The Glaciers of the Valle d’Aosta and Piemonte Regions: Records of Present and Past Environmental and Climate Changes

Giardino, Marco; Mortara, G.; Chiarle, Marta

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26194-2_6

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Besides its large number of glaciers and lakes, the Aosta Valley was chosen also for its large amount of data on this topic. Information about historical (Ajassa et al, 1994(Ajassa et al, , 1997CGI-CNR, 1961;Citterio et al, 2007;Diolaiuti et al, 2012;Giardino et al, 2017) and present (Smiraglia et al, 2015;Salvatore et al, 2015) glacier extent and surface elevation are available. These data are fundamental as input data for the modelling of bedrock topography underneath glaciers and the detection of possible overdeepenings.…”

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential future lakes from continued glacier shrinkage in the Aosta Valley Region (Western Alps, Italy)

et al. 2020

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Aosta Valley (Western Alps, Italy) is the region with the largest glacierized area of Italy. Like other high mountain regions, it has shown a significant glacier retreat starting from the end of the 'Little Ice Age' that is expected to continue in the future. As a direct consequence of glacier shrinkage, glacier-bed overdeepenings become exposed, offering suitable geomorphological conditions for glacier lakes formation. In such a densely populated and developed region, opportunities and risks connected to lakes may arise: 1) economic exploitation for hydropower production, tourism and water supply; 2) environmental relevance for high mountain biodiversity and geodiversity; 3) potential risks due to outbursts and consequent floods. In this study, the locations of potential future glacier lakes over large glacierized areas (183 glaciers covering 163,1 km 2) of Aosta Valley were assessed by using the GlabTop2 model. 46 overdeepenings larger than 10,800 m 2 were identified, covering an area of 3.1 ± 0.9 km 2 and having a volume of 0.06 ± 0.02 km 3. The majority of the overdeepenings are located in the Monte Rosa-Cervino massif and a mean depth b10 m characterizes them. Moreover, an estimation of the most recent total ice volume for the Aosta Valley was provided (5.2 ± 1.6 km 3 referred to 2008). Thanks to the validation by the proposed "backward approach" and GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) data, we can confirm that the location of the overdeepenings is robust while their actual dimensions are subject to considerable uncertainties. Almost all of large lakes (area N 10,000 m 2), potentially the most dangerous, are modelled. Finally, we suggest choosing medium pixel size (about 60 m) of the DEM in order to obtain, at least, the location of the largest lakes and to avoid overestimations of ice thickness and thus a great number of false positive overdeepenings. The results presented here can be useful for understanding how the alpine environment will look in the future and can help the management of water resources and risks related to glacier lakes.

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Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential future lakes from continued glacier shrinkage in the Aosta Valley Region (Western Alps, Italy)

et al. 2020

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“…Since the geopark extends from the Monte Rosa massif to the northern boundary of the Po Plain, it also shows the record of past climate changes and of the glacial, periglacial, water-and gravityrelated processes, which continuously shape the landscape [42]. Geographical location of the Sesia-Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark.…”

Section: The Sesia -Val Grande Unesco Geopark Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fieldtrips and Virtual Tours as Geotourism Resources: Examples from the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (NW Italy)

et al. 2020

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In the 20th anniversary year of the European Geopark Network, and 5 years on from the receipt of the UNESCO label for the geoparks, this research focuses on geotourism contents and solutions within one of the most recently designated geoparks, admitted for membership in 2013: the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (Western Italian Alps). The main aim of this paper is to corroborate the use of fieldtrips and virtual tours as resources for geotourism. The analysis is developed according to: i) geodiversity and geoheritage of the geopark territory; ii) different approaches for planning fieldtrip and virtual tours. The lists of 18 geotrails, 68 geosites and 13 off-site geoheritage elements (e.g., museums, geolabs) are provided. Then, seven trails were selected as a mirror of the geodiversity and as container of on-site and off-site geoheritage within the geopark. They were described to highlight the different approaches that were implemented for their valorization. Most of the geotrails are equipped with panels, and supported by the presence of thematic laboratories or sections in museums. A multidisciplinary approach (e.g., history, ecology) is applied to some geotrails, and a few of them are translated into virtual tours. The variety of geosciences contents of the geopark territory is hence viewed as richness, in term of high geodiversity, but also in term of diversification for its valorization.

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“…It is located in the source area of the Prebec streams and it is incised in the upper Pleistocene glacial deposits (undistinguished till) pertinent to the tributary basin of the main valley, which is drained by the Dora Riparia and shaped, in ancient times, by the Susa Glacier (Sacco, 1921;Cadoppi et al, 2002;Ivy-Ochs et al, 2018). The Dora Riparia Valley outlet, near the town of Torino and about 40 km away from the GG area, is characterised by the presence of the Rivoli-Avigliana morainic amphitheatre, one of the most important and intact witnesses of the Pleistocene glacial advances as far as the Po Plain (Lucchesi et al, 2015;Giardino et al, 2017;Ivy-Ochs et al, 2018). The glacial deposits related to the Prebec tributary basin span between 1000 and 1850 m asl (Cadoppi et al, 2002).…”

Section: Gran Gorgiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpine gullies system evolution: erosion drivers and control factors. Two examples from the western Italian Alps

et al. 2019

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Denudation processes affecting mountain slopes may vary according to different factors (e.g., lithology and structural setting of bedrock, climate, relief features), which may be very diverse at the local scale. Gully complex systems, characterised by morphological features similar to those developing in other climate contexts (i.e., pseudo-badlands) are also becoming common at higher altitudes and latitudes. The *Revised manuscript with no changes marked Click here to view linked References selected study cases of Gran Gorgia (Susa Valley) and Saint Nicolas (Aosta Valley), in the Western Italian Alps, are sites of geomorphological interest as they are specifically relevant for their scientific features. The aims of this work are (i) reconstructing the morphometric evolution of gullies edges and vegetation colonisation in specific years by means of multitemporal spatial analysis on variation of surface areas affected by erosion; (ii) performing dendrogeomorphological analysis to spatially reconstruct, with a more continuous record through time, the effects of denudation processes affecting trees colonising the different regions of the gullies and the erosion rates by using dendrogeomorphological indicators (i.e., compression wood, traumatic resin ducts) and exposed roots and (iii) performing geopedological investigations aimed at deriving data on aggradation/degradation episodes along the slopes surrounding such hot-spots of erosion through time. Multidisciplinary analyses regarding the study sites allowed for detailing of erosional history of the studied slopes detecting the prevailing drivers of their evolution. According to the results and considering the common climate and bedrock conditions, the structural background seems to have more influence on slope evolution at the Saint Nicolas site, while superficial geomorphic processes seem to be more relevant at the Gran Gorgia site. Because the sites have already been recognised as part of geoheritage by local authorities, the data obtained in the present research on their genesis, evolution, and local drivers affecting the rates of denudation (i.e., scientific relevance of the site) suggests that description of the sites for dissemination purposes should include links to the entire slope history.

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The Glaciers of the Valle d’Aosta and Piemonte Regions: Records of Present and Past Environmental and Climate Changes

Cited by 9 publications

References 8 publications

Potential future lakes from continued glacier shrinkage in the Aosta Valley Region (Western Alps, Italy)

Potential future lakes from continued glacier shrinkage in the Aosta Valley Region (Western Alps, Italy)

Fieldtrips and Virtual Tours as Geotourism Resources: Examples from the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (NW Italy)

Alpine gullies system evolution: erosion drivers and control factors. Two examples from the western Italian Alps

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