Gletschermonitoring im Sonnblickgebiet : Umweltforschung im Hochgebirge - Ergebnisse von GAW-DACH und verwandten Projekten

1999

S. 23-28

11 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200086902

Glacier behaviour is an useful proxy data of climate variability. However, only the glacier mass balance is directly related to the climate. In the Sonnblick region the glacier behaviour is documented since the end of the last century. The largest glacier of Sonnblick region (Wurtenkees) showed an extreme retreat from the 1920s up to the 1970s, not reflecting the glacier-friendly period from 1965 to 1981. Mass balance measurements at Wurtenkees since 1983 show very clear that net balance is determined by summer temperature and not by the winter precipitation amount. Year to year changes of net balance of Wurtenkees coincide well with mass balance values of other glaciers in the Hohe Tauern region. Comparison of mass balance values with climate data of Sonnblick show better agreement with air temperature as with sunshine duration though mass balance is determined strongly by incoming shortwave radiation.