Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps
In this study, we measure ice thickness and flow and reveal that Shakushizawa and Kaerazuzawa perennial snow patches (PSPs) in the northern Japanese Alps are glaciers instead. Due to their size, they are very small glaciers (VSGs). For the Shakushizawa VSG investigated by this study, we also calcula...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1442884/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823859208132493312 |
|---|---|
| author | Kenshiro Arie Kenshiro Arie Chiyuki Narama Kotaro Fukui Hajime Iida |
| author_facet | Kenshiro Arie Kenshiro Arie Chiyuki Narama Kotaro Fukui Hajime Iida |
| author_sort | Kenshiro Arie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we measure ice thickness and flow and reveal that Shakushizawa and Kaerazuzawa perennial snow patches (PSPs) in the northern Japanese Alps are glaciers instead. Due to their size, they are very small glaciers (VSGs). For the Shakushizawa VSG investigated by this study, we also calculate the long-term average annual surface mass balances to assess the persistence mechanisms of VSGs in this region. The mass balance calculation is done by substituting the ice thickness and surface flow velocity measured on the Shakushizawa VSG into the continuity equation under the assumption of the steady-state in the long-term average. The annual surface mass balance altitude profile in the long-term average of the Shakushizawa VSG has a positive gradient with the accumulation area upstream and the ablation area downstream. If the other VSGs in the northern Japanese Alps have the same characteristics, these have a localized accumulation area in the long-term average below the climatic ELA by topographic effects. These results suggest that glaciers in the northern Japanese Alps are maintained due to topographic effects, despite being located below the climatic equilibrium line altitude (ELA). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c6533f7628354690aca3d874ea517a28 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-c6533f7628354690aca3d874ea517a282025-02-11T07:00:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-02-011310.3389/feart.2025.14428841442884Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese AlpsKenshiro Arie0Kenshiro Arie1Chiyuki Narama2Kotaro Fukui3Hajime Iida4Earth Observation Research Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, JapanGraduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanProgram of Field Research in the Environmental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanTateyama Caldera Sabo Museum, Toyama, JapanTateyama Caldera Sabo Museum, Toyama, JapanIn this study, we measure ice thickness and flow and reveal that Shakushizawa and Kaerazuzawa perennial snow patches (PSPs) in the northern Japanese Alps are glaciers instead. Due to their size, they are very small glaciers (VSGs). For the Shakushizawa VSG investigated by this study, we also calculate the long-term average annual surface mass balances to assess the persistence mechanisms of VSGs in this region. The mass balance calculation is done by substituting the ice thickness and surface flow velocity measured on the Shakushizawa VSG into the continuity equation under the assumption of the steady-state in the long-term average. The annual surface mass balance altitude profile in the long-term average of the Shakushizawa VSG has a positive gradient with the accumulation area upstream and the ablation area downstream. If the other VSGs in the northern Japanese Alps have the same characteristics, these have a localized accumulation area in the long-term average below the climatic ELA by topographic effects. These results suggest that glaciers in the northern Japanese Alps are maintained due to topographic effects, despite being located below the climatic equilibrium line altitude (ELA).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1442884/fullglacier flowglacier ice thicknessmass balancevery small glaciersperennial snow patchesnorthern Japanese Alps |
| spellingShingle | Kenshiro Arie Kenshiro Arie Chiyuki Narama Kotaro Fukui Hajime Iida Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps Frontiers in Earth Science glacier flow glacier ice thickness mass balance very small glaciers perennial snow patches northern Japanese Alps |
| title | Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps |
| title_full | Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps |
| title_fullStr | Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps |
| title_short | Identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps |
| title_sort | identification and persistence mechanism of very small glaciers and perennial snow patches in the northern japanese alps |
| topic | glacier flow glacier ice thickness mass balance very small glaciers perennial snow patches northern Japanese Alps |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1442884/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kenshiroarie identificationandpersistencemechanismofverysmallglaciersandperennialsnowpatchesinthenorthernjapanesealps AT kenshiroarie identificationandpersistencemechanismofverysmallglaciersandperennialsnowpatchesinthenorthernjapanesealps AT chiyukinarama identificationandpersistencemechanismofverysmallglaciersandperennialsnowpatchesinthenorthernjapanesealps AT kotarofukui identificationandpersistencemechanismofverysmallglaciersandperennialsnowpatchesinthenorthernjapanesealps AT hajimeiida identificationandpersistencemechanismofverysmallglaciersandperennialsnowpatchesinthenorthernjapanesealps |