[GLIMS] GLIMS2?

[Michael Zemp]

Dear Graham,
Dear colleagues,

First of all, I highly appreciate the great efforts of the Randolph 
group towards an improved understanding of the global glacier 
distribution. It came just in time to compensate for the somehow slowing 
enthusiasm (and lack of operational manpower) of the GLIMS community.

I fully understand that the Randolph group is now looking for ways to 
secure the legacy of their efforts beyond IPCC AR5. At the same time, I 
would like to stress that in our mainly science-driven system there is 
not enough funding for running and regularly (and redundantly) updating 
more than one operational glacier inventory database. (We already went 
through that exercise when the GLIMS database operationally replaced the 
WGI database: then the solution was to include all new inventories with 
digital outlines into the GLIMS database and to only update the WGI when 
larger datasets in the WGI-format and without outlines become available.)

The GLIMS database is able storing multi-temporal datasets with exact 
time stamps and full metadata but has not yet global coverage. The 
Randolph dataset is designed as a temporal snapshot in time with global 
coverage but in many regions lacks of exact time stamps and comes with 
limited metadata.

In my view, the following approach would allow joining both Randolph and 
GLIMS efforts:
(1) Freeze the Randolph dataset at the present or a later version 
(depending on available funding and manpower of the driving projects) 
and continue making it available from the GLIMS website (hosted at NSIDC).
(2) Bring down the technical and manpower barriers for including glacier 
outlines into the GLIMS database (hosted at NSIDC).
(3) Include the high-quality glacier outlines from the Randolph dataset 
(after adding time stamps and re-attribution; cf. Paul et al. 2009) into 
the GLIMS database.
(4) Actively continue updating the GLIMS database with new glacier 
outlines at highest possible quality and metadata level.
(5) Derive a new version of the Randolph dataset (other any other 
product) once another important event (e.g. IPCC AR6) comes along with a 
specific purpose and with the opportunity for getting additional funds.

I wish you a nice GLIMS dinner with fruitful discussions at AGU and I'm 
looking forward to a constructive joint solution implemented next year.

Best, Michael

Reference: Paul, F., Barry, R.G., Gogley, J.G., Frey, H., Haeberli, W., 
Ohmura, A., Ommanney, S.C.L., Raup, B., Rivera, A. and Zemp, M. (2009): 
Recommendations for the compilation of glacier inventory data from 
digital sources. Annals of Glaciology, 50 (53).

+ + + +

Michael Zemp

Director WGMS, Dr. sc. nat.

email: michael.zemp at geo.uzh.ch
phone: +41 44 635 51 39

World Glacier Monitoring Service
Department of Geography
University of Zurich
Winterthurerstrasse 190
8057 Zurich
SWITZERLAND

wgms at geo.uzh.ch
http://www.wgms.ch

On 27.11.2013 19:14, Graham Cogley wrote:
> Dear all - I sent an earlier version of the attached document to the authors of
> the paper about the Randolph Glacier Inventory, and one or two others,  in
> September. The idea was to suggest that, with the imminent appearance of the GLIMS
> Book and (we hope) acceptance of the RGI paper, now is a good time to reflect on
> the future of both datasets, separately and together. GLIMS has evolved
> dramatically over its lifetime, and so has the RGI over its much shorter span.
>
> I have not altered the original text about "GLIMS2?", but Bruce has set me
> straight on one or two points and he and I have had some discussion about others.
> However I have added the wish list from the conclusion of the RGI paper to
> indicate the direction in which the RGI authors think it might be heading.
>
> Because I don't know who will be at the GLIMS dinner during AGU (evening of the
> Wednesday?), I am sending this to the whole GLIMS list with an invitation for
> comment/discussion - not about details but rather about generalities.
>
> Graham.
>
> J. Graham Cogley, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Geography,
> Department of Geography, Trent University,
> Peterborough, Ontario, CANADA K9J 7B8.
>
> Tel       +1 705-748-1011-x7686
> Email   gcogley at trentu.ca
> Web    http://www.trentu.ca/geography/glaciology
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GLIMS mailing list
> GLIMS at nsidc.org
> https://nsidc.org/mailman/listinfo/glims

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