A low-cost surface ablation monitoring system using wind-induced motion of mass-balance stakes

Surface ablation measurements are critical for understanding glacier mass change over time. Mass-balance stakes are commonly used for localized measurements, with the exposed length typically measured manually at infrequent intervals. This paper presents the design and validation of new instrumentation that automates mass-balance stake readings, thus enabling continuous measurements with high temporal resolution. The instrumentation comprises readout electronics that are mounted on mass-balance stakes to measure wind-induced vibrations. The stake vibrational frequency depends sensitively on their exposed length, and changes in the measured frequency therefore are indicative of glacier surface melt and accumulation. Initial instrumentation field tests conducted at Colour Lake on Umingmat Nunaat (Axel Heiberg Island), Nunavut, demonstrate centimeter-level precision on length measurements. The instrumentation can be attached to existing mass-balance stakes and is low-cost (∼ USD 50) in comparison to many other systems that perform automated surface ablation measurements. The accessibility of this instrumentation opens new possibilities for localized, high temporal resolution measurements of glacier surface activity at any location where mass balance stakes are deployed.