This application aims to investigate the small-scale variability in glacier topography and albedo for two reasons. First, to investigate its impact on glacier surface energy balance and runoff for a specific case study, and second, to improve the representation of this variability in larger scale ice sheet models, in order to improve regional ice mass balance and runoff estimates. It is important to accurately model the effects of future climate change on glacier and ice sheet mass balance and runoff because of their possible implications for ocean circulation changes and further feed-backs to the regional climate system. To undertake this research, the key data requirements are an accurate, large-scale Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of a glacier, and a spatially distributed albedo model, preferably at the same spatial resolution.