DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13073856
title: Unmanned aerial system data of Lirung Glacier and Langtang Glacier for 2013–2018

description: This dataset contains the raw data as well as produced image mosaics, digital elevation models (DEMs) and data derivatives of optical (RGB) unmanned aerial vehicle surveys of the debris-covered Lirung Glacier (9 surveys, 2013–2018) and Langtang Glacier (7 surveys, 2014–2018) in the Langtang Catchment, Nepalese Himalaya.

All data in this dataset are stored in tape archive (tar) or gzip-compressed tape archive (tar.gz) formats and require extraction before use.

The projected coordinate system used in this dataset is WGS 1984 UTM Zone 45N (EPSG:32645). Survey dates are always provided as yyyymmdd.

 

File descriptions



dems_<glacier>.tar20 cm resolution DEMs that were derived from the raw UAV images. DEMs of all survey dates are included in the tar archives. File format is GeoTIFF. 

orthomosaics_<glacier>.tar10 cm resolution image mosaics of orthorectified source imagery (orthomosaics) that were derived from the raw UAV images. Orthomosaics of all survey dates are included in the tar archives. File format is GeoTIFF. 

point-clouds_<glacier>.tar.gzRaw dense point clouds that were derived from the raw UAV images. Point clouds of all survey dates are included in the tar archive. File format is ASPRS LAS. Note that additional gzip-compression has been applied to the archives. 

raw-data_<glacier>_<datestamp>.tarRaw data of each of the surveys that were performed over 2013–2018. The filename includes the glacier name and the survey date. Each tar archive contains directories for each UAV flight associated to that specific survey, indicated by f1, f2, ..., fn. The flight directories have the following contents:



imgSubdirectory that contains the individual images in JPEG format captured by the UAV camera.

*flight_path.kml (not present for all surveys)Keyhole Markup Language file that contains the flight path of the UAV recorded by the UAV's internal GPS+GLONASS sensor.

*image_geoinfo.txtTable with coordinates (x,y,z) and UAV orientation (roll, tilt, yaw) for every image in img, which were recorded by the UAV's internal GPS+GLONASS sensor and gyroscope, respectively.

*drone_log.bbx or *drone_log.bb3Binary flight log file from the UAV containing detailed flight information. Can be read by the proprietary eMotion software by UAV manufacturer senseFly. 



supplementary-animation_<glacier>.gifAnimations of Langtang Glacier (2014–2018) and Lirung Glacier (2013–2017) supplementary to Kraaijenbrink and Immerzeel (2025). The high resolution time lapse animations are constructed from composites of the orthomosaic and hillshaded DEM. Since the animations are in GIF format, they are best viewed in a web browser in which they can be zoomed and panned.

supplementary-animation_lirung_terminus_retreat.mp4Three-dimensional fly-by video animation of the terminus retreat of Lirung Glacier (2013–2017), supplementary to Kraaijenbrink and Immerzeel (2025). 

supplementary-data-to-article.tarData derivatives as presented in Kraaijenbrink & Immerzeel (2024). The tar archive contains a README file with additional information for each of the datasets present in the archive. The archive contains:



Error measurements of the UAV product

Vector outlines of the area of interests of both glaciers

Point cloud extracts of supraglacial ice cliff cross profiles

Flow and gradient corrected DEMs (1 m resolution)

Pixel-wise regression of the uncorrected and flow-corrected DEMs (1 m resolution)

Surface velocity between survey pairs (8 m resolution)




 

Reference

For further information, e.g. about the UAV systems and cameras used, as well as detailed descriptions of the data and the applied data processing please refer to the accompanying journal article.

Kraaijenbrink, P. D. A., & Immerzeel, W. W. (2025). Spatial and temporal variability of the surface mass balance of debris‐covered glacier tongues. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 130, e2024JF007935. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007935

 

License

This dataset is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

 

Correspondence

Dr Philip Kraaijenbrink (p.d.a.kraaijenbrink@uu.nl)Prof Dr Walter Immerzeel (w.w.immerzeel@uu.nl)

 

 
description: This dataset is enabled by the funds of the Climate-KIC programme from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), The UK Department for International Development (grant agreement No. PO40082504), the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 676819), The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) under the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme VIDI (grant agreement 016.181.308), by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant agreement number XDA20100300), and by core funds of The International Centre of Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).