Gulf of Alaska ice-marginal lake area change over the Landsat record and potential physical controls

Abstract. Lakes in contact with glacier margins can impact evolution as well the downstream biophysical systems, flood hazard, and water resources. Recent work suggests positive feedbacks between wastage ice-marginal lake evolution, although precise physical controls are not understood. Here, we quantify area change understudied northwestern North America from 1984–2018 investigate climatic, topographic, glaciological influences on change. We delineate time series of sampled perimeters (n=107 lakes) find that regional has increased 58 % aggregate, individual proglacial lakes growing by 1.28 km2 (125 %) ice-dammed shrinking 0.04 (?15 average. A statistical investigation climate reanalysis data changes summer temperature winter precipitation exert minimal direct influence Utilizing existing datasets observed modeled glacial characteristics, large, wide glaciers thick lake-adjacent ice associated fastest rate change, particularly where they have been undergoing rapid mass loss recent times. observe a dichotomy which low-elevation coastal changed most absolute terms, while small, interior at high elevation relative terms. Generally, fastest-changing experienced dramatic or nor highest rates loss. Our that, climatic factors must play some role determining lake's specific geometry topographic setting overrides these external controls.