Mass Balance Factsheet for the Silvrettagletscher, Alps
Silvrettagletscher is a small temperate mountain glacier located in the north-eastern part of Switzerland at the border to Austria. The present surface area is 2.7 km2 extending from 3070 m a.s.l. down to 2470 m a.s.l (2017). The mean equilibrium line altitude is 2820 m a.s.l. First mass balance measurements date back to 1915. Seasonal observations at two stakes were conducted until 1959, when the stake network was increased to about 40 stakes. Today, 18 stakes are surveyed seasonally. Topographic maps and photogrammetrical surveys exist for 1892, 1938, 1959, 1973, 1986, 1994, 2003, 2007 and annually since 2012 (Bauder et al., 2007). Huss et al. (2009) re-analyzed and homogenized the seasonal stake data and ice volume changes for the period 1959 to present. Mass balance measurements are perfromed in the frame of the programme GLAMOS (Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, www.glamos.ch).
For additional information on the status of the glacier and on data relating to annual mass balance and other measurements, visit the WGMS Fluctuations of Glaciers Browser.
FACTS:
- Political unit: CH
- WGMS ID: 408
- Latitude: 46.85°N
- Longitude: 10.08°E
- Height min: 2470 m a.s.l.
- Height max: 3070 m a.s.l.
- Measurement types: MASS BALANCE, THICKNESS CHANGE & FRONT VARIATION
- Current Principal Investigator: Martin Funk, Andreas Bauder & Colleagues
- Current Sponsoring Agency: LABORATORY OF HYDRAULICS, HYDROLOGY AND GLACIOLOGY, VAW – ETH ZURICH (ZURICH, CH)
Silvretta glacier in September 2005 (taken by M. Huss on 24/09/2005)
Terrestrial and satellite map of Silvretta glacier (Google Maps)
Silvretta glacier Annual Mass Balance (WGMS, 2016)
Continuous Mass Balance (MB) measurements since 1918/19:
Additional data available: Front Variation (FV), Thickness Change (TC) and Glacier Outlines:
Selected references:
Bauder, A., Funk, M., & Huss, M. (2007). Ice-volume changes of selected glaciers in the Swiss Alps since the end of the 19th century. Annals of Glaciology, 46, 145-149.
Huss, M., Bauder, A., & Funk, M. (2009). Homogenization of long-term mass-balance time series. Annals of Glaciology, 50(50), 198-206.
Huss, M., Dhulst, L., & Bauder, A. (2015). New long-term mass-balance series for the Swiss Alps. Journal of Glaciology, 61(227), 551-562.