Ricerche sul bilancio di massa del Ghiacciaio di Fontana Bianca (Weibbrunnferner) nel gruppo Ortles-Cevedale

Mass balance studies on the Ghiacciaio di Fontana Bianca (Weibbrunnferner) in the Ortles-Cevedale Group

Abstract

A 9 year mass balance series (1983/84-1987/88 and 1990/91-1994/95) was established at Weiβbrunnferner - Ghiacciaio di Fontana Bianca in the Ortles - Cevedale Group, in the Italian Alps. With the exception of 1983/84, all years were characterized by a mass loss with an annual mean of b = -572 mm we. The correlation with other mass balance series is poor and does not allow to fill the gap of missing data. The reason for the low correlations is, beside of the small number of comparable data, suggested to be the conditions of continuous recession. An analysis of the direct glaciological method shows low variations between the results of different glaciologists using the traditional way of determination. Automatized GIS analysis gives also reliable results.