Mass Balance

Balance
Year

Date of
Winter
Measurement

Measured
Winter
Balance

Summer
Balance

Net
Balance

Equilibrium
Line
Altitude

AAR

(yyyy)

(mm/dd/yy)

(meters)

1966

5/18/1966

0.95

-1.00

-0.06

1,670

0.72

1967

4/27/1967

1.12

-1.00

0.12

1,743

0.64

1968

4/30/1968

1.57

-1.61

-0.04

1,791

0.59

1969

5/25/1969

0.69

-1.60

-0.92

1,906

0.41

1970

5/10/1970

0.71

-0.25

0.46

1,664

0.72

1971

3/20/1971

1.29

-0.95

0.35

1,728

0.66

1972

5/8/1972

1.08

-1.39

-0.31

1,814

0.56

1973

5/22/1973

1.44

-0.86

0.58

1,656

0.73

1974

3/24/1974

0.55

-1.64

-1.09

1,920

0.39

1975

6/29/1975

1.12

-1.35

-0.23

1,788

0.59

1976

3/27/1976

0.96

-1.88

-0.92

1,815

0.56

1977

3/21/1977

1.39

-1.60

-0.21

1,758

0.63

1978

3/25/1978

0.98

-1.17

-0.19

1,755

0.63

1979

4/23/1979

1.35

-1.87

-0.53

1,785

0.60

1980

6/24/1980

1.13

-1.20

-0.07

1,738

0.65

1981

3/29/1981

0.96

-0.93

0.03

1,687

0.70

1982

6/20/1982

1.55

-1.67

-0.11

1,746

0.64

1983

4/25/1983

1.14

-1.11

0.03

1,751

0.63

1984

6/8/1984

1.30

-1.61

-0.32

1,768

0.61

1985

3/23/1985

1.41

-0.73

0.68

1,650

0.74

1986

3/30/1986

1.09

-1.03

0.06

1,682

0.71

1987

3/23/1987

1.24

-1.37

-0.12

1,737

0.65

1988

4/15/1988

1.26

-1.48

-0.22

1,759

0.62

1989

-0.70

1,791

0.59

1990

5/6/1990

1.36

-2.04

-0.69

1,794

0.59

1991

4/17/1991

1.31

-1.37

-0.07

1,708

0.68

1992

3/26/1992

0.98

-1.22

-0.24

1,758

0.63

1993

3/31/1993

0.82

-2.49

-1.67

1,880

0.45

1994

4/29/1994

1.37

-1.96

-0.59

1,777

0.60

1995

4/19/1995

0.94

-1.65

-0.70

1,806

0.57

1996

4/18/1996

0.87

-1.39

-0.53

1,768

0.61

1997

4/19/1997

0.99

-2.68

-1.69

1,865

0.47

1998

4/17/1998

0.79

-1.43

-0.64

1,793

0.59

1999

4/22/1999

1.04

-2.15

-1.11

1,842

0.51

2000

4/21/2000

1.44

-1.49

-0.05

1,704

0.69

2001

4/19/2001

1.40

-2.08

-0.68

1,790

0.59

2002

5/3/2002

0.76

-1.83

-1.07

1,833

0.53

2003

5/1/2003

1.79

-1.80

-0.01

1,718

0.67

2004

4/16/2004

0.93

-3.22

-2.29

1,851

0.50

2005

4/14/2005

1.73

-1.99

-.26

1,758

0.63

Average

04/24

1.15

-1.54

-0.40

1,769

0.61

Std.Dev.

0.29

0.56

0.61

0.08

Min

03/20

0.55

-3.22

-2.29

1,650

0.39

Max

06/29

1.79

-0.25

0.68

1,920

0.74

The balance year is the interval between the time of minimum glacier mass in the specified year and the time of minimum glacier mass in the previous calendar year. Typically the balance year at Gulkana Glacier starts and ends in September of each year. The balance year can be longer or shorter than a calendar year. The winter season commences at the start of the balance year in the calendar year prior to the one indicated. On average the winter balance is measured in mid-April, though it has been measured as early as March 20 and as late as June 29. All mass balance values are in meters of water equivalent. Missing data are left blank.

Maintainer: Rod March
Last update: Friday, March 16, 2007 05:16 PM
URL: http://ak.water.usgs.gov/glaciology/gulkana/balance/index.html

Mass Balance Data, Gulkana Glacier, Alaska