EGU21-14842, updated on 02 Jul 2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14842
EGU General Assembly 2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Evolution of the debris-covered Miage Glacier

Anne Stefaniak1, Ben Robson2, Simon Cook3, Ben Clutterbuck1, Nicholas Midgley1, and Jillian Labadz1
Anne Stefaniak et al.
  • 1Nottingham Trent University, ARES, Nottingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain – England, Scotland, Wales (anne.stefaniak@ntu.ac.uk)
  • 2University of Bergen, Department of Geography, Bergen, Norway
  • 3University of Dundee, Geography and Environmental Science, School of Social Sciences, Dundee, United Kingdom of Great Britain

Glaciers in high-mountain regions typically exhibit a debris cover that moderates their response to climatic change. Here we present an integrated study that integrates long-term observations of debris-covered glacier mass balance, velocity, surface debris evolution and geomorphological changes (such as ponds and ice cliffs) of Miage Glacier, Italian Alps over the period 1952 – 2018. Analysis of the evolution of Miage Glacier highlighted a reduction in glacier activity associated with a period of sustained negative mass balance (-0.86 ± 0.27 metres per year water equivalent [m w.e. a-1]) and a substantial reduction in surface velocity (-46%). Ice mass loss of Miage Glacier was quantified using satellite imagery and derived digital elevation models (DEMs) applying the geodetic approach over a 28-year time period, 1990 – 2018. Temporal analysis highlighted an increase in surface lowering rates from 2012 – 2018. Further, the increase in debris-cover extent, supraglacial ponds and ice cliffs was evident since the 1990s. Supraglacial ponds and ice cliffs accounted for up to 8 times the magnitude of the average glacier surface lowering, whilst only covering 1.2 – 1.5% of the glacier area.

Ground-based photogrammetry and bathymetry surveys undertaken in 2017 and 2018 indicated the total volume of water storage at Miage Glacier increased by 46%, however, intermittent drainage events suggest this is highly variable over both seasonal and annual timescales. All ice cliffs underwent substantial vertical retreat upto a maximum rate of -8.15 ma-1 resulting in ice loss of 39,569 m3. Thus, ice loss from supraglacial ponds and ice cliffs are important to account for and have the potential to substantially impact future glacier evolution.

How to cite: Stefaniak, A., Robson, B., Cook, S., Clutterbuck, B., Midgley, N., and Labadz, J.: Evolution of the debris-covered Miage Glacier, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-14842, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14842, 2021.