Kilimanjaro Glaciers: Recent areal extent from satellite data and new interpretation of observed 20th century retreat rates

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Read Full Article (file size: 397823 bytes) Cited by GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L16502, doi:10.1029/2006GL027084, 2006 Kilimanjaro Glaciers: Recent areal extent from satellite data and new interpretation of observed 20th century retreat rates Nicolas J. Cullen Tropical Glaciology Group, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria Thomas Mölg Tropical Glaciology Group, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria Georg Kaser Tropical Glaciology Group, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria Khalid Hussein Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA Konrad Steffen Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA Douglas R. Hardy Climate System Research Center, Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Abstract Recent and long term variations in ice extent on Kilimanjaro are investigated in the context of 20th century climate change in East Africa. Quickbird satellite data show that the areal extent of glaciers on Kilimanjaro is 2.51 km² in February 2003. To assess glacier retreat on Kilimanjaro two glacier systems are identified: (1) plateau (≥5700 m) and (2) slope (<5700 m). Vertical wall retreat that governs the retreat of plateau glaciers is irreversible, and changes in 20th century climate have not altered their continuous demise. Rapid retreat of slope glaciers at the beginning of the 20th century implies a strong departure from steady state conditions during this time. This strong imbalance can only be explained by a sudden shift in climate, which is not observed in the early 20th century. Results suggest glaciers on Kilimanjaro are merely remnants of a past climate rather than sensitive indicators of 20th century climate change. Received 2 June 2006; accepted 27 July 2006; published 31 August 2006. Index Terms: 0776 Cryosphere: Glaciology (1621, 1827, 1863); 1620 Global Change: Climate dynamics (0429, 3309); 1640 Global Change: Remote sensing (1855); 3305 Atmospheric Processes: Climate change and variability (1616, 1635, 3309, 4215, 4513). Read Full Article (file size: 397823 bytes) Cited by Citation: Cullen, N. J., T. Mölg, G. Kaser, K. Hussein, K. Steffen, and D. R. Hardy (2006), Kilimanjaro Glaciers: Recent areal extent from satellite data and new interpretation of observed 20th century retreat rates, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L16502, doi:10.1029/2006GL027084. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

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