Ice Sheets#
Ice sheets are vast expanses of glacial ice covering landmasses, primarily Antarctica and Greenland. These ice sheets play a crucial role in global climate dynamics and sea level rise. This tutorial series provides insights into various aspects of ice sheet dynamics and related measurements.
Ice Sheet Surface Elevation#
This tutorial will demonstrate how to plot a map of the average surface elevation change rates across the Greenland or Antarctic ice sheets, using data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
It should be noted that the Antarctica product is not updated since February 2023, hence are the folowing code provided using the version 3 of the CDS data. Newer dataversion are avilable for Greenland.
It will show you how to download data from the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS), calculate average change rates over a selectable period, and display the results.
Ice Sheet Velocity#
This tutorial will demonstrate how to plot velocity maps and flow vectors of the Greenland Ice Sheet and its major outlet glaciers, using ice velocity data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
It will show you how to download data from the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS), plot the maps and and display flow vectors on top.
Ice Sheet Mass Balance#
This tutorial will demonstrate how to plot the Gravimetric Mass Balance (GMB) data for selected regions across the Greenland or Antarctic ice sheets, using data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
It will show you how to download data from the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS), calculate average change rates over a selectable period, and display the results.
Glacier Mass Change#
Glaciers are smaller ice masses distinct from ice sheets but still contribute significantly to sea level rise. Glacier mass change refers to variations in the volume and mass of glaciers over time, primarily driven by climate factors. This tutorial section explores the processes influencing glacier mass change, techniques for measuring glacier mass balance, and the implications of glacier dynamics for global sea level rise.