The glaciers of Baranof Island – the most glaciated island in Pacific Northwest – are small, disparate, and sensitive to climatic change due to the temperate climate in which they are situated. I propose to quantify the change in area of a selection of Baranof Island glaciers over recent history by gathering geospatial data, calculating the perimeter and surface area of the glaciers, and then comparing my findings to the historical record – historical USGS field measurements, historical aerial photographs, remote sensing imagery, and geomorphological indicators such as terminal moraines and trim lines.
I will then quantify historical change of surface area and perimeter, and if multiple historical data points are available, I will also calculate a rate of change (both for surface area and extent of the terminus) and predict future glacial advance or retreat.