Detailed velocity map and long-term glacier surface velocities of the slow-flowing Vernagtferner in the Austrian Alps

Assigned Session: #AGM28: Generic Meeting Session

Abstract ID: 28.7392 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | 2025-02-28 12:45 - 14:15 | Ágnes‐Heller‐Haus/Small Lecture Room

Theresa Dobler (0)
Mayer, Christoph (1), Rückamp, Martin (1), Seehaus, Thorsten (2)
Theresa Dobler ((0) Munich University of Applied Sciences, Karlstr. 6, 80333, Munich, Bavaria, DE)
Mayer, Christoph (1), Rückamp, Martin (1), Seehaus, Thorsten (2)

(0) Munich University of Applied Sciences, Karlstr. 6, 80333, Munich, Bavaria, DE
(1) Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Section Geodesy and Glaciology, Alfons-Goppel-Straße 11, 80539 Munich, Germany
(2) Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Wetterkreuz 15, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

(1) Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Section Geodesy and Glaciology, Alfons-Goppel-Straße 11, 80539 Munich, Germany
(2) Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Wetterkreuz 15, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

Categories: Cryospheric Processes, Glacier-Climate Interactions, Monitoring
Keywords: ice flow dynamics, historical glacier velocity

Categories: Cryospheric Processes, Glacier-Climate Interactions, Monitoring
Keywords: ice flow dynamics, historical glacier velocity

Long-term glacier surface velocity data are essential for understanding ice dynamics, mass balance variability, and their implications for glacier behavior and climate change impacts. This study provides a unique detailed velocity map for Vernagtferner, a slow-flowing glacier in the Austrian Alps that is significantly affected by surface melting. We provide a detailed ice flow velocity map derived from a combination of stake measurements, repeat UAV surveys and airborne imagery, covering the period 2018–2023 and offering valuable insights into the glaciers current ice flow dynamics. The map compiled reveals an average surface velocity of approximately 1 m/yr and a maximum displacement rate of approximately 4m/yr. Moreover, significant seasonal variations were discovered, with summer velocities exceed annual averages by approximately 30%. In addition, we present a long-term dataset of ice surface velocity dating back to 1966, enabling a comprehensive analysis of historical ice dynamics. During the historical period, a strong correlation is evident between glacier flow and ice thickness, showing the dynamic response of the glacier to thinning. The general decrease in historic glacier surface velocities is interrupted by an accelerating ice flow between 1975 and 1985, which is partly correlated with a positive mass balance in this phase. The study also evaluates standard satellite remote sensing products that demonstrate their limitations for slow-flowing glaciers with high ablation rates and irregular crevasse distribution. The resulting velocity dataset provides a robust basis for modeling attempts and glaciological process analysis, contributing to an in-depth understanding of glacier dynamics in alpine regions. The datasets are publicly available via PANGAEA, supporting further research and analysis. Note: this abstract is intended for submission to ESSD.


NAME:
Small Lecture Room
BUILDING:
Ágnes‐Heller‐Haus
FLOOR:
0
TYPE:
Lecture Hall
CAPACITY:
200
ACCESS:
Only Participants
ADDITIONAL:
TBA
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