Accomplishments

• The U.S. Geological Survey has played the lead national and international role in using satellite image data, especially Landsat and ASTER, to provide baseline data about glaciers and changes in glaciers from a global perspective. The 11-volume Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World Task (USGS Professional Paper 1386 A-K) involves more than 100 scientists who represent 45 institutions and 25 nations. Seven volumes have been published to date: B, Antarctica; C, Greenland; E, Glacier of Europe; G, Glaciers of the Middle East and Africa; H, Glaciers of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, and New Zealand; I, Glaciers of South America; and J, Glaciers of North America. Two other volumes are in press: K, Glaciers of Alaska, and F, Glaciers of Asia.
• Within the Coastal-Change and Glaciological Maps of Antarctica Task; 700 Landsat 1-5 MSS and/or TM images, RADARSAT images, and other satellite images have been analyzed to provide, for the first time:

1. Compilation of georeferenced RADARSAT images and Landsat 7 ETM+ images, and 1:1,000,000-scale baseline maps (in both printed and digital formats) of the coast of Antarctica.
2. Compilation of accurate maps [in both printed and digital formats (9) and digital/print-on demand format only (14)] which show coastal changes in floating (ice fronts) and grounded (ice walls) glacier ice during the past 30 years.
3. Determination of selective glacier-ice velocities in some coastal regions.
4. Compilation of a comprehensive inventory of named and unnamed outlet glaciers and ice streams.
5. Compilation of a 1:5,000,000-scale map (in both printed and digital formats) of the continent of Antarctica.

• One prototype map of the series was published in 1997: US Geological Survey Map I-2600-F, Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Bakutis Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-1990. Two maps, Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Saunders Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-1997 (I-2600-G) and Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Bakutis Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-2000 (I-2600-F) were published in 2003. Another map, Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Eights Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-2001 (I-2600-E) was published in 2004. Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Ronne Ice Shelf area, Antarctica: 1974-2002 (I-2600-D) was published in 2005. Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Trinity Peninsula area and South Shetland Islands, Antarctica: 1843-2001 (I-2600-A) was published in 2006. Four other maps (1-2600-B, -C, -H, and -I) are currently in progress. The three maps of the Antarctic Peninsula (I-2600-A-C) were done as a cooperative effort with the British Antarctic Survey. As each I-2600 map is published, a digital version will be available on the USGS Publications Web Site".