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Author Topic: 3D visualization of Hautes-Alpes / Glacier Blanc with Google Earth and MODIS  (Read 8016 times)

Artful Dodger

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NOTE: MOVED HERE FROM ESPEN'S GREENLAND GLACIER THREAD  :-[

For the above said calving event, based on a conservative estimation on a 200m retreat on a front of about 5 km, and a thickness of several hundreds of meters, say 500m, we have at least 0.5 km3 gone to the sea. Which means about half the volume of the Glacier Blanc ...
Hi bernard,

I'm glad you're working on this issue. It's always easier for people to get involved with something happening in their own back yard, and to places that they care about.

If you want to delve further, I can suggest a way you may be able to make an even better estimate. With the freely available program 'Google Earth', it is possible to overlay a bitmap image over a geographic region.

Further, if you obtain recent MODIS imagery from the NASA World View site that Jim Hunt has pointed us to recently, you should be able to see Glacier Blanc in 3 dimensions. Then you can use the Google Earth measurement tool to obtain better estimates for the extent of calving.

As a nice by-product of your efforts, you will be able to fly around  a 3-D Glacier Blanc and the Hautes-Alpes in a virtual Flight Simulator that comes built into every copy of Google Earth  8)

Let us know how it works out, and have fun!
« Last Edit: April 12, 2013, 12:15:33 PM by Artful Dodger »
Cheers!
Lodger

Artful Dodger

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Here's a link to recent MODIS imagery of Hautes-Alpes and Glacier Blanc taken on April 10, 2013 to get you started... hope this 'alps! ;)
Cheers!
Lodger

Bernard

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Thanks for the link. I've been using Google Earth for quite a while of course ...
But have trouble with the MODIS image link. I can't zoom enough to see the limits of Glacier Blanc, and moreover the Ecrins Massif is still covered with snow so the limits of the glacier would be barely visible anyway.

Artful Dodger

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But have trouble with the MODIS image link. I can't zoom enough to see the limits of Glacier Blanc, and moreover the Ecrins Massif is still covered with snow so the limits of the glacier would be barely visible anyway.
Hi Bernard,

Of course MODIS provides only 250 m resolution max, but that should allow an estimate within 125 m error.

If you sample a few other days of MODIS image history, you should be able to find cloudless coverage of the area. Summer 2012 for example.

It should also be useful to track the date of retreat of snow-cover. =D

If you do have access to other higher resolution imagery, the same technique can be used in Google Earth to explore that image in a 3-D environment.

Bon courage, mon ami!
Cheers!
Lodger

aandbrendering

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This looks astonishing...Would like to see more imagery.