Glacier-Space: Assessing the resilience and vulnerability of mountain ice masses

Glaciers communicate with the free atmosphere via a thin, stably stratified layer of air near the ice surface. This near-surface layer is cooled by radiative and turbulent sensible heat flux divergence.
These processes contribute to glacier surface melt and generate a buoyancy force with a downslope gravitational component that drives the jet-like glacier wind system often observed even on small valley glaciers. A well-developed glacier wind system attenuates signal and information transmission between the glacier surface and the atmosphere. This project will use  innovative high-resolution observations of the glacier microclimate and state of the art high-resolution atmospheric modelling to assess the impact of the changing glacier microclimate on glacier recession rates, to refine projections of glacier-conditioned land system changes which impact local hydrological resources, rates of sea level rise, natural hazard potential and mountain ecosystems.

Project leaders: 
Lindsey Nicholson

External Partners: 
Tobias Sauter (HU Berlin)

Funding Agencies: 
DFG-FWF (Germany-Austria)

Project Duration: 
1 October 2024 to 30 September 2027