Multi-Decadal and High-Resolution Observations of Greenland Outlet Glacier Dynamics from the Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP)

The objective of the Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) is to document, in detail, changes in ice sheet dynamics using a wide combination of sensors and techniques. As part of this effort, we have derived a dense time-series of ice flow velocity for all of Greenland's large (> 1-km wide) outlet glaciers from repeat ASTER, Landsat 7 and 8 images acquired since 1999. These data are combined with previously documented velocity measurements from TerraSAR-X and RADARSAT-1 and -2 to provide an approximately monthly time-series of ice speed and glacier discharge over 16 years, allowing for comprehensive examination of glacier flow variability at unprecedented spatial and temporal detail. Here we provide an overview of the dataset and a preliminary survey of observed changes, including seasonal signals and regional variability. As a NASA MEaSUREs Project, all GIMP products are openly available at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).