Norbit’s Connectivity segment has received a new order for deliveries of GNSS on-board units to the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) provider Toll4Europe. Norbit, based in Trondheim, Norway, is a global provider of tailored technology to selected applications. Its Connectivity segment provides tailored wireless solutions for identification, monitoring and tracking.
Deliveries of the GNSS units are scheduled for first half of 2026. The total order is estimated at 160 million kroner.
“We are proud to be given the trust from Europe’s leading tolling service provider,” said Per Jørgen Weisethaunet, CEO of Norbit. “This repeat order demonstrates the strength of our ability to deliver tailored technology and our strategy to act as a technology partner for our client.”
Red Cat Holdings, a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, has successfully flight tested its Black Widow drone equipped with Palantir Technologies Visual Navigation (VNav) Software.
The test demonstrated that the Black Widow drone — part of the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program of record — can navigate in GPS-denied conditions using Palantir’s visual-based navigation software. This marks the first known commercial demonstration of visual navigation software on a drone already accepted into a U.S. Army program.
“This is a breakthrough moment not just for Red Cat, but for the tactical needs of the Department of War,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “Every battlefield is a GPS-denied environment, and this successful test shows that Red Cat and Palantir are delivering a software-driven solution the Army can rely on. It requires no new hardware, is ready to deploy today, and gives warfighters the edge in contested environments. It also signals our evolution into a full-stack defense technology platform, with expected margin expansion and strong revenue potential in 2026.”
VNav uses edge-based sensor fusion to generate real-time position estimates from visual cues and inertial data, enabling navigation in denied or degraded environments. Over a multi-day series of tests, Red Cat and Palantir engineers evaluated VNav across nominal and GPS-denied conditions, including high-speed and low-altitude flights.
Read more about how VNav works in this Palantir blog.
The testing sequence validated:
Full integration of VNav with the Black Widow flight controller, including compatibility with GPS-assisted operation
Accurate navigation in simulated GPS-denied environments
Reliable operation at altitudes as low as 150 feet AGL and speeds up to 16 mph
Robust performance in twilight and extremely low-light conditions
A simulated reconnaissance mission with dynamic flight parameters, completed successfully without GPS or human input
The results helped define a preliminary performance envelope for VNav on the Black Widow system. The final mission demonstrated VNav’s ability to navigate a complete ISR mission profile, including cruising to a target, descending for surveillance, flying local waypoints, and returning, all without GPS and with continuous positional awareness.
Palantir engineers reported that VNav achieved a mean positional error of approximately 7 meters over a 2.7-kilometer route. No additional hardware was required for any of the flights, as VNav runs entirely on the Black Widow’s existing onboard sensors.
“Palantir Visual Navigation performed well in real-world conditions,” said Akash Jain, president and CTO, Palantir USG. “This demonstrates our approach to visual navigation in disrupted environments –– delivering intelligent software that adapts, scales across platforms like Black Widow, and supports the Army’s integrated operating systems.”
Red Cat and Palantir are working toward a formal Army demonstration and full productized VNav capability for all fielded Black Widow systems.
The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) this week is hosting the Joint ICAO Europe and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) and Middle East (MID) Workshop on GNSS Radio Frequency Interference, reports the Qatar News Agency.
The workshop is organized jointly by the ICAO EUR/NAT and MID Regional Offices and is being held in Doha, Qatar, Nov.18-20.
In the opening session, Mohamed bin Faleh Al Hajri, QCAA manager, reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to enhancing aviation safety and efficiency through close collaboration with ICAO and regional partners.
The workshop brings together countries and stakeholders from the EUR/NAT and MID regions to address the increasing threat that GNSS radio frequency interference poses to aviation safety and efficiency. Al Hajri emphasized the importance of active participation to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation, and build sustainable partnerships that support GNSS resilience.
He highlighted that hosting the workshop reflects joint efforts aimed at strengthening the robustness and reliability of GNSS — a core pillar in ensuring the safety and efficiency of international air navigation.
Regional dialogue
The workshop aims to:
facilitate regional dialogue on the operational impact of GNSS radio frequency interference
share experiences among participating States and stakeholders
explore measures to improve reporting mechanisms, enhance mitigation strategies, and strengthen the overall resilience of satellite-based navigation systems.
It also seeks to reinforce cooperation between the EUR/NAT and MID Regions to safeguard the infrastructure and integrity of GNSS-based navigation systems.
Sinclair Technologies has launched its SM 5G Family Tier, featuring the SM714 and SM2601 series antennas. The next-generation, multi-band, multi-port transport antennas are engineered to deliver superior connectivity, reliability and versatility for GNSS, 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi and other mission-critical wireless applications.
The SM714 antenna. (Photo: Sinclair Technologies)
The SM714 is a 4-in-1 low-profile customizable transit antenna that combines 5G/LTE, Wi-Fi and tri-band GNSS coverage in a single compact form. Supporting 617–5925 MHz, it enables seamless operation across all major 5G and LTE bands. The integrated high-gain tri-band GNSS module provides fast, accurate positioning, while the IP67-rated rugged housing ensures long-term durability. With its 2.6-inch ultra-low profile and single-hole mount, the SM714 is suitable for vehicles, fleet systems and connected mobility applications requiring a discreet, high-performance solution.
The SM2601D is a 5-in-1 low-profile customizable antenna purpose-built for transportation, fleet and rail systems. It features five independent ports: one for PTC (219–223 MHz), one for Wi-Fi (2400–6000 MHz), one for GNSS, and two full-band cellular ports (694–2700 MHz) that support diversity and MIMO operation for multi-radio systems. This dual-cell configuration offers greater throughput, flexibility, and redundancy in complex communication environments. Housed in a fire-rated, weather-resistant black radome, the SM2601 ensures exceptional reliability in harsh operating conditions.
Together, the SM 5G family ter delivers high performance and design flexibility for connected mobility, fleet tracking and smart infrastructure — extending Sinclair’s 75-year legacy of engineering excellence and innovation in RF antenna technology.
“The launch of our SM 5G Family marks a bold step in redefining the boundaries of connectivity,” said Martine Cardozo, sales director, Sinclair Technologies. “By blending creativity with cutting-edge innovation, we aim to deliver highly reliable, all-in-one solutions that meet the evolving demands of a market in constant motion.”
Key Benefits
SM714 – Compact 5G / GNSS Transit Antenna
Wideband coverage: 617–5925 MHz across all major 5G/LTE bands
Tri-band GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou) for fast, precise positioning
Rugged IP67 housing ensures long-term reliability in harsh environments
Ultra-low 2.6 in. profile minimizes installation footprint and risk of damage
Ideal for vehicle rooftops, fleet applications, and mobile IoT systems
SM2601 – Multi-Port Transport Antenna (Spec Sheet)
Five integrated ports: PTC, GNSS, Wi-Fi, and dual broadband 694–2700 MHz channels
Supports MIMO and multi-radio configurations for maximum system flexibility
Fire-rated, weather-resistant radome built for extreme operating conditions
High-gain GNSS with low-noise amplifier enhances accuracy and signal integrity
Optimized for rail, transit, and mission-critical fleet communications
While grapes are being harvested throughout Italy, the Politecnico di Milano is looking to the future of viticulture with an innovative approach that combines mechanics, IT and digital simulation.
A team of researchers from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Electronics, Information and Bioengineering at the Politecnico di Milano has developed a system to test and optimize self-driving strategies for agricultural tractors in a virtual environment.
The study, published in AgriEngineering (“Scenario Generation and Autonomous Control for High-Precision Vineyard Operations}, presents a complete methodology for creating realistic vineyard scenarios and evaluating control algorithms for autonomous driving. The goal is not simply to reduce the human presence, but to provide a high-fidelity digital environment in which to develop, verify and safely improve agricultural automation solutions based on sensors and predictive algorithms.
The research has made it possible to create a digital twin of the vineyard, capable of reproducing slopes, soil irregularities and row layout. Tractors equipped with low-cost GNSS and inertial measurement systems (IMS) sensors and guided by advanced algorithms have been tested in this virtual environment, vehicles capable of moving autonomously between rows and of performing off-field turning manoeuvres with the utmost precision.
The study explored new methodologies to simulate and independently control vineyard operations. (Credit: Politecnico di Milano, CC BY-SA).
“Our approach combines terrain modeling, advanced control and realistic sensors in a single simulation environment. This speeds up research and reduces the risks and costs of real field tests,” said Federico Cheli, professor at the Politecnico di Milano, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and project coordinator.
According to the researchers, the use of realistic simulations not only reduces the risks and costs of field tests, but can also become a useful tool for operator training. It can accelerate the adoption of new agricultural technologies.
The project stems from the partnership between researchers at the Politecnico di Milano and the company Soluzioni Ingegneria s.r.l. that develops software for dynamic vehicle simulation. It is part of a broader context of cooperation with industrial companies engaged in research on automation and sustainability in agriculture.
Ruiz Mayo, C.; Cheli, F.; Arrigoni, S.; Paparazzo, F.; Mentasti, S.; Pezzola, M.E. Scenario Generation and Autonomous Control for High-Precision Vineyard Operations. AgriEngineering 2025, 7(2), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering7020046
OnStation, a live digital stationing platform for road construction documentation and inspection, is collaborating with Trimble to integrate Trimble GNSS receivers with the OnStation App. Together, the technologies provide project personnel with instant, station-based context and precise location.
Previously, the ability to verify exact locations of heavy highway project assets with GNSS receivers was limited to certain field personnel. Now, construction, engineering and inspection (CEI) firms can document with confidence and accuracy, and departments of transportation can oversee projects with full visibility, without delays or guesswork.
“Location alone isn’t enough in heavy civil construction. Crews need to understand the context of what’s happening at that exact point on a project,” said Patrick Russo, CEO of OnStation. “By combining Trimble’s trusted GNSS accuracy with the capabilities of OnStation’s live digital stationing, we’re giving field personnel both precision and insight, allowing for quicker decisions, fewer errors and streamlined workflows.”
When OnStation is paired with the Trimble Mobile Manager application, the integration enhances trust in location data for paving, inspections and utilities, keeping project crews in sync. Having everyone aligned, means less risk of building in the wrong spot or misinterpreting plans.
Designed with the field environment in mind, the joining of the two offerings requires no extra hardware or complicated setup. Any Trimble R series or Catalyst GNSS receiver can be used with the OnStation App when connected through Trimble Mobile Manager. Regardless of which Trimble GNSS receiver is being used, teams can access live digital stationing while in the field by opening the OnStation App and connecting through Trimble Mobile Manager.
Trimble and OnStation representatives will discuss the integration at a virtual event, OnStation Nation, on Nov. 18. Register at https://hubs.li/Q03Qf9q-0.
OnStation is a collaborative digital stationing platform that offers location-based project records from bid to close. Specifically designed for the heavy highway industry, OnStation’s mobile app centralizes communication, boosts productivity, enhances worker safety, and improves project quality.
OnStation is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is supported on all desktop systems.
Carlson Software has released the Viking as its new flagship GNSS base/rover receiver to meet demanding needs in survey, engineering, GIS, construction, and other applications. Engineered for centimeter‑level accuracy and providing an RTK fix in challenging environments, the Viking uses Triple–Fix technology, Carlson’s proprietary GAMA RTK engine, advanced hardware, robust connectivity, and intelligent processing.
The Viking also represents the company’s second GNSS solution, after the VASCO-B base station. It is manufactured in the United States at Carlson’s headquarters facilities in Maysville, Kentucky.
“Precision, performance and reliability, all while bringing manufacturing back to the USA,” said Bruce Carlson, company founder. “The Viking is more than a positioning system. It’s a powerful tool designed to enhance your efficiency, streamline your workflows, and deliver unparalleled accuracy.”
Viking highlights
The Dual GNSS RTK modules and three separate RTK engines, provide exceptional horizontal and vertical accuracy, providing a “Triple-Fix” and essentially eliminating false fixes
Calibration-free tilt compensation delivers impressive precision even when surveying at up to 60° of inclination
Dual hot-swappable batteries: 10+ hours of runtime
IP67-rated, MIL-STD-810G tested
Use as a base or a rover with communication options including 400 MHz and 900 MHz radio, internal mobile data modem, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Integrates with Carlson SurvPC and Layout field software, and features a powerful web-based UI for remote setup and monitoring.
The Carlson Viking is available for pre-order through Carlson dealers and distributors worldwide.
ProStar Holdings is partnering with Tersus GNSS, a global manufacturer of patented GNSS technologies. ProStar is the developer of PointMan Precision Mapping Solutions and the LinQD enterprise integration platform.
The collaboration will deliver a complete precision mapping solution to the utility and critical infrastructure industries worldwide, the companies announced.
The partnership is designed to integrate Tersus’s survey-grade GNSS receivers with ProStar’s PointMan, providing an affordable, field-ready solution available through Tersus’s international distribution network. Tersus GNSS has operations in China, the United States, and Australia, and is recognized for its innovation in GNSS receiver and base station technology for high-precision positioning applications.
The collaboration represents the latest step in ProStar’s strategy to expand its partnerships through the LinQD open API integration platform, delivering its technologies in one connected precision mapping solution.
ProStar’s LinQD platform is designed to enable seamless interoperability between emerging technologies and legacy systems, creating a robust global ecosystem for geospatial intelligence. By uniting equipment manufacturers and service providers under this initiative, ProStar continues to strengthen PointMan’s position as a premier mapping solution for the critical infrastructure industry worldwide.
India has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) warning of possible GPS interference or signal loss along air traffic routes near Kolkata, reports Business Today.
The NOTAM, valid Nov. 13-17, alerts airlines and pilots to remain vigilant to GNSS disruptions. It follows previous communications sharing issues with GNSS interference in New Delhi and Mumbai. Pilots and air traffic controllers also were asked to report any interference incidents within 10 minutes to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
After reports of GPS interference in New Delhi & airspace near Mumbai, a new notification from India advises of similar issues now occurring around Kolkata pic.twitter.com/f4N5zd6SVB
Nortek’s DVL 333 Surface, designed specifically for uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), enables USVs to maintain position or navigate when GNSS is lost.
Uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), often called sea drones, help monitor, map and secure the world’s oceans, performing tasks and surveys for less expense and risk than traditional crewed vessels. USVs are used in environmental monitoring, offshore inspection, subsea infrastructure protection, and defense missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
USVs require reliable navigation and positioning information, particularly when performing autonomous operations. This information typically comes from GNSS.
But during GNSS outages, USV operators are turning to alternative sensors for positioning. Without GNSS, a sole inertial navigation system (INS) on a vessel quickly drifts outside of acceptable levels when performing dead-reckoning navigation. By adding a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) to the USV, operators can perform long-distance, dead-reckoning-based positioning with much lower drift.
USVs using INS in the absence of GNSS achieve improved accuracy with the addition of a DVL, which limits drift inherent to INS-only navigation. (Image: Nortek)
In subsea navigation systems, DVLs provide vehicle velocity information using acoustic returns from the seabed. Because DVLs offer an accurate velocity estimate with no drift, combining a DVL with an INS constrains the drift that would accumulate with an INS alone. Using a DVL allows USVs to maintain position or even navigate without requiring GNSS information, enabling fully autonomous navigation independent of potentially vulnerable signals.
However, deploying DVLs on surface vessels introduces its own set of engineering and operational challenges. Conventional DVLs typically feature protruding transducer heads that are not flush with a vessel’s hull — challenging on smaller or high-speed vessels.
The DVL 333 Surface. (Photo: Nortek)
The compact Nortek DVL 333 Surface is designed for flush-hull installation, minimizing drag and protrusion below the hull line. It features a concave, fluid-filled transducer cavity sealed with an acoustic window, allowing for full control of sound velocity and eliminating the need for a hull-mounted speed-of-sound sensor.
When paired with a high-grade INS, the DVL 333 Surface delivers accurate position updates even during GNSS outages or interference. Its 300-meter bottom-track range supports fully autonomous operation in coastal waters, while a water-track mode extends functionality in deeper environments where the bottom is out of range. The DVL333 Surface can also be upgraded to Nortek’s VM Operations vessel-mounted ADCP system. For ease of maintenance, an optional type-certified sea valve allows in-water servicing without dry-docking.
Validating capabilities in the field
The capabilities of the DVL 333 Surface were demonstrated during field trials in the Oslofjord, an inlet in Norway. The test site presented conditions representative of complex coastal environments, where depth can vary significantly over short distances, and the seabed composition ranges from soft sediment to rock. Unlike uniform test sites with flat, sandy bottoms, the Oslofjord provides a realistic proving ground for challenging navigation scenarios.
“Our goal was to demonstrate that a surface vessel can maintain precise positional accuracy even during a complete GNSS blackout, and to do so in truly challenging coastal conditions,” said Torstein Pedersen, Nortek.
Nortek’s DVL 333 Surface installed in a fairing ready for testing in the Oslofjord. (Photo: Nortek)
The navigation tests were carried out using a DVL 333 Surface integrated with an Exail PHINS 6000 INS. Although the trial track was relatively short, the system’s performance quickly stabilized, achieving a stable, long-term accuracy of approximately 0.05% of distance traveled (for instance, 50 cm error each 1 km traveled). When bottom track was disabled (simulating operation outside of the DVL 333 Surface’s 300 m bottom track range) and only water track was used with the PHINS INS, the horizontal position error remained within 8 meters over a three-hour run, with the DVL operating solely in water-track mode. In this mode, the INS estimates background currents, which were accurately estimated as weak, stationary currents.
“We were particularly impressed with the performance of the system when using just water track mode,” Pedersen said. “The Exail INS was able to use the water track information to estimate currents and correct for them in the navigation, which is not an easy task to do with accuracy over extended periods. This performance is critical for open water navigation.”
These results confirm that the DVL 333 Surface delivers reliable navigation performance in variable bottom conditions and without a direct speed-of-sound measurement. More importantly, they demonstrate the availability of a commercially available DVL that overcomes the challenges typically faced when adapting subsurface systems for surface platforms.
Positional error as a function of distance traveled, showing long-term accuracy settling below 0.05% over a transit distance of >6 km. (Image: Nortek)
Every six minutes, somewhere in the United States, an underground utility line is damaged by careless excavation. Such incidents not only disrupt electrical, gas, and other services but also create serious environmental hazards. For example, a broken gas line could trigger an explosion that puts people and property at risk. Utilities and local distribution companies (LDCs) are embracing geospatial analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent or limit damage to buried cables and pipelines.
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) estimates that in 2019, excavation damage cost U.S. utilities $30 billion, including the cost of lost service, emergency response, and repairs. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) estimates that pipeline excavation incidents continue to rise, averaging 1.45 per day in 2024.
Despite local regulations and 811 lines to “call before you dig,” excavation breaches continue to grow due to a lack of visibility and up-to-date information about underground lines. Utilities can’t give contractors and excavation crews accurate information about buried assets that are invisible from the surface.
Satellite imaging and spectral sensing technology provide utilities with the means to monitor rights-of-way, identify excavation threats, and troubleshoot problems such as gas and water leaks. AI-powered geospatial analytics are the modern canary in the coal mine for hazardous leaks and service disruptions.
Keeping Track of Buried Service Assets
Keeping track of underground assets is an ongoing challenge for pipeline operators, utilities, and LDCs. The traditional method of tracking buried assets is periodic field observations. Right-of-way inspections and 811 locate ticket programs are typically initiated before third-party excavations, but these manual methods leave a dangerous visibility gap.
Inspections are needed every 30 to 90 days, which is costly since they require rolling trucks with human inspectors. Manual inspections can also provide only limited coverage, particularly in remote and hard-to-access areas. Even with regularly scheduled inspections, encroachments may go undetected for weeks or months. The result is a vulnerability window between inspections.
The CGA reports that failure to notify 811 and inaccurate location information are among the top contributors to excavation incidents. Even when appropriate dig notices are filed, construction grading or trenching often begins before infrastructure owners can respond to dig requests.
Advances in remote sensing, AI, and GIS now enable utilities to monitor rights-of-way from 270 miles up. Using satellite imaging and AI algorithms, utilities can continuously monitor pipeline and cable corridors and help close the visibility gap. Commercial satellite images from providers such as Airbus and Vantor (formerly known as Maxar) can provide high-resolution imagery for cloud-based AI processing that can detect changes as small as 30 centimeters, about the size of a dinner plate. Using satellite imaging is also faster and more cost-effective than using drones or aircraft, because cloud computing resources can analyze images in hours, rather than days or weeks.
High-resolution imagery is necessary for specific, accurate alerts. (Photo: Satelytics)
To power geospatial analytics, remote sensing technology (RST) captures multispectral and hyperspectral data from high-resolution satellite sensors, then uses AI-powered algorithms to analyze spectral signatures. Spectral imaging can detect a wide range of surface activity, including soil disturbances, vegetation changes, soil grading and trenching, new construction starts, heavy equipment use, new access roads, and encroachment on utility easements; activities that could indicate a risk to buried cables and pipelines.
Integrating Geospatial AI with ArcGIS
To make potential problems easier to identify, high-resolution images and geospatial analyses can be fused with GIS asset layers and corridor models to pinpoint anomalies that could indicate excavations or construction that interfere with utility rights-of-way.
Utilities that already use ArcGIS as their system of record can readily integrate results from geospatial analytics into existing workflows. For example, users can visualize and detect disturbed layers using ArcGIS Pro, tracking surface risk trends and KPIs with ArcGIS dashboards.
Monitoring the utility corridor for unwanted structures. (Image: Satelytics)
To show how this works, Southern Company, which owns Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, needed to identify new construction along its service corridors to detect potential encroachments before construction. Southern Company established a quarterly monitoring schedule with Satelytics, a provider of cloud-based geospatial analytics software.
Using data from the Pleiades 1A and 1B satellites, Satelytics captured multispectral imagery at 50-centimeter resolution, then used AI-poweredanalytics to detect changes, such as new barns, parking lots, or other construction. Encroachment alerts were delivered through the Satelytics web portal, and the geospatial data was transferred directly to Southern Company’s ArcGIS system via application programming interfaces (APIs).
Southern Company then compared items flagged in the satellite images with field visits to fine-tune the AI models. Following the pilot program, the AI models were refined to flag only those encroachments that posed a danger or a problem.
Flagging encroachment risks from space. (Image:: Satelytics)
AI-powered geospatial analytics strengthens Enhanced Positive Response (EPR) by documenting risk locations, including map layers and images, and providing evidence of corridor conflicts and surface changes. While AI accelerates detection, ground truthing remains essential. As shown in our Southern Company example, on-site validation is required to improve machine learning algorithms to increase accuracy. Integrating Field Maps and Survey 123 into AI workflows can verify findings and prioritize responses.
Using AI and GIS for Predictive Dig Safety
Geospatial AI technology is becoming an essential tool for more than just excavation monitoring. Using AI to analyze satellite images offers other benefits, such as measuring gas leaks or tracking water and oil leaks. Combining AI, GIS, and historical data will soon be used for predictive excavation risk management, identifying high-risk areas in advance of filing an excavation permit.
Predictive analytics will continue to play a larger role in excavation monitoring. AI analytics will provide construction forecasts and enable permit intelligence layers in GIS. The same data can power dynamic risk scoring dashboards and support three-dimensional corridor safety twins.
As new building construction continues to boom, utilities are harnessing the latest technology to prevent excavation incidents and protect underground assets. Combining satellite imagery, AI, and GIS provides the advanced tools needed to maintain continuous asset awareness, closing the visibility gap for underground cables and pipelines. Pipeline operators, electric utilities, and LDCs are reducing operating costs and minimizing environmental impact by leveraging geospatial analytics powered by artificial intelligence.
Sean Donegan is CEO of Satelytics, a company that uses cloud-based, geospatial analytics to analyze multispectral and hyperspectral imagery to identify pipeline leaks and other environmental issues. Donegan has over 30 years of experience building technology and software companies.
Climate change is altering summits of the tallest ice-capped mountains in the contiguous United States.
A new study by Scott Hotaling from the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Eric Gilbertson from Seattle University used differential GNSS measurements, satellite data, laser measurements and historical photographs to document the ways ice-capped summits in the Western United States are being affected by climate change.
For the last century, there have been five ice-capped summits in the contiguous United States, all in Washington State. The researchers measured the current elevations of the summits and compared their findings to historical surveys and photographs to assess whether their elevations have changed and whether their ice caps are still intact.
For Mount Rainier, Columbia Crest is no longer its highest point. The new summit is now rock on the mountain’s southwest rim roughly 133 meters away. All five of the historically ice-capped summits have shrunk since 1980, with four of the five shrinking by at least 6 meters (20 feet) from loss of snow and ice.
As of 2024, only two of the five summits still had perennial ice as their highest point. Free-air temperatures for the ice-capped summits indicate significant late summer warming of 2.75°C since 1950 and increases in summer melt days, with most of the change occurring since the late 1990s.
“Given the synchronous trends, we offer climate-induced loss of summit ice as the most likely explanation for the observed changes to ice-capped summits in the western United States,” the researchers write in their study.
(A) Historical (left) and contemporary (right) photographs for each ice-capped summit included in this study. (B) Elevation over time for each ice-capped summit (blue) and the nearest rocky summit (red). (Image: Study authors)
The main GNSS survey tool used was a Spectra ProMark 220 dGNSS equipped with an Ashtech antenna. GNSS measurements of the ice-capped summits hads an accuracy of ±0.03 meters. For each dGNSS survey, the researchers recorded a 1-hour measurement on the ice-capped summit. If a nearby rock summit was at a similar elevation to the ice-capped summit, a 1-hour measurement was also recorded for it.
