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SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD: ASIA. Edited by RICHARD S. WILLIAMS, Jr. and JANET G. FERRIGNO. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2010. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386-F. ISBN 978-1-4113-2609-5. 349 p., maps, b&w and colour illus., numerous contributors, references. Available from U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, USA.
This United States Geological Survey publication is another major chapter that, along with its other 10 chapters (A to K), will eventually provide an exhaustive inventory and analysis of the world's glaciers and ice sheets. It is the ninth chapter to be published. A review of Chapter K (Alaska) published in the September 2009 issue of Arctic (Ives, 2009) emphasized the superb editing; excellent production and reproduction of photographs, satellite images, and maps; and consummate care in the minutiae of selection and presentation of images. The same can be said for the Asia chapter.
The basis for the world inventory is an exacting selection of satellite images dating from 1972 to 1981. For Chapter F (Asia), image sets were distributed to leading professionals by country to achieve coverage of most of Asia. This has resulted in sub-sections on the former Soviet Union, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan. The largest sub-section by far is that devoted to the former Soviet Union, including the present-day republics of Central Asia, the entire Caucasus, Siberia, and the Russian High Arctic. Iran,...