Climate change and cryosphere in high mountains: preliminary results of field monitoring at Capanna Margherita hut, Punta Gnifetti (Monte Rosa, Pennine Alps)

In the last decades, climate change effects are spreading on cryosphere of mid latitude high mountains, affecting all environmental and territorial components. The Italian Alpine Club (CAI) is a privileged institution for observing climate change effects on cryosphere in high mountains, as well as for supporting scientists to proper assessment studies of related natural hazards, exposure, vulnerability effects, particularly those around alpine refuges and access routes. CAI has started a cooperative research with University of Torino (UniTO), Politecnico of Milano (PoliMI) and IMAGEO srl, focused in deglaciation, permafrost degradation and slope instabilities at the Punta Gnifetti peak (“Signal Kuppe, 4554 m a.s.l.), Monte Rosa (Pennine Alps, border between Italy and Switzerland). Here is the Margherita Hut, the highest refuge in Europe and a physical-meteorological observatory, as well as home to medical and scientific UniTO laboratories.

Activities started on May 2019 with a retrospective collection and interpretation of photos and archival news on the Punta Gnifetti environment. Multi-temporal geomorphological settings are compared to meteorological historical series for creating a morphoclimatic "timeline".

Instrumental monitoring and in situ field work began on August 2019, including: 1) determination of the ice thickness of the glacial cover by using georadar; 2) characterization of the geomechanical structure of the rock mass by means of terrestrial laser scanner; 3) establishment of a topographical reference point and georeferencing of all measuring points; 4) collection of litho-structural and geomorphological data for a reference geological model of the Punta Gnifetti; 5) photogrammetric helicopter flight for the 3D reconstruction of the site; 6) direct measurements of internal areas in order to obtain as-built building plans; 7) assessment of building services.

Preliminary results are presented here, together with directions for an effective data collection to be continued on 2020, including comparative analyses designated to: a) identify the relevant geomechanical features for rock mass stability; b) verify presence of ice inside fractures; c) reconstruct the ice-covered morphology of the Punta Gnifetti peak.