Ikonos satellite images of Variegated Glacier, Alaska

Elias Mountains of Alaska, is the most thoroughly studied surge type glacier in the world, largely because of extensive field studies carried out between 1973 and 1986 and a well known history of seven surges during the twentieth century. The most recent surge, which terminated in 2004, is of particular interest in the light of the premature termination of the previous one in 1995.

There is no ongoing study of Variegated Glacier, but information from several sources, mainly satellite imagery, has been pieced together to constrain the timing and morphology of the recent surge.