Recent and future glacier changes in the European Alps

TL;DRAbstract

European alpine glaciers lost about 35% of their total area from 1850 until the 1970s, and almost 50% by 2000 (Zemp et al., 2006). With respect to the 1970s area, there was little change until 1985 (-1%) and a strong decrease (-20%) until the year 2000 (Paul et al., 2004). This rapid decline in glacier area has been confirmed by analysis of more recent satellite data (Paul et al., 2007a). This study compared Landsat TM and ASTER imagery from 2003/04 with the earlier data sets and found similar patterns of massive glacier retreat and thinning throughout the entire Alps. Thereby, the thinning was only derived indirectly by recognizing increasing areas with rock outcrops, separation of glacier tongues and disintegrating/collapsing glacier bodies, but is confirmed by direct mass balance measurements as well (Zemp et al., 2005). At several locations pro-glacial lakes have been formed which are partly still growing.

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