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Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory (614)

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory (614)

Profile for Robert Bindschadler


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Title: Chief Scientist
Affiliation: NASA
Contact: E-mail
Office Phone: 301-614-5707
Fax: 301-614-5666

Dr. Robert Bindschadler has been an active Antarctic field researcher for the past 25 years. He has led 14 field expeditions to Antarctica and has participated in many other expeditions to glaciers and ice caps around the world. He maintains an active interest in the dynamics of glaciers and ice sheets, primarily on Earth, investigating how remote sensing can be used to improve our understanding of the role of ice in the Earth's climate. Applications developed by Dr. Bindschadler include measuring ice velocity and elevation using both visible and radar imagery, monitoring melt of and snowfall on ice sheets by microwave emissions, and detecting changes in ice-sheet volume by repeat space-borne radar altimetry. He has advised the US Congress and the Vice President on the stability of ice sheets and ice shelves and served on many scientific commissions and study groups as an expert in glaciology and remote sensing of ice. Some of the more significant awards he has received are: Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (2001); Goddard Senior Fellow (2000); Excellence in Federal Career (1989); the Antarctic Service Medal (1984) and the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (1994). He has published over 130 scientific papers, numerous review articles and has appeared on television and been heard on radio commenting on glaciological impacts of the climate on the world's ice sheets and glaciers. He currently is the Immediate Past President of the International Glaciological Society, chairs the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative, sits on both the US and International Planning Groups for the International Polar Year and is an Editor for the Journal of Glaciology.

Publications

(over 125 peer-reviewed publications; first-authored papers appear below)

Bindschadler, R.A., 2006. Hitting the Ice Sheets Where It Hurts, Science, Vol. 311, p. 1720-21 (March 24 2006).
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Bindschadler, R.A., P.L. Vornberger and L. Gray, in review. Changes in the Ice Plain of Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica, Journal of Glaciology.

Bindschadler, R.A.,2004. The History and Significance of Ice on Earth, in Ice in the Solar System, Cambridge University Press.

Bindschadler, R., 2003. Why is the South Pole colder than the North Pole?, Scientific American, Vol. 289, No. 3, p. 115-115.

Bindschadler, R.A., M. King, R.A. Alley, S. Anandakrishnan and L. Padman, 2003. Tidally Controlled Stick-Slip Discharge of a West Antarctic Ice Stream, Science, Vol. 301, p. 1087-1089.

Bindschadler, R.A. and H. Choi, 2003. Characterizing and Correcting Hyperion Detectors using Ice-Sheet Images, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, EO-1 Special Issue, Vol. 41, No. 6, p. 1189-1193.

Bindschadler, R.A., 2003. Tracking Sub-Pixel-Scale Sastrugi with Advanced Land Imager, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, EO-1 Special Issue, Vol. 41, No. 6, p. 1373-1377.

Bindschadler, R.A., 2003. Landsat Coverage of the Earth at High Latitudes, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, Vol. 69, No. 12, p. 1333-1339.

Bindschadler, R.A. and C.R. Bentley, 2002. On Thin Ice?, Scientific American, Vol. 287, No. 6, pp. 98-105.

Bindschadler, R.A., P.L. Vornberger, M. King and L. Padman, 2003. Tidally-Driven Sti J. Dowdeswell, D. Hall and J-G. Winther, 2001. Glaciological applications with Landsat-7 imagery Early assessments, Remote Sensing Environment, Vol 78, p. 163-179.

Bindschadler, R.A., J. Bamber, S. Anandakrishnan , 2001. Onset of Streaming Flow in the Siple Coast region, West Antarctica, Antarctic Research Series, Vol. 77, p. 123-136.

Bindschadler, R.A., M.A. Fahnestock, A. Sigmund, 1999. Comparison of Greenland Ice Sheet Topography measured by TOPSAR and Airborne Laser Altimetry, IEEE Transactions, Vol. 37, No. 5, p. 2530-2535.

Bindschadler, R.A. and P. L. Vornberger, 2000. Detecting Ice-Sheet Topography with AVHRR, RESURS-01, and Landsat TM Imagery, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 417-422.

Bindschadler, R.A. and W. Seider, 1998. Declassified Intelligence Satellite Photography (DISP) Coverage of Antarctica, NASA Technical Memorandum - 1998, 206879, 37 p.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1998. Future of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, Science, October 16, Vol. 282, 428-429.

Bindschadler, R.A. and P. L. Vornberger, 1998. Changes in West Antarctic ice sheet since 1963 from Declassified Satellite Photography, Science, 279, 689-692.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1998. Monitoring Ice-Sheet Behavior from Space, Reviews in Geophysics, Vol. 36, No. 1, 79-104.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1997. Fast Ice Flow in West Antarctica, Eos Transactions (Fall 1997), F231.

Bindschadler, R.A., X. Chen and P.L. Vornberger, 2000. The Onset of Ice Stream D, West Antarctica, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 46, No. 152, p.95-101.

Bindschadler, R.A., and 8 others, 1998. What is Happening to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet?, Eos, Vol. 79, No. 22 (June 2, 1998), 257-265..

Bindschadler, R.A., 1997. West Antarctic ice sheet collapse?, Science, Vol. 276, No. 5313, 662-223.

Bindschadler, R.A., X. Chen and P.L. Vornberger, 1998. Surface Velocity and Strain Rates at the Onset of Ice Stream D, West Antarctica, Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 1997 Review, p. 41-43..

Bindschadler, R.A., M.A. Fahnestock, A. Sigmund and I. Joughin, 1996. Improving ice-sheet topography by combining satellite radar altimetry and SAR interferometry, Eos Spring Meeting Supplement, pp. S259-260.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1997. Actively surging West Antarctic ice streams and their response characteristics, Annals of Glaciology, Vol. 24, 409-414.

Bindschadler, R.A., P.L. Vornberger, D.D. Blankenship, T. A. Scambos, R. Jacobel, 1996. Surface Velocity and Mass Balance of Ice Streams D and E, West Antarctica, Journal of Glaciology, Vol 42, No. 142, p. 461-475.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1995. Frozen Peril, World & I, Vol. 10, No. 4, 195-201.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1994. (ed.) WAIS: The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative: An Illustrated Summary, 10p. (available on http://igloo.gsfc.nasa.gov/wais).

Bindschadler, R.A, and P.L. Vornberger, 1994. Detailed elevation map of ice stream C using satellite imagery and airborne radar, Annals of Glaciology, Vol. 20, 327-335 .

Bindschadler, R.A, M.A. Fahnestock, P. Skvarca and T.A. Scambos, 1994. Surface velocity field of northern Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica, Annals of Glaciology, Vol. 20, 319-326.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1993. Siple Coast Project Research of Crary Ice Rise and the Mouths of Ice Streams B and C: Review and New Perspectives, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 39, No. 133, 538-552.

Bindschadler, R.A., P.L. Vornberger, and S. Shabtaie, 1993 . Detailed net mass balance of the ice plain on Ice Stream B, Antarctica: A GIS Approach, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 39, No. 123, 471-482.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1993. New Views for Antarctic Glaciology, Geotimes, pp. 16-19.

Bindschadler, R.A. and P.L. Vornberger, 1993. Interpretation of SAR Imagery of the Greenland Ice Sheet Using coregistered TM Imagery, Remote Sensing of Environment, 42, 167-175.

Bindschadler, R.A., P.L. Vornberger, C.R. Bentley and Shabtaie, S., 1992. The Synergistic Use of Airborne Radar and Satellite Imagery to Map Surface Elevations of Ice Sheets, Eos, 73, pp. 174.

Bindschadler, R.A., M. Fahnestock, and R. Kwok, 1993. Monitoring of the Greenland ice sheet using ERS-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery, Proceedings of First ERS-1 Symposium on "Space at the Service of our Environment", Cannes, France 4-6 November, 1992, SP-359, 253-257.

Bindschadler, R.A. and Scambos, T.A., 1991. Satellite-image-derived velocity field of an Antarctic ice stream, Science, Vol. 252, pp. 242-246.

Bindschadler, R.A. and P.L. Vornberger, 1990. AVHRR imagery reveals Antarctic ice dynamics, Eos, Vol. 17, No. 23, p. 741-742.

Bindschadler, R.A., E. P. Roberts, and A. Iken, 1990. Age of Crary Ice Rise, Antarctica, determined from temperature-depth profiles, Annals of Glaciology, Vol.14, pp. 13-16.

Bindschadler, R.A., F.S. Brownworth, and S.N. Stephenson, 1989a. Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery of Siple Coast, Antarctica, Antarctic Journal of the United States, 1988 Review.

Bindschadler, R.A., E.P. Roberts, D.R. MacAyeal, 1989. Distribution of net mass balance in vicinity of Crary Ice Rise, Antarctica, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 35, No. 121, pp. 370-377.

Bindschadler, R.A., B. Koci, S. Shabtaie, and E. Roberts, 1989. Evolution of Crary Ice Rise, Antarctica, Annals of Glaciology, Vol. 12, pp. 199-200. (Abstract only)

Bindschadler, R.A., H.J. Zwally, J.A. Major, and A.C. Brenner, 1989. Surface Topography of the Greenland Ice Sheet from Satellite Radar Altimetry, NASA SP-503, 105 pp., 17 map sheets.

Bindschadler, R.A., P.L. Vornberger, S.N. Stephenson, E.P. Roberts, S. Shabtaie, and D.R. MacAyeal, 1988. Ice shelf flow at the boundary of Crary Ice Rise, Antarctica, Annals of Glaciology, Vol. 11, pp. 8-13.

Bindschadler, R.A., S.N. Stephenson, E.P. Roberts, D.R. MacAyeal, and D.R. Lindstrom, 1988. Data report for the Siple Coast Project, NASA Tech. Memo. 100708.

Bindschadler, R.A., D.R. MacAyeal, S.N. Stephenson, P.L. Vornberger, and E.P. Roberts, 1988c. Transient behavior of ice stream B and Crary Ice Rise, West Antarctica, Ant. Jour. of the U.S., 1987 Review, pp. 66-67.

Bindschadler, R.A., S.N.Stephenson, D.R. MacAyeal, and S. Shabtaie, 1987a. Ice dynamics at the mouth of ice stream B, Antarctica, Jour. Geophy. Res., Vol. 92 (B9), pp. 8885-8894.

Bindschadler, R. A., Jezek, K. C., and Crawford, J., 1987, Glaciological Investigations using the Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging system, Annals of Glaciology, vol. 9, pp. 11-19.

Bindschadler, R.A. D.R. MacAyeal, and S.N. Stephenson, 1987a. Ice stream-ice shelf interaction in West Antarctica, in Dynamics of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, C.J. van der Veen and J. Oerlemans, eds., D. Reidel Pub., pp. 161-180.

Bindschadler, R. A., 1984. Jakobshavns Glacier Drainage Basin: A Balance Assessment, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 89, C2, 2066-2072.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1985. Contribution of the Greenland Ice Cap to Changing Sea Level: Present and Future, in Glaciers, Ice Sheets, and Sea Level: Effects of a CO2-Induced Climatic Change (refereed), National Research Council, National Academy Press, pp. 258-266.

Bindschadler,R.A., W.D. Harrison, C.F. Raymond, and C. Gantet, 1976. Thermal Regime of a Surge-Type Glacier, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 16, No. 74, pp. 251-259.

Bindschadler, R.A., W.D. Harrison, C.F. Raymond, and R.S. Crosson, 1977. Geometry and Dynamics of a Surge-Type Glacier, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 18, No. 79, pp. 181-194.

Bindschadler, R.A., W.D. Harrison and C.F. Raymond, 1978. Sliding Velocity of a Surge-Type Glacier during its Quiescent Phase of Motion, Proceedings of Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. (refereed), Soviet Geophysical Committee, No. 32, pp.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1981. The Predicted Behavior of Griesgletscher and Its Possible Threat to a Nearby Dam, Zeitschrift fur Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie, Bd. 16, H.1, pp. 45-59.

Bindschadler, R. A., 1982. A Numerical Model of Temperate Glacier Flow Applied to the Quiescent Phase of a Surge-Type Glacier, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 28, No. 99, pp. 239-265.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1982. A Time-Dependent Ice Sheet Model: Preliminary Results, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 87, No. C12, pp. 9675-9685.

Bindschadler, R.A., 1983. The Importance of Pressurized Sub-Glacial Water in Separation and Sliding at the Glacier Bed, Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 29, No. 101, pp. 3-19.

Bindschadler, R.A. and L.A. Rasmussen, 1983. Finite-Difference Model Predictions of the Drastic Retreat of Columbia Glacier, Alaska, US Geological Survey Professional Paper 1258-D (refereed).

Selected Publications

Campbell, B., and R. Bindschadler (2009). The Landsat Image Mosiac of Antarctica (LIMA). The Science Teacher, 34-40

Lipscomb, W., R. Bindschadler, E. Bueler, D. Holland, J. Johnson, and S. Price (2009). A Community Ice Sheet Model for Sea Level Prediction. Eos Trans. AGU, 90(3)
10.1029/2009EO030004

Winberry, J.P., S. Anandakrishnan, R.B. Alley, R. Bindschadler, and M.A. King (2009). Basal mechanics of ice streams: Insights from the stick-slip motion of Whillans Ice Stream. J. Geophys. Res., 114(F01016)
10.1029/2008JF001035

Bindschadler, R., B. Campbell, and P.D. Przyborski (2008). Antarctica in High Definition. The Earth Scientist, XXVII(1), 6-9

Bindschadler, R. (2008). Ice on the Edge. Natural History, 28-33

Bindschadler, R. (2008). Why Predicting West Antarctic Ice Sheet Behavior is So Hard: What We Know; What We Don’t Know; and How We Will Find Out, Sudden and Disruptive Climate Change. In, The Climate Institute (75-80). Earthscan

Bindschadler, R., P. Vornberger, A. Fleming, A. Fox, J. Mullins, D. Binnie, S.J. Paulsen, B. Granneman, and D. Gorodetzky (2008). The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica. Remote Sens. Environ., 112, 4214-4226
10.1016/j.rse.2008.07.006

Sergienko, O.V., R. Bindschadler, P. Vornberger, and D.R. MacAyeal (2008). Ice Stream basal conditions from block-wise surface data inversion and simple regression models of ice stream flow: Application to Bindschadler Ice Stream. J. Geophys. Res., 113(F04010), 11 pp
10.1029/2008JF001004

Bindschadler, R., and H. Choi (2007). Increased water storage at ice-stream onsets: a critical mechanism?. J. Glaciol., 53(181), 163-171

Fricker, H.A., R. Bindschadler, T. Scambos, and L. Padman (2007). An Active Subglacial Water System in Western Antarctica Mapped from Space. Sci., 315, 1544-1548

Sergienko, O.V., D.R. MacAyeal, and R. Bindschadler (2007). Causes of sudden, short-term changes in ice-stream surface elevation. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34(L22503), 6 pp

Thomas, R., and R. Bindschadler (2007). Ice Sheets and the Threat to Global Sea Level. In M.D. King, C.L. Parkinson, K. Partington, R. Williams (Ed.), Our Changing Planet: The View From Space (218-255). Cambridge Univ. Press

Bindschadler, R. (2006). Hitting the Ice Sheets Where It Hurts. Science, 311, 1720-1721

Bindschadler, R., H. Choi, C. Shuman, and T. Markus (2005). Detecting and measuring new snow accumulation on ice sheets by satellite remote sensing. Remote Sens. Environ., 98, 388-402

Bindschadler, R., H. Choi, C. Shuman, and T. Markus (2005). Detecting and measuring new snow accumulation on ice sheets by satellite remote sensing. Remote Sens. Environ., 98, 388-402

Bindschadler, R., H. Choi, C. Shuman, and T. Markus (2005). Detecting and measuring new snow accumulation on ice sheets by satellite remote sensing. Rem. Sens. Env., 98, 388-402

Gray, L., I. Joughin, S. Tulaczyk, V.B. Spikes, R. Bindschadler, and K. Jezek (2005). Evidence for subglacial water transport in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet through three-dimensional satellite radar interferometry. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32(L03501), 4 pp

Joughin, I., R. Bindschadler, M.A. King, D. Voigt, R.B. Alley, S. Anandakrishnan, H. Horgan, L. Peters, P. Winberry, S.B. Das, and G. Catania (2005). Continued deceleration of Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32(L22501), 4 pp

Bindschadler, R., and H. Choi (2003). Characterizing and Correcting Hyperion Detectors using Ice-Sheet Images. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., EO-1 Special Issue, 41(6), 1189-1193

Bindschadler, R. (2003). Tracking Sub-Pixel-Scale Sastrugi with Advanced Land Imager. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., EO-1 Special Issue, 41(6), 1373-1377

Bindschadler, R., P. Vornberger, M. King, and L. Padman (2003). Tidally-Driven Stick-Slip Motion in the Mouth of Whillans Ice Stream. Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 36, 263-272

Bindschadler, R., M. King, R.A. Alley, S. Anandakrishnan, and L. Padman (2003). Tidally Controlled Stick-Slip Discharge of a West Antarctic Ice Stream. Science, 301, 1087-1089

Hall, D.K., K.J. Bayr, W. Schoner, R. Bindschadler, and J.Y. Chien L. (2003). Consideration of the errors inherent in mapping historical glacier positions in Austria from the ground and space (1893-2001). Remote Sensing of Environment, 86, 566-577

Bindschadler, R., and C.R. Bentley (2002). On Thin Ice. Sci. Amer., 287(6), 98-105

Goddard Signature