Updating the New Zealand Glacier Inventory

• Applicant: Dr. Sabine Baumann
• Subject Area: Physical Geography ; Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics, Cartography
• Term: from 2016 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 289167952

Aim of the proposed research project is to update the New Zealand glacier inventory. The solely complete glacier inventory for New Zealand dates from the year 1978 and does no longer represent the current situation. From a scientific as well as from a socio-economic point of view, an updated inventory is essential. It will serve as basis for modelling of future glacier behavior, water resources, and future generation of hydroelectric power and, additionally, for the detection of potential sources for natural hazards. The new inventory will be compiled by the use of remote sensing and (semi-)automatic processes. It will be based on ASTER sensor images from 2010 to 2015 and a national digital elevation model with a 15 m resolution. The automatic compilation of snow and clean or slightly dirty glacier ice is an established procedure. A band ratio approach from the ASTER sensor bands ASTER 3 / ASTER 4 including a certain threshold will be used for this purpose. Mapping of debris-covered glaciers common in New Zealand is, however, rather challenging. For a semi-automatic mapping of these glaciers, a pixel-based multispectral classification combined with a digital terrain analysis and analysis of neighborhood relations will be conducted, consecutively improved by application of an object-based image analysis. Additionally, water bodies, especially supraglacial lakes, will be automatically compiled, glacier length semi-automatically. All data accompanied by further attributes will be submitted to the international glacier organization and platform GLIMS for to be incorporated into their open-source database. Finally, a comparison between the old and the updated glacier inventory will be conducted to detect potential glacier changes.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: New Zealand
• Host: Professor Dr. Andrew Mackintosh