# IceBoost AI model for global glacier mapping

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/iceboost-ai-model-for-global-glacier-mapping
> Updated: 2026-08-08T20:10:50.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

Researchers from Italy's Ca' Foscari University of Venice and the National Research Council's Institute for Polar Sciences, in collaboration with international partners including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, have developed IceBoost v2.0. This machine-learning model is designed to map global terrestrial glacier ice volumes by analyzing over seven million thickness measurements and integrating 26 physical and geometric variables, such as terrain slope, curvature, ice flow velocity, and local temperature.

Published in Scientific Data (Nature), the model improves volume estimate accuracy for the global glacier inventory by up to 40% compared to previous methods, though it excludes the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. The study estimates global glacier ice at approximately 150,000 cubic kilometers, which would lead to a global mean sea-level rise of 32.3 cm if entirely melted.

The researchers have released an interactive web application to allow experts and the public to explore the high-resolution mapping data. This information is intended to support future glacier simulations and IPCC assessments, particularly regarding freshwater availability for approximately 1.9 billion people.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-08: IceBoost v2.0 AI model maps global glacier ice volumes

A new AI model, IceBoost v2.0, developed by Italian and international researchers, provides a highly accurate global map of glacier ice volumes to better predict climate change impacts.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iceboost-v20-ai-model-maps-global-glacier-distribution

### 2026-08-06: IceBoost AI Model Refines Global Glacier Volume, Suggests 32 cm Sea‑Level Rise

The IceBoost v2.0 AI model, developed by University Ca' Foscari Venice and CNR‑ISP, estimates global glacier ice at ~150 000 km³—enough to raise sea level by ~32 cm—and improves volume accuracy by up to 40% for

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iceboost-ai-model-refines-global-glacier-volume-suggests-32-cm-sealevel-rise

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Cite as: IceBoost AI model for global glacier mapping. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/iceboost-ai-model-for-global-glacier-mapping
