The longterm signal of climate change in the Swiss Alps : glacier retreat since the end of the Little Ice Age and future ice decay scenarios

Auteur :
MAISCH, M.

Description :
The study presented summarizes selected results of a nationwide glacier inventory project supported by the Swiss national Research Programme (NRP 31) on Climate Changes and natural Catastrophes completed in 1999. The data were obtained by the glaciological reconstruction and homogeneous parameterization of the 1850 glacier situation in the Swiss Alps (the last advance period of the Little Ice Age). The statistical comparison with the present-day glaciation (recorded in 1973) provides for the first time a complete synopsis of various glaciological and geographical aspects of longterm glacier retreat in the period since 1850. Attempts were made, based on the new inventory data, to model potential ice decay scenarios for the swiss Alps and to estimate the glaciological consequences of an enhanced atmospheric warming. - (NF)


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Geografia fisica e dinamica quaternaria, issn : 0391-9838, 2000, vol. 23, n°. 2, p. 139-151, Collation : Illustration, Références bibliographiques : 43 ref.

Date :
2000

Editeur :
Pays édition : Italie, Torino, Comitato glaciologico italiano