THE INTERNET PRESENTATION OF DATABASES OF GLACIERS OF THE SOUTH OF EASTERN SIBERIA

Abstract

The authors consider the technology for creating databases of glaciers in Southern Siberia and the presentation of these databases on the Internet. The technology consists in the recognition and vectorization of spatial, multi-temporal data using GIS techniques, followed by the formation of databases that reflect the spatial and temporal variation of nival-glacial formations. The results of GIS design are presented on the website IG SB RAS and with the help of Internet service ArcGISonline on the public map. The mapping of databases shows the dynamic of nival-glacial formations for three time phases: the beginning of the 20th century (if you have data), its middle (the catalogs of glaciers and topographic maps) and the beginning of the 21st century (according to satellite images and field research). Graphic objects are represented as point, line, and polygonal GIS-themes. Point-themes indicate parameters such as the center, lower and upper boundaries of the glacier. Line-themes determine the length and perimeter of the glacier. Polygonal-themes define the contour of the glacier and its area. The attributive table corresponds to the international standard World Glacier Inventory (WGI). The contours of the glaciers of northern Asia are represented conditionally (ellipses) at international portals, and attribute characteristics correspond to the state that was displayed in catalogs of glaciers of the USSR, and they are inaccurate. Considered databases are devoid of these shortcomings. Coordinates of the center of glaciers have been refined. Glaciers contours have boundaries, appropriate to space images or topographic maps, in shp-file format. New glaciers of Baikalskiy and Barguzinskiy ridges are also presented. Existing catalogs and databases still do not include these glaciers. Features of the glaciers are examined in the context of the latitudinal transect of southern Siberia, from the Kodar ridge to the Eastern Sayan. GIS-analysis of the Databases shows the trend and degree of climate change, and the technology that is built on a unified methodology makes it possible to monitoring the state of nival-glacial formations, landscape environment, and to quantify their characteristics. This allows one to identify mechanisms of change of the type of formation during the transformation and self-organization of mountain geosystems.

Keywords

• Eastern Siberia
• glaciers
• databases
• GIS
• remote sensing of the Earth