Hyperspectral measurements of the Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

Visible and near infrared spectra are often used to study the cryosphere. Spectral measurements can be used to assess the snow age as well as to understand the impact of light absorbing impurities on glaciers. The University of Alaska, Fairbanks Hyperspectral Laboratory (HyLab) employs state of the art equipment to conduct hyperspectral measurements from an airborne platform. HyLab measurements include VNIR and SWIR imagers (400-2500nm) as well as FLIR temperature measurements. As of the writing of this abstract, the Mendenhall Glacier has been imaged by HyLab instrumentation on four occasions beginning in 2020 and is likely to be imaged more. In this presentation, we will show the results of the measurements as well as discuss the variability with respect to time of year, precipitation, and melting of seasonal snow as well as glacial ice. Limits and possibilities of the measurements will be discussed.