Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geographica

Lukáš Brodský

Irene Maria Bollati

Marcus Nüsser

AUC GEOGRAPHICA

Preface

前言

This study describes and analyses elevation changes in the debris-covered tongue of the surge-type Belvedere Glacier (Western Italian Alps) between 1951 and 2023 using remote sensing data, including historical aerial photographs, Lidar and drone acquisitions. High-resolution digital surface models from 1951, 2009 and 2023 enabled detailed observation of the spatially heterogeneous patterns of change caused by debris cover, avalanches, a surge-type event, supraglacial meltwater, and glacial lake outburst floods in the context of global warming. In the period of 1951–2009, the mean rate of downwasting was quantified as 0.24 metres per year (14 metres in total), ranging from −83.5 to 32.2 metres. During the second observation period from 2009 to 2023, the mean downwasting rate was estimated to be 1.8 metres per year (25 metres in total), varying from −73.9 to 26.9 metres. The 2001–2002 surge-type event, meltwater streams and supraglacial lakes are considered to be the main drivers forcing elevation changes and shaping its spatial variation and surface structures. In general, the changes in the glacier have accelerated between 2009 and 2023. This paper demonstrates the high potential of differenced digital surface models with high spatial resolution to detect the processes of glacier dynamics in high detail.

Shruti Pancholi

Susanne Schmidt

Roberto Sergio Azzoni

Gianluca Tronti

The Belvedere Glacier elevation change between 1951 and 2023

1951年至2023年贝尔维德雷冰川高程变化

The Belvedere glacier is an intensively studied glacier in the Italian Alps on the east face of the Monte Rosa, which is currently undergoing a fast deglaciation connected to various slope failures and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods. Measurements of the terminus position have been carried out since the 1920s. Since 2000, more attention has been paid to this area due to the occurrence of large mass movements and a surge-type event. In this review, research articles and various reports dealing mainly with glacier dynamics, rock and ice avalanches, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, and other hazardous processes were considered. Aerial photogrammetry, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, satellite stereo-processing and several terrestrial approaches (laser scanning, geophysics, measurements of near-surface heat flow, ablation stakes and camera-lapse) provided a base for quantifying the ongoing processes. Despite efforts based on the comparison of Digital Elevation Models, this review shows that the evolution of the Belvedere glacier in terms of ice volume is still partially unknown due to the low temporal frequency of aerial surveys, technical limitations of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles used, and the fact that most studies focus only on the lower part of the glacier. The hazardous supraglacial Effimero lake that appeared during the surge-type event has been well documented, and interventions to mitigate potential risks were put in place, but the trigger of the event and the evolution of the lake basin have not yet been clarified. Mass wasting and outburst floods are mainly documented in the grey literature. The degradation of permafrost was suggested to be the driver of rock and ice avalanches, including one of the largest ice avalanches in the Alps, which occurred in 2005. In summary, the Belvedere Glacier and the surrounding rock walls have experienced repeated slope failures, an incident of surge and several outburst floods. Despite regular monitoring, a clear picture of its behavior due to the changing climate is still unknown. This review is intended to pave the way for further integrative studies.

Jan Kropáček

Pragya Mehrishi

Manuela Pelfini

Vít Vilímek

Dynamics and related hazards of the Belvedere Glacier in the Italian Alps: a review

意大利阿尔卑斯山贝维德雷冰川的动力学及相关危害：综述

The Schmidt hammer is a cost-effective tool for both relative- and absolute-age dating of rocks (the latter in connection with previously absolutely dated surfaces). Its application in high-mountain environments is particularly favoured due to the abundance of dating material and the small size of the dating tool compared to other options. The use of the Schmidt hammer on rock types with macroscopic crystals is not recommended due to the varying weathering rates of different minerals. However, in harsh alpine conditions, there is often no other choice. We applied the Schmidt hammer in the relative dating of boulders in the Belvedere Glacier valley (Italian Alps) with orthogneiss and paragneiss being the dominant rock types (both consisting of macroscopic minerals). For the first time in the Schmidt hammer-related studies, we prepared a chart for the objective inclination correction of the data. The correction for aspect was also performed. The results suggest the successful applicability of the Schmidt hammer even under the unfavourable circumstances.

Jan Baťka

Application of the Schmidt hammer in the relative-age dating of rockfall deposits in the Belvedere Glacier Valley

施密特锤在贝尔维德雷冰川谷崩积物相对年龄测定中的应用

Glacier retreat is a key indicator of climate change, with significant implications for geomorphological hazards and ecosystem stability. This article focuses on the surface evolution of the Belvedere Glacier from 1951 to 2023. Using high-resolution orthophotos and manual mapping, we tracked changes in the glacier’s area and shape over time. The results show three significant phases of change: the separation of the Nordend Glacier from the Belvedere Glacier (1951–1991), the partial separation of the central accumulation basin from the debris-covered tongue (2006–2015), and the separation of the Locce Nord Glacier (2018–2021). These changes, combined with a surge event from 1999 to 2002, have significantly altered the glacier’s dynamics and accelerated its retreat. Manual mapping was accurate in areas with scarce debris cover but faced challenges in debris-covered areas due to limited image resolution, snow cover, and debris characteristics. Despite these difficulties, we observed that the glacier remained stable until the late 1990s, when it began a rapid retreat. This recent retreat is consistent with rates observed in the early 20th century. The study highlights the importance of surface mapping to quantify the areal loss and to understand broader changes in glacier structure and mass flow that drive its retreat. Our results provide key data for future studies and highlight the need for continued monitoring of Alpine glaciers in the context of accelerating climate change.

Stefano Valzasina

Long-term (1951–2023) surface changes of the Belvedere Glacier observed through aerial and UAV orthophotos

通过航空和无人机正射影像观测到的贝维德雷冰川1951-2023年长期表面变化

Understanding of the formation and evolution of supraglacial lakes in high mountain regions is crucial for accurately assessing their impact on glacier behaviour, hydrology, and potential hazards such as outburst floods. This article examines the annual spatio-temporal evolution of supraglacial lakes on the Belvedere Glacier between 2000 and 2023. Very high-resolution aerial photography and high-resolution satellite imagery were used to identify supraglacial lakes as small as 37 m2 and narrow bands of ice-marginal lakes. The mapping revealed that the well-known Lake Effimero is stable in its position but unstable in size, with variations from 428 m2 to 99.7 × 103 m2. These changes are potentially due to snowmelt or glacier dynamics. In 2002, the area of Effimero was at its largest extent observed during the study period. The first appearance of the Lake Effimero was revelated by the Landsat imagery on 27 May 2001, which differed from the findings of other studies. New lakes were observed to form in a manner independent of Effimero formation, exhibiting a consistent annual occurrence with nearly linear area growth up to 9.7 × 103 m2 in 2023. The formation of the lakes is shown to be influenced by their morphological characteristics.

Samo Rusnák

Aayushi Pandey

Interannual spatio-temporal evolution of the supraglacial lakes on the Belvedere Glacier between 2000 and 2023

2000年至2023年间贝尔维德雷冰川冰面湖的年际时空演变

Abbreviation	Acta. Univ. Carol. Geogr.
Journal Impact	0.63
Quartiles(Global)	GEOGRAPHY(Q3)

ISSN	0300-5402, 2336-1980
h-index	17

Publication Information	Publisher: Karolinum - Nakladatelstvi Univerzity Karlovy，Publishing cycle: ，Journal Type: journal，Open Access Journals: Yes
Basic data	Year of publication: 1975，Proportion of original research papers: 100.00%，Self Citation Rate:0.00%， Gold OA Rate: 100.00%
Average review cycle	网友分享经验：20 Weeks

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geographica

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Preface

The Belvedere Glacier elevation change between 1951 and 2023

Dynamics and related hazards of the Belvedere Glacier in the Italian Alps: a review

Application of the Schmidt hammer in the relative-age dating of rockfall deposits in the Belvedere Glacier Valley

Long-term (1951–2023) surface changes of the Belvedere Glacier observed through aerial and UAV orthophotos

Preface

The Belvedere Glacier elevation change between 1951 and 2023

Interannual spatio-temporal evolution of the supraglacial lakes on the Belvedere Glacier between 2000 and 2023

Long-term (1951–2023) surface changes of the Belvedere Glacier observed through aerial and UAV orthophotos

Application of the Schmidt hammer in the relative-age dating of rockfall deposits in the Belvedere Glacier Valley