Tutorials
Step-by-step guides for running IGM on real glaciers. Each tutorial is self-contained and builds progressively in complexity.
Before you start
If you don't know anything about glacier processes, explore this great website. If you don't know anything about glacier evolution modelling, you may want to watch this introductory video first.
Prerequisites: a working IGM installation (Quick Start) and basic familiarity with the command line. All tutorial files (data, params, custom modules) are in the igm-examples repository.
Aletsch: forward modelling
Five progressive steps from a simple ELA-based SMB to a realistic temperature-index model with custom modules, climate forcing, and particle tracking.
Aletsch: parameter calibration with Optuna
Calibrate SMB weights and basal friction against 7 historical DEMs and observed velocities using single- and multi-objective Optuna sweeps.
Aletsch: ice-thickness inversion
Recover the ice-thickness field from surface velocities with the data_assimilation module, including L-curve regularisation and a sliding-coefficient sweep.
Drønbreen: polythermal glacier and the enthalpy module
Model cold and temperate ice on a Svalbard glacier with the enthalpy module, then calibrate the surface thermal forcing against radar-mapped cold–temperate transition surfaces.
Visualizing output with igm_viz
Explore a run's output as an interactive 3-D animation: pick variables, adjust the view, animate frames, and track volume/area over time.
More tutorials are in preparation. To contribute a tutorial, open a pull request on the igm-examples repository.