Ice thickness distribution of all Swiss glaciers based on extended ground-penetrating radar data and glaciological modeling

Accurate knowledge of the ice thickness distribution and glacier bed topography is essential for predicting dynamic glacier changes and the future developments of downstream hydrology, which are impacting the energy sector, tourism industry and natural hazard management. Using AIR-ETH, a new helicop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of glaciology 2021-12, Vol.67 (266), p.1074-1092
Main Authors: Grab, Melchior, Mattea, Enrico, Bauder, Andreas, Huss, Matthias, Rabenstein, Lasse, Hodel, Elias, Linsbauer, Andreas, Langhammer, Lisbeth, Schmid, Lino, Church, Gregory, Hellmann, Sebastian, Délèze, Kevin, Schaer, Philipp, Lathion, Patrick, Farinotti, Daniel, Maurer, Hansruedi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerogeophysical measurements
Algorithms
Antennas
Distribution
Electricity
Estimates
Glacier ice
Glacier mapping
Glacier size
Glacier thickness
glacier volume
Glaciers
Ground penetrating radar
Helicopters
Hydroelectric power
Hydrology
Ice
Ice cover
Ice thickness
ice thickness measurements
Ice volume
Mass balance
Modelling
mountain glaciers
Radar
Radar data
Regions
Surveys
Thickness
Topography
Tourism
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Summary:Accurate knowledge of the ice thickness distribution and glacier bed topography is essential for predicting dynamic glacier changes and the future developments of downstream hydrology, which are impacting the energy sector, tourism industry and natural hazard management. Using AIR-ETH, a new helicopter-borne ground-penetrating radar (GPR) platform, we measured the ice thickness of all large and most medium-sized glaciers in the Swiss Alps during the years 2016–20. Most of these had either never or only partially been surveyed before. With this new dataset, 251 glaciers – making up 81% of the glacierized area – are now covered by GPR surveys. For obtaining a comprehensive estimate of the overall glacier ice volume, ice thickness distribution and glacier bed topography, we combined this large amount of data with two independent modeling algorithms. This resulted in new maps of the glacier bed topography with unprecedented accuracy. The total glacier volume in the Swiss Alps was determined to be 58.7 ± 2.5 km3 in the year 2016. By projecting these results based on mass-balance data, we estimated a total ice volume of 52.9 ± 2.7 km3 for the year 2020. Data and modeling results are accessible in the form of the SwissGlacierThickness-R2020 data package.
ISSN:0022-1430
1727-5652
DOI:10.1017/jog.2021.55