Il ghiacciaio del Basodino (Alpi meridionali svizzere)

The Basodino Glacier (Southern Swiss Alps)

Abstract

The Basodino Glacier is located on a slope plateau and with an area of 2,4 km² is the largest glacier of the southern part of the Swiss Alps. The variation of the length has been continuously measured since 1892. Its wide front advanced a little during the last decades and is now stationary. The present surface of the glacier is about half the extent of the middle of the last century. The thickness changes have taken place been calculated from 5 topographical surveys in the last 60 years. The maximum loss of thickness have taken place between 1979 and 1991 and amounts to 10 m, giving some 27 millions m³ of water. The direct mass-balance measurements started in 1992 and show balanced or small positive values, especially for the year 1994-95. As a comparison, the Scalino Glacier, with a similar location but less precipitations, is retreating quickly, like most of the other alpine glacier, as a consequence of a warming atmosphere.