Analysis of Regional Changes in Geodetic Mass Balance for All Caucasus Glaciers over the Past Two Decades

Glaciers and snow in the Caucasus are major sources of runoff for populated places many parts this mountain region. These glaciers have shown a continuous area decrease; however, magnitude mass balance changes at regional scale need to be further investigated. Here, we analyzed surface elevation (or thickness) geodetic 1861 (1186.1 ± 53.3 km2) between 2000 2019 from recently published dataset outlines glacier inventory. We used debris-covered compare debris-free glaciers. also 30 m resolution ASTER GDEM (2011) determine topographic details, such as aspect, slope, distribution Results indicate that mean rate loss has accelerated 0.42 0.61 water equivalent per year (m w.e. a?1) over 2000–2010, 0.64 0.66 a?1 2010–2019. This was 0.53 0.38 2000–2019. Mass rates differ western, central, eastern Greater Caucasus, indicating highest annual western section (0.65 0.43 2000–2019 much lower central (0.48 0.35 (0.38 0.37 sections. No difference found northern southern slopes last twenty years corresponding a?1. The observed decrease is higher on (0.66 0.17 than those (0.49 0.15 2019. Thickness change values 2010–2019 were 1.5 times more negative (0.75 0.70 2000–2010 (0.50 0.67 entire region, suggesting an acceleration ice thinning starting 2010. A significant positive trend May-September air temperatures two selected meteorological stations (Terskol Mestia) along with October-April precipitation might responsible balances all study period. results provide insight into processes glaciers, which key information improve glaciological hydrological projections