Analysis of surface elevation changes on Kesselwand glacier - comparison of different methods

摘要

Kesselwandferner is an interesting and well investigated glacier in the Otztal Alps, the glaciological parameters of which have been measured annually for more than forty years Within this timeframe a period of strong advance (from 1970 to 1985) could be observed. An analysis of surface elevation changes revealed interesting features, especially during the advance period when the accumulation area responded with a surface elevation decrease due to downward mass transport. At the same time there was a strong increase in the ablation area During the last two decades an opposite tendency has been observed. Today, the altitude of the glacier surface in the major part of cross-profile B (at around 3200 m) is about 7 m higher than it was in 1983, when the lowest values were recorded It is still increasing although a strong setback was observed after the very hot summer of 2003.