glcrweq English utf8 dataset McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager im@mcmlter.org pointOfContact 2014-10-29 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - North American Profile Metadata - Data with Biological Extensions ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Summarized glacier mass balance measurements, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (1993-2023, ongoing) 2014-10-29 publication Michael Gooseff University of Colorado Boulder http://www.colorado.edu/ michael.gooseff@colorado.edu http://goosefflab.weebly.com pointOfContact Andrew Fountain Portland State University http://www.pdx.edu (503) 725-3386 P.O. Box 751 Portland OR 97207 US andrew@pdx.edu http://glaciers.pdx.edu/fountain/ pointOfContact documentDigital As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, a systematic sampling program has been undertaken to monitor glacial mass balance and meltwater flow. This data package contains total mass balance changes at each stake measured on six glaciers (Canada, Commonwealth, Hughes, Suess, Howard, and Taylor) in Taylor Valley and one glacier (Adams) in Miers Valley, all of which are located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica. These values are the result of an analysis of the raw data presented in other data files (glacier stake heights, snow depths, and snow densities). Included here for each stake is the total water equivalent mass change. The standard deviation or the range for each total is given. Most measurements began during the 93-94 field season. Adams measurements were established during the 14-15 field season. Measurements are ongoing except at Hughes and Suess Glaciers where monitoring ceased following the 08-09 field season. Monitoring the changes in these measurements over time provides a record of mass balance, and aids in determining the role of glaciers in the polar hydrologic cycle. The goal of each summer season is to take measurements in early spring (Oct/Nov) and late summer (late January). This provides a measure of seasonal winter/summer changes of glacier mass. Name: Anna T. Wright Role: field technician Name: Renée F. Brown Role: data manager Name: Anna J. Bergstrom Role: former field crew Name: Hassan Basagic Role: former field crew Name: Thomas Nylen Role: former field crew Name: Inigo San Gil Role: former data manager completed McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager im@mcmlter.org pointOfContact unknown  Data for the glacier mass balance summaries was submitted by Andrew G. Fountain to the data manager in August, 1997. The column showing "file name" identifies the original file containing that record. These are provenance ascii text files and can be asked to the the McMurdo LTER data manager's  office.    Once submitted, the data manager used Microsoft Excel and Access software to produce files that were in more of a relational mode.                          In March, 2000, Thomas Nylen revised the existing data, and added new data from the more recent seasons. Instead of lumping all of the mass balance results for each glacier under one file, they were separated into files for each glacier. Results for Hughes and Suess glaciers were also added. Metadata fields were also completed at this time.                           In April, 2000, Denise Steigerwald added fields for dataset code and glstkid. Dataset code would allow  the data to be linked to the metadata in a relational database. Glstkid is a code that ties stake records to points on a GIS base map being developed by Michael Prentice at the University of New Hampshire.                           Metadata was standardized in 2006 using the EML format and distributed throughout LTER and federal clearing houses (Chris Gardner, Inigo San Gil).  in 2014, metadata was revamped using the Drupal Ecological Information Management system (Inigo San Gil) disturbance theme LTER Core Areas English Located in the Miers Valley, this glacier became object of the MCMLTER program study in 2015. 163.732166290280 163.582477569580 -78.118713184740 -78.097276633989 The Canada Glacier a small glacier flowing south-east into the northern side of Taylor Valley.  The glacier receives less than 10 cm of snowfall annually. Its seasonal melting feeds Lake Hoare to the west and Lake Fryxell to the east. 163.057708740234 162.894287109375 -77.632133483887 -77.598403930664 The Commonwealth glacier flows in a southeasterly direction and enters the northern side of Taylor Valley immediately west of Mount Coleman. Named by the British Antarctic Expedition for the Commonwealth of Australia in the early 1900s.   163.373565673828 163.197784423828 -77.589111328125 -77.545059204102 Howard is a small alpine glacier just west of Crescent Glacier, flowing into Taylor Valley on the north from the Kukri Hills. Geologist T.L. Pewe studied and named it for Arthur D. Howard, 163.147994995117 163.036087036133 -77.687744140625 -77.662025451660 Hughes Glacier is a small alpine glacier flowing toward Lake Bonney in Taylor Valley from the Kukri Hills on the south. Named for Professor McKenny Hughes. 162.581527709961 162.437667846680 -77.749969482422 -77.727073669434 The Suess Glacier is between the Canada Glacier and Lacroix Glacier, flowing south into Taylor Valley. Scott named after the early nineties British Antarctic Expedition for Professor Eduard Suess. 162.744598388672 162.647781372070 -77.651824951172 -77.633750915527 The Taylor Glacier is an Antarctic glacier about 54 kilometres (34 mi) long, flowing from the plateau of Victoria Land into the western end of Taylor Valley, north of the Kukri Hills, south of the Asgard Range. The middle part of the glacier is bounded on the south by Beacon Valley.Scott (early nineties British Antarctic expedition) named the glacier for Griffith Taylor, geologist and leader of the Western Journey Party of the British Antarctic expedition.Like other glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Taylor Glacier is “cold-based,” meaning its bottom is frozen to the ground below.   162.280426025391 161.683044433594 -77.769035339355 -77.721229553223 ground condition 1993-11-04 2023-01-24 In some circumstances we have the opportunity or need to measure the glaciers in mid-season (Dec). View the dates the measurements were made at the following URL: http://www.mcmlter.org/data/glaciers/timing/weqdates.pdf https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-adams-massbalance-20250311.csv ADAWEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER ADAWEQ Data Source Definition : Adams Glacier - Summarized Mass Balance Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 1 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE Unique number for each stake on glacier PERIOD COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE ENDING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ COMMENTS NOTES ON WATER EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE NAME RAW DATA FILE CONTAINING INFORMATION DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-adams-massbalance-20250311.csv https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-canada-massbalance-20250311.csv CANWEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER CANWEQ Data Source Definition : Canada Glacier - Summarized Mass Balance Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 1 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE Unique number for each stake on glacier PERIOD COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE ENDING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ COMMENTS NOTES ON WATER EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE NAME RAW DATA FILE CONTAINING INFORMATION DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-canada-massbalance-20250311.csv https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-commonwealth-massbalance-20250311.csv COMWEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER COMWEQ Data Source Definition : Commonwealth Glacier - Summarized Mass Balance Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 1 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE Unique number for each stake on glacier PERIOD_COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE ENDING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ COMMONWEQ_COMMENTS NOTES ON WATER EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE NAME RAW DATA FILE CONTAINING INFORMATION DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-commonwealth-massbalance-20250311.csv https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-howard-massbalance-20250311.csv HOWWEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER HOWWEQ Data Source Definition : Howard Glacier - Summarized Mass Balance Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 1 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE UNIQUE NUMBER FOR EACH STAKE ON GLACIER PERIOD_COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE Date on which sampling ended Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ HOWARDWEQ_COMMENTS Comments about the measurement GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE_NAME Name of file in which data was submitted DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-howard-massbalance-20250311.csv https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-taylor-massbalance-20250311.csv TAYWEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER TAYWEQ Data Source Definition : Taylor Glacier - Summarized Mass Balance Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 1 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE Unique number for each stake on glacier PERIOD COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE ENDING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ COMMENTS NOTES ON WATER EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE NAME RAW DATA FILE CONTAINING INFORMATION DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-taylor-massbalance-20250311.csv https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/HUGH_WEQ.csv HUGH_WEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER HUGH_WEQ Data Source Definition : Hughes glacier mass balance summaries spreadsheet units and column descriptions Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 27 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE Unique number for each stake on glacier PERIOD COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE ENDING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ COMMENTS NOTES ON WATER EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE NAME RAW DATA FILE CONTAINING INFORMATION DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/HUGH_WEQ.csv https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/SUES_WEQ.csv SUES_WEQ eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER SUES_WEQ Data Source Definition : Suess glacier mass balance summaries spreadsheet units and column descriptions Record Delimiter : \n Number of Header Lines : 27 Number of Footer Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET CODE CODE REPRESENTING GLACIER MASS BALANCE SUMMARY DATASET - Glacier name plus 'WEQ' GLACIER NAME OF GLACIER WHERE MEASUREMENT WAS MADE STAKE Unique number for each stake on glacier PERIOD_COVERED LENGTH OF PERIOD MEASURED (EITHER YEAR, WINTER, SUMMER OR A PART OF A SEASON) START_DATE BEGINNING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY END_DATE ENDING DATE OF DATA MEASUREMENT Date Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY WEQ TOTAL MASS IN TERMS OF WATER EQUIVALENT (SUM OF ICE WEQ AND SNOW WEQ; ICE DENSITY = 0.9g/Cm3) WEQ_STD_DEV STANDARD DEVIATION OF WEQ SUESSWEQ_COMMENTS NOTES ON WATER EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS GLSTKID CODE FROM GLACIER / STAKE/ DATE OF COORDINATE MEASUREMENT (TO BE USED FOR GIS MAPPING) FILE NAME RAW DATA FILE CONTAINING INFORMATION DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/SUES_WEQ.csv dataset The methods of data collection are described in the glacier stake heights, snow depths and glacier snow density metadata files. To convert the data to mass values, the total change in ice height (usually negative) and snow height (depth for snow covered ice) at each stake are multiplied by their respective densities. The density for ice is 0.9 g/cm3 and the density for snow is measured in nearby snowpits. The final error of the mass balance measurement is based on the errors in the stake heights and snow depths found by replicated measurements. The errors were carried through the calculations based on Baird, D.C., 1962. Experimentation: An Introduction to Measurement Theory and Experiment Design. Prentice Hall, Englewood. We assume no error in the snow density measurements. A Note about Stake names A stake with an H or V indicates a stake along the ice cliff that forms the boundary of the glacier terminus. An H is a horizontal stake placed into the vertical wall of the glacier terminus, and V is a stake placed into the ice apron at the base of the ice cliff. The vertical stakes were installed to support the horizontal stakes and provide a nearby measure of ablation for a surface with a much different slope. A Note about Standard Deviation Calculations: During the early years only one or two measurements of surface height were taken at each stake. If two measurements were taken, the average was used and the range expressed as the error; note of this was made in "comments" field. If greater than 2 measurements of surface height and snow depth were taken, standard deviation of Total WEQ Change was based on a calculation of errors. Metadata Access Constraints: none Metadata Use Constraints: none annually McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER http://mcmlter.org/ pointOfContact