Waleed Abdalati photo portrait
Professor of Geography • Remote Sensing of Earth鈥檚 Ice Cover • Executive Director of CIRES • Ph.D. University of Colorado at Boulder, 1996
Physical Geography
waleed.abdalati@colorado.edu
303-492-5087, Ekeley 305

University of Colorado Boulder - Main Campus
CIRES Bldg,听Room 305

Research Interests

My research interests are in the use of satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques, integrated with in situ observations and modeling, to understand how and why the Earth's ice cover is changing, and what those changes mean for life on Earth. In particular, my research focuses on the contributions of ice sheets and high-latitude glaciers to sea level rise and their relationship to the changing climate. Toward that end, I have been heavily involved in the development of NASA's Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and its successor, ICESat-II, and I have worked on cryospheric applications of various other satellites and aircraft instruments. Most of my research is supported by NASA, where I worked as a scientist for 12 years, before joining CIRES. In 2011, I returned to NASA on a two-year assignment as the agency鈥檚 Chief Scientist, serving as principal adviser to the NASA Administrator on NASA scienceprograms, strategic planning, and the evaluation of related investments.

Current Research

Using satellites and in situ measurements to study polar ice, my group works with space-based, airborne, and in situ observations to study changes in Earth鈥檚 glaciers and ice sheets, with a focus on three areas. The first is the development of methods for determining how much meltwater is stored in鈥攁nd subsequently lost from鈥攎elt lakes on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet. This meltwater has significant implications for the speed at which the ice sheet flows toward the sea because the meltwater can reduce friction between the ice and the bedrock on which it rests and also changes the deformation properties of the ice as the warm meltwater penetrates into the ice.

We have produced the first-ever detailed and validated maps of supraglacial lake volumes from high-resolution imagery across a large region in Greenland, producing a critical tool for understanding the ice sheet鈥檚 hydrology and its contributions to sea level rise. The second research area has focused on understanding the nature of compaction of the near-surface firn (snow) on the Greenland ice sheet to improve the interpretation of satellite and aircraft altimetry observations of ice-sheet-thickness changes. Compaction measurements from stations we installed on the ice sheet surface in 2013 have shown that local melt in summer 2013 released large amounts of latent heat into the firn over several months following the end of the melt season, increasing annual compaction rates by 8 percent.

This seemingly small change during this year of modest melt has a very large impact on converting elevation changes to mass changes, and our ability to quantify it represents a significant step forward in addressing the largest uncertainty component of altimetry-derived sea level contributions from Greenland. Finally, we combine data from NASA鈥檚 Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), and other missions to assess the spatial distribution of mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet, its peripheral glaciers and ice caps, and the Canadian ice caps with unprecedented detail at 26-kilometer spatial resolution (see figure). These areas of research are fundamental to our ultimate overarching objective of determining how and why Earth鈥檚 glaciers and ice sheets are changing and what those changes mean for life on Earth.

More Info

I received my MS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences and Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado in 1991 and 1996 respectively. From 1996 through 2008, I worked in various positions at NASA, ranging from a research scientist, to program manager, to head of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Cryospheric Sciences Branch. 听In 2008, I had the good fortune of being able to return "home" to serve as director of the Earth Science and Observation Center at CU and join the faculty of the Geography Department. 听 I am very glad to have the opportunity to bring the experiences and perspectives that I have acquired during my tenure at NASA back to the academic environment. 听I believe that when students can see the practical value of what they are learning, they are more motivated and the concepts resonate more effectively. 听My hope is that the perspective I can bring to the classroom will enable me to provide a unique learning opportunity for the students by infusing real-world experience into the concepts I am teaching them.

Recent Courses Taught

  • Fall 2023 GEOG 2271 Introduction to the Arctic Environment
  • Spring 2019听 GEOG听4110/5100 Special Topics: Advanced Remote Sensing

Honors and Awards

  • Selected to serve as NASA Chief Scientist, 2011鈥�2012
  • NASA GSFC Center Director鈥檚 Team Recognition Award, 2007
  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronaustics Space Systems Award, 2006
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration Exceptional Service Medal, 2004
  • NASA Group Achievement Award, ICESat Science Team, 2004
  • NASA Office of Earth Science Award, 2003
  • NASA Group Achievement Award, Honor Award Team 2003
  • NASA Office of Earth Science Terra Peer Award, 2002
  • NASA Office of Earth Science Award, 2002
  • NASA Office of Earth Science Award, 2001
  • Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, 1999
  • Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society (since 1985)

Publications

  • Colgan, W, H Rajaram, W Abdalati, C McCutchan, R Mottram, MS Moussavi and S Grigsby (2016),听听Rev. Geophys.听Version: 1听54听(1) 119-161, issn: 8755-1209, ids: DK1RE,听
  • Moussavi, Mahsa S., Waleed Abdalati, Allen Pope, Ted Scambos, Marco Tedesco, Michael MacFerrin and Shane Grigsby (2016),听Derivation and validation of supraglacial lake volumes on the Greenland Ice Sheet from high-resolution satellite imagery.听Version: 1听REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT听183听294-303, issn: 0034-4257,听
  • Colgan, W, W Abdalati, M Citterio, B Csatho, X Fettweis, S Luthcke, G Moholdt, SB Simonsen and M Stober (2015),听Hybrid glacier Inventory, Gravimetry and Altimetry (HIGA) mass balance product for Greenland and the Canadian Arctic.听Remote Sens. Environ.听Version: 1听168听24-39, issn: 0034-4257, ids: CR5SY,听
  • Colgan, W, A Sommers, H Rajaram, W Abdalati and J Frahm (2015),听Considering thermal-viscous collapse of the Greenland ice sheet.听Earth's Future听Version: 1听3听(7) 252-267, issn: 2328-4277, ids: CP5DT,听
  • Moussavi, MS, W Abdalati, T Scambos and A Neuenschwander (2014),听Applicability of an automatic surface detection approach to micropulse photon-counting lidar altimetry data: implications for canopy height retrieval from future ICESat-2 data.听Int. J. Remote Sens.听Version: 1听35听(13) 5263-5279, issn: 0143-1161, ids: AM8EU,听
  • McGrath, D, K Steffen, PR Holland, T Scambos, H Rajaram, W Abdalati and E Rignot (2014),听The structure and effect of suture zones in the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica.听J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf.听Version: 1听119听(3) 588-602, issn: 2169-9003, ids: AE9WR,听
  • Arendt, A, S Luthcke, A Gardner, S O'Neel, D Hill, G Moholdt and W Abdalati (2013),听Analysis of a GRACE global mascon solution for Gulf of Alaska glaciers.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听59听(217) 913-924, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 231AK,听
  • Colgan, W, S Luthcke, W Abdalati and M Citterio (2013),听Constraining GRACE-derived cryosphere-attributed signal to irregularly shaped ice-covered areas.听Cryosphere听Version: 1听7听(6) 1901-1914, issn: 1994-0416, ids: 273OY,听
  • Painter, TH, MG Flanner, G Kaser, B Marzeion, RA VanCuren and W Abdalati (2013),听End of the Little Ice Age in the Alps forced by industrial black carbon.听Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.听Version: 1听110听(38) 15216-15221, issn: 0027-8424, ids: 219GW,听,听
  • Phillips, T, H Rajaram, W Colgan, K Steffen and W Abdalati (2013),听Evaluation of cryo-hydrologic warming as an explanation for increased ice velocities in the wet snow zone, Sermeq Avannarleq, West Greenland.听J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf.听Version: 1听118听(3) 1241-1256, issn: 2169-9003, ids: 238VC,听
  • Colgan, W, WT Pfeffer, H Rajaram, W Abdalati and J Balog (2012),听Monte Carlo ice flow modeling projects a new stable configuration for Columbia Glacier, Alaska, c. 2020.听Cryosphere听Version: 1听6听(6) 1395-1409, issn: 1994-0416, ids: 059IV,听
  • Colgan, W, H Rajaram, RS Anderson, K Steffen, HJ Zwally, T Phillips and W Abdalati (2012),听The annual glaciohydrology cycle in the ablation zone of the Greenland ice sheet: Part 2. Observed and modeled ice flow.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听58听(207) 51-64, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 898QV,听
  • Liang, YL, W Colgan, Q Lv, K Steffen, W Abdalati, J Stroeve, D Gallaher and N Bayou (2012),听A decadal investigation of supraglacial lakes in West Greenland using a fully automatic detection and tracking algorithm.Remote Sens. Environ.听Version: 1听123听127-138, issn: 0034-4257, ids: 016CX,听
  • McGrath, D, K Steffen, H Rajaram, T Scambos, W Abdalati and E Rignot (2012),听Basal crevasses on the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica: Implications for meltwater ponding and hydrofracture.听Geophys. Res. Lett.听Version: 1听39, Art. No. L16504, issn: 0094-8276, ids: 999JZ,听
  • Phillips, T, S Leyk, H Rajaram, W Colgan, W Abdalati, D McGrath and K Steffen (2011),听Modeling moulin distribution on Sermeq Avannarleq glacier using ASTER and WorldView imagery and fuzzy set theory.听Remote Sens. Environ.听Version: 1听115听(9) 2292-2301, issn: 0034-4257, ids: 788ZZ,听
  • Colgan, W, H Rajaram, R Anderson, K Steffen, T Phillips, I Joughin, HJ Zwally and W Abdalati (2011),听The annual glaciohydrology cycle in the ablation zone of the Greenland ice sheet: Part 1. Hydrology model.听J. Glaciol.Version: 1听57听(204) 697-709, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 822BT
  • Colgan, W, K Steffen, WS McLamb, W Abdalati, H Rajaram, R Motyka, T Phillips and R Anderson (2011),听An increase in crevasse extent, West Greenland: Hydrologic implications.听Geophys. Res. Lett.听Version: 1听38听, Art. No. L18502, issn: 0094-8276, ids: 823PQ,听
  • Abdalati, W, HJ Zwally, R Bindschadler, B Csatho, SL Farrell, HA Fricker, D Harding, R Kwok, M Lefsky, T Markus, A Marshak, T Neumann, S Palm, B Schutz, B Smith, J Spinhirne and C Webb (2010),听The ICESat-2 Laser Altimetry Mission.听Proc. IEEE听Version: 1听98听(5) 735-751, issn: 0018-9219, ids: 593WQ,听
  • Joughin, I, BE Smith and W Abdalati (2010),听Glaciological advances made with interferometric synthetic aperture radar.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听56听(200) 1026-1042, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 818KP
  • Arendt, AA, SB Luthcke, CF Larsen, W Abdalati, WB Krabill and MJ Beedle (2008),听Validation of high-resolution GRACE mascon estimates of glacier mass changes in the St Elias Mountains, Alaska, USA, using aircraft laser altimetry.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听54听(188) 778-787, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 416WS
  • Tedesco, M, W Abdalati and HJ Zwally (2007),听Persistent surface snowmelt over Antarctica (1987-2006) from 19.35 GHz brightness temperatures.Geophys. Res. Lett.听Version: 1听34听(18) , Art. No. L18504, issn: 0094-8276, ids: 213RG,听
  • Luthcke, SB, HJ Zwally, W Abdalati, DD Rowlands, RD Ray, RS Nerem, FG Lemoine, JJ McCarthy and DS Chinn (2006),听Recent Greenland ice mass loss by drainage system from satellite gravity observations.听ScienceVersion: 1听314听(5803) 1286-1289, issn: 0036-8075, ids: 108BR,听,听
  • Jacka, TH, W Abdalati, I Allison, F Carsey, G Casassa, M Fily, M Frezzotti, HA Fricker, C Genthon, I Goodwin, Z Guo, GS Hamilton, RCA Hindmarsh, CL Hulbe, TH Jacka, KC Jezek, TA Scambos, C Shuman, P Skvarca, S Takahashi, RSW van de Wal, DG Vaughan, WL Wang, RC Warner, DJ Wingham, NW Young and HJ Zwally (2004),听Recommendations for the collection and synthesis of Antarctic Ice Sheet mass balance data.听Global Planet ChangeVersion: 1听42听(4-Jan) 1-15, issn: 0921-8181, ids: 845ID,听
  • Krabill, W, E Hanna, P Huybrechts, W Abdalati, J Cappelen, B Csatho, E Frederick, S Manizade, C Martin, J Sonntag, R Swift, R Thomas and J Yungel (2004),听Greenland Ice Sheet: Increased coastal thinning.听Geophys. Res. Lett.听Version: 1听31听(24) , Art. No. L24402, issn: 0094-8276, ids: 885BY,听
  • Abdalati, W, W Krabill, E Frederick, S Manizade, C Martin, J Sonntag, R Swift, R Thomas, J Yungel and R Koerner (2004),听Elevation changes of ice caps in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.听J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf.听Version: 1听109听(F4) , Art. No. F04007, issn: 0148-0227, ids: 875DS,听
  • Joughin, I, W Abdalati and M Fahnestock (2004),听Large fluctuations in speed on Greenland's Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier.听Nature听Version: 1听432听(7017) 608-610, issn: 0028-0836, ids: 875PL,听
  • Thomas, RH, W Abdalati, E Frederick, WB Krabill, S Manizade and K Steffen (2003),听Investigation of surface melting and dynamic thinning on Jakobshavn Isbrae, Greenland.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听49听(165) 231-239, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 771DW,听
  • Zwally, HJ, W Abdalati, T Herring, K Larson, J Saba and K Steffen (2002),听Surface melt-induced acceleration of Greenland ice-sheet flow.听ScienceVersion: 1听297听(5579) 218-222, issn: 0036-8075, ids: 571UT,听,听
  • Abdalati, W, W Krabill, E Frederick, S Manizade, C Martin, J Sonntag, R Swift, R Thomas, W Wright and J Yungel (2002),听Airborne laser altimetry mapping of the Greenland ice sheet: application to mass balance assessment.听J. Geodyn.听Version: 1听34听(4-Mar) 391-403, issn: 0264-3707, ids: 602BK,听
  • Krabill, WB, W Abdalati, EB Frederick, SS Manizade, CF Martin, JG Sonntag, RN Swift, RH Thomas and JG Yungel (2002),听Aircraft laser altimetry measurement of elevation changes of the greenland ice sheet: technique and accuracy assessment.听J. Geodyn.听Version: 1听34听(4-Mar) 357-376, issn: 0264-3707, ids: 602BK,听
  • Zwally, HJ, B Schutz, W Abdalati, J Abshire, C Bentley, A Brenner, J Bufton, J Dezio, D Hancock, D Harding, T Herring, B Minster, K Quinn, S Palm, J Spinhirne and R Thomas (2002),听ICESat's laser measurements of polar ice, atmosphere, ocean, and land.听J. Geodyn.听Version: 1听34听(4-Mar) 405-445, issn: 0264-3707, ids: 602BK,听
  • Abdalati, W and K Steffen (2001),听Greenland ice sheet melt extent: 1979-1999.听J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos.听Version: 1听106听(D24) 33983-33988, issn: 2169-897X, ids: 522DE,听
  • Fahnestock, M, W Abdalati, I Joughin, J Brozena and P Gogineni (2001),听High geothermal heat row, basal melt, and the origin of rapid ice how in central Greenland.听Science听Version: 1听294听(5550) 2338-2342, issn: 0036-8075, ids: 503TT,听
  • Fahnestock, M, W Abdalati, S Luo and S Gogineni (2001),听Internal layer tracing and age-depth-accumulation relationships for the northern Greenland ice sheet.听J. Geophys. Res-Atmos.听Version: 1听106听(D24) 33789-33797, issn: 0747-7309, ids: 522DE,听
  • Abdalati, W, W Krabill, E Frederick, S Manizade, C Martin, J Sonntag, R Swift, R Thomas, W Wright and J Yungel (2001),听Outlet glacier and margin elevation changes: Near-coastal thinning of the Greenland ice sheet.听J. Geophys. Res-Atmos.听Version: 1听106听(D24) 33729-33741, issn: 0148-0227, ids: 522DE,听
  • Thomas, RH, W Abdalati, TL Akins, BM Csatho, EB Frederick, SP Gogineni, WB Krabill, SS Manizade and EJ Rignot (2000),听Substantial thinning of a major east Greenland outlet glacier.听Geophys. Res. Lett.听Version: 1听27听(9) 1291-1294, issn: 0094-8276, ids: 309BX,听
  • Krabill, W, W Abdalati, E Frederick, S Manizade, C Martin, J Sonntag, R Swift, R Thomas, W Wright and J Yungel (2000),听Greenland ice sheet: High-elevation balance and peripheral thinning.听Science听Version: 1听289听(5478) 428-430, issn: 0036-8075, ids: 336ME,听
  • Abdalati, W and WB Krabill (1999),听Calculation of ice velocities in the Jakobshavn Isbrae area using airborne laser altimetry.听Remote Sens. Environ.听Version: 1听67听(2) 194-204, issn: 0034-4257, ids: 160XB,听
  • Steffen, K, W Abdalati and I Sherjal (1999),听Faceted crystal formation in the northeast Greenland low-accumulation region.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听45(149) 63-68, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 193LX
  • Abdalati, W and K Steffen (1998),听Accumulation and hoar effects on microwave emission in the Greenland ice-sheet dry-snow zones.听J. Glaciol.听Version: 1听44听(148) 523-531, issn: 0022-1430, ids: 170JW
  • Abdalati, W and K Steffen (1997),听The apparent effects of the Mt Pinatubo eruption on the Greenland ice sheet melt extent.听Geophys. Res. Lett.Version: 1听24听(14) 1795-1797, issn: 0094-8276, ids: XL837,听
  • Abdalati, W and K Steffen (1997),听Snowmelt on the Greenland ice sheet as derived from passive microwave satellite data.听J. Clim.听Version: 1听10听(2) 165-175, issn: 0894-8755, ids: WJ835,听
  • ABDALATI, W and K STEFFEN (1995),听PASSIVE MICROWAVE-DERIVED SNOW MELT REGIONS ON THE GREENLAND ICE-SHEET.听Geophys. Res. Lett.听Version: 1听22听(7) 787-790, issn: 0094-8276, ids: QR153,听
  • ABDALATI, W, K STEFFEN, C OTTO and KC JEZEK (1995),听COMPARISON OF BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURES FROM SSMI INSTRUMENTS ON THE DMSP F8 AND F11 SATELLITES FOR ANTARCTICA AND THE GREENLAND ICE-SHEET.听Int. J. Remote Sens.听Version: 1听16听(7) 1223-1229, issn: 0143-1161, ids: RG051
  • STEFFEN, K, W ABDALATI and J STROEVE (1993),听CLIMATE SENSITIVITY STUDIES OF THE GREENLAND ICE-SHEET USING SATELLITE AVHRR, SMMR, SSM/I AND IN-SITU DATA.听Meteorol. Atmos. Phys.听Version: 1听51听(4-Mar) 239-258, issn: 0177-7971, ids: LM300,听

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Updated February 2024