Abstract ID: 3.13329 | Accepted as Talk | Talk | TBA | TBA

Hintereisferner (Austria) is one of the glaciers with the longest mass balance monitoring records worldwide. Its accessibility and close ties to a research institute have made it a prime site for testing new monitoring and modeling methods in atmospheric and cryospheric sciences. Satellite remote sensing at high spatial resolution plays a crucial role in updating glacier outlines and hypsometries – particularly amid rapid glacier retreat – thanks to the Pléiades Glacier Observatory providing valuable satellite stereo images for the glaciological community. Additionally, annual geodetic data from airborne laser scanning serve as an independent dataset for calibrating long-term mass balance records. For sub-seasonal to daily observations, a terrestrial laser scanning system above Hintereisferner tracks surface elevation changes. Combined with webcam imagery, this setup enables the detection of the transient snow line and the “glacier loss day”—the date when the glacier’s mass balance turns negative each hydrological year. High-resolution surface elevation changes information from remote sensing and in-situ observations (e.g., SmartStake) provide essential boundary conditions for atmospheric or cryospheric modeling studies. Furthermore, cosmic-ray neutron sensing allows for continuous snow mass monitoring, enhancing our understanding of accumulation processes. In summary, advancements in glacier monitoring are paving the way for in-depth glaciological process studies and real-time mass balance observations.