Integrating Muldrow Glacier Topographic Maps into GIS for Glacier Monitoring at Denali National Park
Project ID: J8W07100013
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Fiscal Year: 2010
Initial Funding: $9,512
Total Funding: $9,512
Project Type: Technical Assistance
Project Disciplines: Physical
National Park: Denali National Park and Preserve
Principal Investigator: Robertson, Andy
Agreement Technical Representative: Withers, Jared
Abstract: National Park Service staff at Denali National Park and Preserve is currently working with cooperators from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute (UAF-GI) on a project to analyze glacier change on the Muldrow Glacier. The goal is to investigate changes in overall glacier extent through comparison and analysis of historic satellite imagery and traditional hardcopy topographic maps with recently developed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) digital elevation model and laser altimetry profiles collected by UAF-GI. One of the best available historic data sources from which to evaluate glacier change is a series of five hand drafted topographic maps of the Muldrow Glacier from Bradford Washburn. These maps were created using traditional land survey techniques and consist of a dense network of spot elevations in and around the Muldrow Glacier and contour lines at 10m intervals interpolated from the spot heights. In this project, the National Park Service will collaborate with Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota to georeference topographic maps to provide critical elevation data for UAF-GI to complete the glacial change analysis research. Upon completion, National Park Service managers will have a large-scale, quantitative measure of the glacial change on Mt. McKinley during the past 35 years. This will serve as one of the best available datasets for assessing rates of glacial change in Alaska.
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