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Late-twentieth century changes in glacier extent in the Ak-shirak Range, Central Asia, determined from historical data and ASTER imagery
Article first published online: 28 AUG 2003
DOI: 10.1029/2003GL017233
Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.
Additional Information
How to Cite
, , and (2003), Late-twentieth century changes in glacier extent in the Ak-shirak Range, Central Asia, determined from historical data and ASTER imagery, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30, 1863, doi:10.1029/2003GL017233, 16.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 28 AUG 2003
- Article first published online: 28 AUG 2003
- Manuscript Accepted: 20 MAY 2003
- Manuscript Received: 28 FEB 2003
[1] Global analysis of glacier regimes reveals widespread wastage since the late 1970s, with a marked acceleration in the late 1980s. We investigate changes in the heavily glacierized Ak-shirak Range, central Tien Shan plateau (43°N, 75°E) using air photo mapping surveys (1943 and 1977), an ASTER imagery (2001), and long term glaciological and meteorological observations. The wasting of the Ak-shirak glacier system features a decrease in average glacier size, and an increase in the area of outcrops. A small shrinkage during 1943–1977 was followed by a greater than 20% reduction during 1977–2001 in response to increases in summer and annual air temperature and decreases in annual precipitation.