Estimation of changes in the volume of ice making up Gornergletscher since the little ice age maximum

Balounová, L

Abstract

Few estimates of glacier volume and changes in mass over the past 150 years are
available for the Swiss Alps. This thesis aims to estimate changes in the mass of ice
making up Gornergletscher since the Little Ice Age maximum extent (LIAM) in 1860
in the context of climate change. Gornergletscher, the second largest glacier in the
Swiss Alps, is one of few glaciers for which bedrock topography map is available,
which makes it possible to estimate ice volume as well as changes in mass. Direct
observations and measurements of changes in length of Gornergletscher are available
since 1882. To quantify changes in thickness and volume of the glacier, topographic
maps from 1891, 1951 and 2001 and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital
elevation model (SRTM DEM) from 1999 were used. The SRTM DEM and digital
elevation models of the glacier, derived from the maps, were processed using ESRFs
ArcGIS. The 1891 map was found inaccurate within the accumulation area of the
glacier at the higher elevation range between approximately 2700-4600 m above sea
level (a.s.l.). Therefore, a loss of ice volume was observed, mainly within the ablation
area of the glacier, in the lower elevation range between approximately 1860-2600 m.
The loss in ice volume of Gornergletscher between 1891 and 2001 in this lower
elevation area was 1.297 km3 , which is almost 50% of the total volume loss. To
improve ice-volume calculations of the entire Gornergletscher since the LIAM extent,
in the second half of the 19 th century, analysis of sources other than the 1891 map will
have to be undertaken.

Citation

Balounová, L. Estimation of changes in the volume of ice making up Gornergletscher since the little ice age maximum. (Dissertation). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Dissertation
• Deposit Date: Aug 16, 2021
• Award Date: Sep 1, 2010