摘要：There is a major need for a complete and detailed
global glacier inventory that is freely available in a
digital format (vector outlines with attribute data) for
all kinds of glaciological assessments, e.g. sea level rise,
hydro-power, run-off and natural hazards. However,
such an inventory is not yet available and the uncertainties
due to the missing data for related calculations
are large. While the existing World Glacier Inventory
offers tabular data that were compiled from aerial
photography and maps during the 1960s to 1970s for
about 72'000 glaciers, current efforts are being exerted
within the framework of the Global Land Ice Measurements
from Space (GLIMS) initiative to compile
vector outlines from satellite data and combine them
with digital elevation models (DEMs). At this point,
inventory data from about 100'000 of the estimated
160'000 glaciers are available in the GLIMS database.
Due to the now free availability of satellite data from
the United States Geological Survey's archive and
near global DEMs with appropriate spatial resolution,
a globally complete and detailed glacier inventory
appears viable. This contribution provides an overview
of past and ongoing activities related to the creation
of glacier inventory data from satellite sensors,
along with the methods employed and the challenges
encountered in different parts of the world.
