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Glacier hazards represent a continuous threat to human lives and infrastructure
in mountain regions. Outbursts of glacier lakes, ice break-offs and subsequent
avalanches, and related disasters can kill hundreds or even thousands of people
at once and cause damage with a worldwide annual sum in the tens of millions of
dollars. Global warming is exacerbating the situation by causing rapid changes
to glaciers and glacier lakes. For this reason, and because the remoteness of
glaciers makes ground-based observations difficult, satellite imagery has
become an invaluable tool—and sometimes the only tool—for glacier hazard
assessment. Here, view a series of glacier-related disasters and hazards imaged
by a NASA satellite for the international Global Land Ice Measurements from
Space, or GLIMS, project. To launch the slide show, click on the image at
left.—Andreas Kääb
Andreas Kääb, a lecturer and senior research associate in the
Department of Geography at the University of Zürich-Irchel, is chair of
the International Working Group on Glacier and Permafrost Hazards in
Mountains.
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