The unified accumulation-ablation field on glaciers of the Northern Hemisphere

• Published in: Doklady earth sciences 2013-04, Vol.449 (2), p.439-443
• Main Authors: Kotlyakov, V. M., Zverkova, N. M., Khromova, T. E., Chernova, L. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cartography; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geography; Glaciation; Glaciers; Ice
• ISSN: 1028-334X; 1531-8354
• DOI: 10.1134/S1028334X13040119

The cartographic investigation method, i.e., appli cation of maps for scientific description and analysis of natural phenomena, is of great significance in cogni tion of the world [1]. In this connection, the World Atlas of Snow and Ice Resources published in 1997 pro vides possibilities for such an approach to investigation of ice systems [24]. The materials presented in this Atlas realize the idea of reflecting characteristics of spatially distributed objects (including glaciers and ice systems) in the form of fields (isoline maps) [5]. Gla ciers may form various rank ice systems. In [6], the authors proposed a hierarchy of glacier systems on the Earth. In the Atlas, the glaciological shell of the Earth (glaciosphere) is represented at different levels: global, regional, local, and single glacier [3]. In each case, glaciers are united into a system corresponding to the particular investigation level. A peculiar feature of the cartographic presentation of the glacier system con sists in the fact that the latter is formed by discrete objects (individual glaciers), while the researcher strives to show all the regularities characteristic of all glaciation.