|---|
1AA03003 | 33.45°W | 44.75°W | Atlas |
1AA27007 | 63.04°N | 60.06°N | Atlas |
1AD02018 | 55.58°W | 44.96°W | Atlas |
1CA03014 | 61.47°N | 62.78°N | Atlas |
1CH41002 | 64.12°W | 51.10°W | Atlas |
1DG29015 | 53.72°W | 53.12°W | Atlas |
1HB10017 | 59.43°N | 69.71°N | Atlas |
The International Council of Scientific Unions, in Resolution 8 of its 22nd General Assembly, recommended that "...all ICSU members support the fundamental principle of open exchange of data and information for scientific purposes." In the spirit of this resolution, NSIDC/WDC for Glaciology, Boulder encourages users of data distributed online and in other forms by NSIDC/WDC for Glaciology, Boulder to consider contributing their own published data to NSIDC/WDC for Glaciology, Boulder archive.
If you have published data that you wish to archive and make available to the scientific community, please contact NSIDC User Services to initiate a discussion of the content, form and size of the data set. A list of guidelines for submitting data in electronic form is available.
References and Related Publications
Contacts and Acknowledgments
Anker Weidick, Carl Egede Bøggild, and Niels Tvis Knudsen
Geological Survey of Greenland
Oster Voldgade 10
DK-1350
Copenhagen K, Denmark
Document Information
Document Creation Date
1992
Document Revision Date
May 2005