Glaciology, climatology, geomorphology, snow science, geologic hazards, remote sensing
Education and/or Training
Ph.D. 2006, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
M.A. 2000, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY U.S.A.: Geography
B.S. 1994, Creighton University, Omaha, NE U.S.A.: Environmental Science
Projects and/or Research Interests
In my current position, I am a research scientist and manager of the Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Program (CCHP) at DGGS. In this capacity, I lead multi-disciplinary investigations of snow, ice and permafrost, with an emphasis on understanding how these elements of the cryosphere are changing and impacting the magnitude and frequency of geological hazards throughout Alaska.
My current research focus areas are glacier change, snow variability, and unstable slopes. Much of this research involves combining field-based observations, remotely sensed data and geospatial analyses to detect and quantify changes in cryospheric processes.
My role as manager of CCHP involves generating and maintaining collaborations with other agencies and universities, and developing partnerships with communities and non-governmental organizations. I am strongly committed to fostering climate and cryosphere research activities in Alaska, and to improving scientific communication about cryosphere-related hazards.
Professional Experience
2009-Present, Research Scientist/Manager, Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Program, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, AK
2006-2009, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
2006, Lecturer, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
2000, Lecturer, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
1997-1998, Instructor, University of Nebraska, Kearney, NE
1994, Research Assistant, Creighton University, Omaha, NE
Selected Professional Activities
APPOINTMENTS, AFFILIATIONS, AND SERVICE
2010-present, Affiliate Professor, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Department of Geosciences
2009-present, Invited Author, BAMS State of the Climate report
2009-2013, Invited Author, NOAA Arctic Report Card
2009-2011, Invited Author, Arctic Council's report on Climate Change and the Arctic Cryosphere
2011, Invited Participant, NOAA Arctic Report Card Steering Workshop
Member, International Glaciological Society
Member, American Geophysical Union
Member, Glacier and Permafrost Hazards in Mountains
Selected Publications
- White, K.S., Hood, Eran, Wolken, G.J., Peitzsch, E.H., Bühler, Yves, Wikstrom Jones, Katreen, and Darimont, C.T., 2024, Snow avalanches are a primary climate-linked driver of mountain ungulate populations: Communications Biology, v. 7, no. 423. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06073-0
- Schaefer, L.N., Coe, J.A., Wikstrom Jones, K.M., Collins, B.D., Staley, D.M., West, M.E., Karasozen, Ezgi, Miles, C., Wolken, G.J., Daanen, R.P., and Baxstrom, K.W., 2023, Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm Fjord of Alaska: Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, v. 128, no. 11. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JF007119
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Crumley, R.L., Hill, D.F., Wikstrom Jones, K.M., Wolken, G.J., Arendt, A.A., Aragon, C.M., Cosgrove, Christopher, and Community Snow Observations Participants, 2021, Assimilation of citizen science data in snowpack modeling using a new snow data set: Community Snow Observations: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, v. 12, p. 4651-4680. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4651-2021
- Kienholz, Christian, Pierce, Jamie, Hood, Eran, Amundson, J.M., Wolken, G.J., Jacobs, Aaron, Hart, Skye, Wikstrom Jones, K.M., Abdel-Fattah, Dina, Johnson, Crane, and Conaway, J.S., 2020, Deglacierization of a marginal basin and implications for outburst floods, Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska: Frontiers in Earth Science, v. 8, no. 137. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00137
- Wikstrom Jones, K.M., and Wolken, G.J., 2019, Valdez Glacier ice-dammed lake: June 2018 glacial lake outburst flood: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Preliminary Interpretive Report 2019-4, 6 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/30175
- Wolken, G.J., and Wikstrom Jones, K.M., 2017, Valdez Glacier ice-dammed lake: June 2017 glacial lake outburst flood: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Preliminary Interpretive Report 2017-4, 5 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/29743
- Wolken, G.J., Wikstrom Jones, K.M., Whorton, E.N., Gould, A.I., and Hendricks, M.D., 2017, Photogrammetric data of the Haines Highway corridor: May 26, 2014: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2017-6, 20 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/29736
- Wolken, G.J., and Balazs, M.S., 2014, Inventory and preliminary assessment of geologic hazards in the Passage Canal-Portage Valley area, south-central Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Preliminary Interpretive Report 2014-1, 15 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/27302
- Gusmeroli, A., Wolken, G.J., and Arendt, A.A., 2014, Helicopter-borne radar imaging of snow cover on and around glaciers in Alaska: Annals of Glaciology, 55 (67), 78-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG67A029
- Sharp, M., Burgess, D., Cawkwell, F., Copland, L., Davis, J., Dowdeswell, E., Dowdeswell, J., Gardner, A., Mair, D., Wang, L., Williamson, S., Wolken, G., and Wyatt, F., 2014, Remote sensing of recent glacier changes in the Canadian Arctic in Kargel, J. S., Leonard, G. J., Bishop, M. P., Kääb, A., and B. H. Raup, Global Land Ice Measurements from Space: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, p. 205-228.
- Sharp, M., Wolken, G., Geai, M.L., Burgess, D., Arendt, A., and Wouters, B., 2014, Arctic glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland), in Blunden, J. and Arndt, D.S., eds., State of the climate in 2013: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v. 95(7), p. S134-S136.
- Wolken, G., Sharp, M., Geai, M.L., Burgess, D., Arendt, A., and Wouters, B., 2013, Arctic glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland), in Blunden, J. and Arndt, D.S., eds., State of the climate in 2012: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v. 94(8), p. S119-S121.
- Sharp, M., and Wolken, G., 2012, Arctic glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland), in Blunden, J. and Arndt, D.S., eds., State of the climate in 2011: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v. 93(7), p. S133-S134.
- Gardner, A.S., Moholdt, G., Wouters, B., Wolken, G.J., Burgess, D.O., Sharp, M.J., Cogley, G.J., Braun, C., and Labine, C., 2011, Sharply increased mass loss from glaciers and ice caps in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Nature, 473 (7347): 357-360.
- Sharp, M., and Wolken, G., 2011, Arctic glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland), in Blunden, J. and Arndt, D.S., eds., State of the climate in 2010: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v. 92(6), p. S155-S156.
- Sharp, M., and Wolken, G., 2011, Glaciers outside Greenland in Arctic Report Card 2011: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP). http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard
- Sharp, M., Burgess, D.O., Cogley, J.G., Ecclestone, M., Labine, C., and Wolken, G.J., 2011, Extreme melt on Canada's Arctic ice caps in the 21st century: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 38: L11501. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011GL047381
- Sharp, M., Ananicheva, M., Arendt, A., Hagen, J., Hock, R., Josberger, E., Moore, R.D., Pfeffer, W.T., and Wolken, G.J., 2011, Mountain glaciers and ice cap in climate change and the arctic cryosphere: Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA): Oslo, Norway, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP), Xii + 538 p.
- Wang, L., Wolken, G.J., Sharp, M.J., Howell, S.E.L., Derksen, C., Brown, R.D., Markus, T., and Cole, J., 2011, Integrated pan-Arctic melt onset detection from satellite active and passive microwave measurements, 2000-2009: Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, D22103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016256
- Sharp, M., and Wolken, G., 2010, Arctic glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland), in Blunden, J. and Arndt, D.S., eds., State of the climate in 2009: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v. 91 (7), p. S94-S97.
- Sharp, M., and Wolken, G., 2010, Glaciers and ice caps (outside Greenland) in Arctic Report Card 2010: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP). http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard
- Wolken, G.J., Sharp, M.J., and Wang, L., 2009, Snow and ice facies variability and ice layer formation on Canadian Arctic ice caps, 1999-2005: Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, F03011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2008JF001173
- Wolken, G.J., Sharp, M.J., and England, J.H., 2008, Changes in late-Neoglacial climate inferred from former equilibrium-line altitudes in the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Arctic Canada: Holocene, 18(4), 629-641. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683608089216
- Wolken, G.J., England, J.H., and Dyke, A.S., 2008, Changes in late-Neoglacial perennial snow/ice extent and equilibrium-line altitudes in the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Arctic Canada: Holocene, 18(4), 615-627. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683608089215
