Ice-volume changes of selected glaciers in the Swiss Alps since the end of the 19th century

Bauder, Andreas; Funk, Martin; Huss, Matthias

doi:10.3189/172756407782871701

Cited by 148 publications

(198 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…For the Swiss Alps 1985-1999 the extrapolation results in too little mass loss (Table 1). Direct validation of SRTM-based elevation changes against volume changes obtained from repeated aerial photogrammetry (Bauder et al, 2007;Huss et al, 2010a) for 25 medium to large Swiss glaciers, however, indicates that Paul and Haeberli (2008) overestimate mass loss by about 0.14 m w.e. a −1 .…”

Section: Multiple Regressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Initial surface geometry is taken from the last DEM available (between 1991 and 2008). Future mass balance is simulated using model parameters calibrated over multi-decadal periods in the past based on observed ice volume changes (Bauder et al, 2007). Figure 4 illustrates simulation results of future glacier change for the example of Gornergletscher, Switzerland.…”

Section: Future Glacier Mass Balancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…1) are based on a combination of various types of field measurements and detailed modelling of individual glaciers (Huss et al, 2010a,b). Ice volume changes for sub-decadal to semi-centennial time periods are available from a set of 3 to 10 high-accuracy DEMs per glacier, covering the entire 20th century (Bauder et al, 2007). The DEMs were established by digitizing topographical maps and after 1960 by photogrammetrical analysis of aerial photographs.…”

Section: Mass Balance Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100

2012

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Abstract. This study addresses the extrapolation of in-situ glacier mass balance measurements to the mountain-range scale and aims at deriving time series of area-averaged mass balance and ice volume change for all glaciers in the European Alps for the period 1900-2100. Long-term mass balance series for 50 Swiss glaciers based on a combination of field data and modelling, and WGMS data for glaciers in Austria, France and Italy are used. A complete glacier inventory is available for the year 2003. Mass balance extrapolation is performed based on (1) arithmetic averaging, (2) glacier hypsometry, and (3) multiple regression. Given a sufficient number of data series, multiple regression with variables describing glacier geometry performs best in reproducing observed spatial mass balance variability. Future mass changes are calculated by driving a combined model for mass balance and glacier geometry with GCM ensembles based on four emission scenarios. Mean glacier mass balance in the European Alps is −0.31 ± 0.04 m w.e. a −1 in 1900-2011, and −1 m w.e. a −1 over the last decade. Total ice volume change since 1900 is −96 ± 13 km 3 ; annual values vary between −5.9 km 3 (1947) and +3.9 km 3 (1977). Mean mass balances are expected to be around −1.3 m w.e. a −1 by 2050. Model results indicate a glacier area reduction of 4-18 % relative to 2003 for the end of the 21st century.

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Section: Multiple Regressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Future Glacier Mass Balancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mass Balance Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100

2012

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“…Digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from different sources such as topographic maps, GPS surveys, aerial photographs, satellite images, synthetic-aperture radar or Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) are compared to each other, and the elevation differences over the glacier can be converted into the glacier's mass change over a given time interval (e.g. Bauder et al, 2007;Thibert and Vincent, 2009;Zemp et al, 2013). In general, multi-annual time periods are needed to reach an acceptable level of accuracy .…”

Section: Geodetic Mass Balancementioning

confidence: 99%

Re-establishing glacier monitoring in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Central Asia

Hoelzle

Azisov

Barandun

et al. 2017

Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst.

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Abstract. Glacier mass loss is among the clearest indicators of atmospheric warming. The observation of these changes is one of the major objectives of the international climate monitoring strategy developed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Long-term glacier mass balance measurements are furthermore the basis for calibrating and validating models simulating future runoff of glacierised catchments. This is essential for Central Asia, which is one of the driest continental regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In the highly populated regions, water shortage due to decreased glacierisation potentially leads to pronounced political instability, drastic ecological changes and endangered food security. As a consequence of the collapse of the former Soviet Union, however, many valuable glacier monitoring sites in the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains were abandoned. In recent years, multinational actors have re-established a set of important in situ measuring sites to continue the invaluable long-term data series. This paper introduces the applied monitoring strategy for selected glaciers in the Kyrgyz and Uzbek Tien Shan and Pamir, highlights the existing and the new measurements on these glaciers, and presents an example for how the old and new data can be combined to establish multi-decadal mass balance time series. This is crucial for understanding the impact of climate change on glaciers in this region.

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“…Typically, elevation changes are small in the accumulation area and largest near the terminus of mountain glaciers ( Fig. 1) as it is shown by observations (Finsterwalder and Rentsch, 1981;Arendt et al, 2002;Bauder et al, 2007), based on theoretical considerations (Jóhannesson et al, 1989) and numerical modelling (e.g., Oerlemans, 1997). For application of the h-parameterization in practice, the position along the central flowline of the glacier (as shown on the abscissa of Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Future high-mountain hydrology: a new parameterization of glacier retreat

Huss

Jouvet

Farinotti

et al. 2010

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

225

210

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Abstract. Global warming is expected to significantly affect the runoff regime of mountainous catchments. Simple methods for calculating future glacier change in hydrological models are required in order to reliably assess economic impacts of changes in the water cycle over the next decades. Models for temporal and spatial glacier evolution need to describe the climate forcing acting on the glacier, and ice flow dynamics. Flow models, however, demand considerable computational resources and field data input and are moreover not applicable on the regional scale. Here, we propose a simple parameterization for calculating the change in glacier surface elevation and area, which is mass conserving and suited for hydrological modelling. The h-parameterization is an empirical glacier-specific function derived from observations in the past that can easily be applied to large samples of glaciers. We compare the h-parameterization to results of a 3-D finite-element ice flow model. As case studies, the evolution of two Alpine glaciers of different size over the period 2008-2100 is investigated using regional climate scenarios. The parameterization closely reproduces the distributed ice thickness change, as well as glacier area and length predicted by the ice flow model. This indicates that for the purpose of transient runoff forecasts, future glacier geometry change can be approximated using a simple parameterization instead of complex ice flow modelling. Furthermore, we analyse alpine glacier response to 21st century climate change and consequent shifts in the runoff regime of a highly glacierized catchment using the proposed methods.

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Ice-volume changes of selected glaciers in the Swiss Alps since the end of the 19th century

Cited by 148 publications

References 15 publications

Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100

Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100

Re-establishing glacier monitoring in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Central Asia

Future high-mountain hydrology: a new parameterization of glacier retreat

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