Harcourt (2026) Close-range sensors and in-situ observations of glaciers

Identification

• Journal: Elsevier eBooks
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: William D. Harcourt
• DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85242-5.00058-0

Research Groups

• School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
• Interdisciplinary Institute, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Short Summary

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of close-range sensing and in-situ instrumentation techniques used for detailed, high-resolution monitoring of glaciers and ice sheets, outlining their fundamental physical principles and diverse applications.

Objective

• To provide an overview of the fundamental physical principles underpinning close-range sensing systems and in-situ instrumentation, and to discuss the application of these techniques to study glaciers and ice sheets.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Local, typically within 10 kilometers of a glacier, focusing on small mountain glaciers and small-scale processes such as iceberg calving.
• Temporal Scale: High-resolution time series, enabling detailed process monitoring over periods relevant to glacier dynamics.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not applicable; this is a review of observational techniques.
• Data sources:
  • Close-range sensors: Digital photography (time-lapse), Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAVs) for photogrammetry, active radar, Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) for lidar, thermal cameras.
  • In-situ instrumentation: Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)/Global Positioning System (GPS), surface instrumentation, englacial instrumentation, subglacial instrumentation.
  • Subaqueous methods: Various techniques for underwater measurements.
  • Often used in conjunction with satellite data for broader context.

Main Results

• The chapter systematically describes the physical principles governing close-range sensing, including electromagnetic waves, radiance, scattering, absorption, and transmission, and their impact on spatio-temporal resolution.
• It details various close-range sensing techniques (time-lapse photography, UAV photogrammetry, active radar, TLS, thermal mapping) and in-situ instrumentation (GNSS/GPS, surface, englacial, and subglacial instruments), illustrating their application to mountain glaciers and ice-ocean interactions.
• It highlights that close-range and in-situ methods provide high spatial and temporal resolution measurements, crucial for studying detailed glacier processes and small-scale phenomena like iceberg calving, often complementing broader satellite observations.

Contributions

• This chapter offers a structured and comprehensive synthesis of the fundamental physical principles and diverse methodologies of close-range sensing and in-situ instrumentation in cryospheric science.
• It provides a valuable reference for understanding the capabilities and applications of high-resolution observational techniques for monitoring glaciers and ice sheets, emphasizing their role in detailed process studies.
• It serves as a guide for researchers seeking to apply or integrate these flexible approaches for glacier and ice sheet monitoring across different scales.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Harcourt2026Closerange,
  author = {Harcourt, William D.},
  title = {Close-range sensors and in-situ observations of glaciers},
  journal = {Elsevier eBooks},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/b978-0-323-85242-5.00058-0},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-85242-5.00058-0}
}