Mountain glacier motion change detection by satellite L-band SAR data

The movement parameter of glacier is the very important factor of the glacier changes. It is an indicator of the local effects of global climate change. Meanwhile, changes in climate are affecting temperature and precipitation at the earth´s surface and therefore the accumulation and melt along the surface of glaciers with a direct effect on the mass balance. Monitoring of the glacier movement changes is important in climate change studies, with accelerated or decreasing motion indicating an alteration of the equilibrium of glacier masses. In this paper, we used the two combined methods (InSAR and Offsettracking) for estimating the motion of Muztag Ata glaciers from ALOS SAR data. The two methods yield similar results and agree with each other. Eleven glaciers were identified in Muztag Ata and gave a detailed analysis of the different types, different sizes and different orientations glaciers´ motion features and changes in Muztag Ata according to the motion results of the 2008 and 2010.