The bedrock topography of Gries- and Findelengletscher

Feiger, Nadine; Huss, Matthias; Leinss, Silvan; Sold, Leo; Farinotti, Daniel

doi:10.5194/gh-73-1-2018

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Journal article

The bedrock topography of Gries- and Findelengletscher

Feiger, Nadine Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland - Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Huss, Matthias Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), ETH Zurich, Switzerland - Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Leinss, Silvan Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Sold, Leo Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Farinotti, Daniel Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland - Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), ETH Zurich, Switzerland

08.01.2018

Published in:

Geographica Helvetica. - 2018, vol. 73, no. 1, p. 1–9

English Knowledge of the ice thickness distribution of glaciers is important for glaciological and hydrological applications. In this contribution, we present two updated bedrock topographies and ice thickness distributions for Gries- and Findelengletscher, Switzerland. The results are based on ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements collected in spring 2015 and already-existing data. The GPR data are analysed using ReflexW software and interpolated by using the ice thickness estimation method (ITEM). ITEM calculates the thickness distribution by using principles of ice flow dynamics and characteristics of the glacier surface. We show that using such a technique has a significance advantage compared to a direct interpolation of the measurements, especially for glacier areas that are sparsely covered by GPR data. The uncertainties deriving from both the interpretation of the GPR signal and the spatial interpolation through ITEM are quantified separately, showing that, in our case, GPR signal interpretation is a major source of uncertainty. The results show a total glacier volume of 0.28±0.06 and 1.00±0.34 km3 for Gries- and Findelengletscher, respectively, with corresponding average ice thicknesses of 56.8±12.7 and 56.3±19.6 m.

Faculty

Faculté des sciences et de médecine

Department

Département de Géosciences

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