Changing debris cover on Eastern Alpine glaciers: Quantification and hydrological impacts

Clemens Hiller
Supervising board member: Stefan Achleitner

Project Overview

Glaciers and permafrost are retreating in the wake of climate change and are causing a rapid transition from glacial to deglacial conditions with highly intensified geomorphic processes in the proglacial zones and freshly deglaciated areas.

The Hidden.ice project investigates the hydrological impact of supraglacial debris deposits in the transition zone from glacier ice to proglacial areas in Austria. The PhD candidate Clemens Hiller focuses his research on the dynamics of bedload transport and the coarse sediment budget in the forefield of the Jamtalferner glacier (Silvretta range, Austria). By capturing present proglacial sedimentary dynamics and the behaviour of high alpine fluvial systems in rapidly changing environments, subsequent future developments can be anticipated.