Hazards

Glacial changes may represent hazards for communities living near them. Outburst floods, landslides, debris flows, and debris avalanches can destroy property and take lives in a sudden rush of water, ice, sediment, rock, soil, and debris. Ice avalanches can trigger far-reaching hazards such as enormous snow avalanches, lake outbursts, and mud flows. It is not clear yet whether some of these hazards are a normal part of glacier behavior, or whether they signal dramatic new threats from a changing cryosphere.

Publications

The World's Glaciers: Hazards, Opportunities, and Measures of Global Change Brief overview
MS Powerpoint 835 KB | PDF 30 KB

GLIMS High Ice Presentation (2003)

• Part I: Introduction & Hazards
  Powerpoint (65 MB) | PDF (3.1 MB)
• Part II: Glacier Image Analysis Capbilities
  Powerpoint (14 MB) | PDF (780 KB)
• Part III: Himalaya ASTER Imaging Examples and Glacier Change Analysis Results
  Powerpoint (77 MB) | PDF (435 KB)
• Part IV: Sum Up and Future Courses
  Powerpoint (52 MB) | PDF (333 KB)

GLIMS Aster Team Meeting Presentation (2004)

• Part I: Introduction & Hazards
  Powerpoint (7.2 MB) | PDF (2.2 MB)
• Part II: High Ice, Glaciers of Asia
  Powerpoint (103 MB) | PDF (1.2 MB)
• Part III: Mass Balance Studies and Other Topics
  Powerpoint (2.1 MB) | PDF (265 KB)

Rapid ASTER Imaging Facilitates Timely Assessment of Glacier Hazards and Disasters EOS Volume 84, 1 April 2003

Related Resources

University of Zurich: Glacier Hazards

USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory: Glacier Hazards