West Greenland Glacier Inventory from 1948-1985

1948 to 1985 inventory of 5,297 glaciers in west Greenland, spanning latitudes 59 to 71 degrees north and longitudes 43 to 53 degrees west. The dataset was compiled by NSIDC using a simplified World Glacier Monitoring Service basin division system. Data sources include 1:250000 maps, Landsat imagery, and aerial photographs.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical glacier extent and distribution in West Greenland.
• Studying basin-level glacier organization using the WGMS-derived classification.
• Investigating long-term cryospheric changes from mid-20th century imagery and maps.
• Providing a baseline inventory for comparison with modern satellite-derived glacier data.

Strengths

• Contains a specific inventory of 5,297 individual glaciers.
• Based on multiple data sources: 1:250000 maps, Landsat imagery, and aerial photos.
• Covers a substantial 37-year time period from 1948 to 1985.
• Uses a standardized basin division system based on the World Glacier Monitoring Service.

Limitations

• Column names and data structure are unknown from provided sources.
• Conflicting last updated dates: one source states 2026-03 13, another states 1985-12-31.
• Specific license terms are unclear, only noted as 'other-license-specified'.

Provenance

Source

NSIDC

Collection Method

Compiled from 1:250000 maps, Landsat imagery, and aerial photographs.

Time Range

1948 - 1985

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:38:46.567366

Geography

West Greenland, 59 to 71 degrees latitude north, 43 to (sic) 53 degrees longitude west.