Alpine Glaciers: Going, Going, Gone!

European Alpine glacial cover will decrease by 80 percent if summer temperatures increase by 5 degrees Fahrenheit, say scientists from the University of Zurich, and will disappear completely by 2100 if temperatures reach 9 degrees Fahrenheit. These alarming predictions, based on numerical modeling experiments, are due to be published in the July 15th edition ofGeophysical Research Letters.

Scientists view glaciers as miners regard the proverbial canary in a mineshaft, as they can disclose intimate details of climate change. Glaciers are observed closely for signs of reduced area and dramatic tongue retreats, as these represent unambiguous signs of atmospheric warming. Based on these indicators, researchers in Zurich are now making the staggering claim that only the largest of glaciers, such as the Great Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland, or those on the highest of peaks would survive into the 22nd century.

Glaciologist Michael Zemp and his colleagues at the University of Zurich, back these claims with some very sobering statistics.

They show that during the 70s, approximately 5,150 Alpine glaciers covered 1,123 square miles in total, which represented a 35 percent loss of glacial ice since 1850. Making the same calculations today, the team showed that there has been a 50 percent total glacial ice loss from 1850 to the present; which culminated in a volume loss of 5 – 10 percent of ice during the uncharacteristically warm summer of 2003. “Our study shows that under such scenarios, the majority of Alpine glaciers might disappear within the coming decades,” says Zemp, lead author of the study.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) adds weight to the Zurich team’s findings, calculating that a 2 to 9 degree increase in summer air temperatures by the end of this century is a completely plausible scenario. The Zurich team claims that for every 2 degree Fahrenheit rise in mean summer temperature, at least a 25 percent increase in precipitation is needed to offset further glacial loss. “In densely populated high mountain areas such as the European Alps, one should start immediately to consider the consequences of such extreme glacier wasting on the hydrological cycles, water management, tourism, and natural hazards,” warns Zemp.

Source: American Geophysical Union

, ,

Comments are closed.

c1900s Yosemite Valley, CA Glacier Point Nevada Falls Litho Photo Stereo Card V7 picture

c1900s Yosemite Valley, CA Glacier Point Nevada Falls Litho Photo Stereo Card V7

$14.50



c1900s Norway Glacier Birds Eye Real Photo Stereo Card Graves Antique V14 picture

c1900s Norway Glacier Birds Eye Real Photo Stereo Card Graves Antique V14

$16.50



Starbucks Winter Keychain Cold Cup Studded Glacier Blue Gradient Ombre Bling  picture

Starbucks Winter Keychain Cold Cup Studded Glacier Blue Gradient Ombre Bling 

$14.99



🥤Starbucks 2023 Glacier Blue Ombre GRADIENT Studded Tumbler Cold Cup 24 oz NEW picture

🥤Starbucks 2023 Glacier Blue Ombre GRADIENT Studded Tumbler Cold Cup 24 oz NEW

$39.99



2 Glacier, British Columbia, Canada postcards by S. H. Baker c.1910 picture

2 Glacier, British Columbia, Canada postcards by S. H. Baker c.1910

$12.00



PICK YOUR OWN VIEW MASTER REEL - Single View-Master Reel by Number picture

PICK YOUR OWN VIEW MASTER REEL - Single View-Master Reel by Number

$4.00



Glacier National Park Sticker Montana National Park Decal  picture

Glacier National Park Sticker Montana National Park Decal

$3.19



GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA "GREETINGS FROM" LARGE LETTER LINEN POSTCARD

$5.95



1910s Birds Eye Glacier National Park? RPPC Scenic Mountain Lake Real Photo A143 picture

1910s Birds Eye Glacier National Park? RPPC Scenic Mountain Lake Real Photo A143

$22.50



6 Blackfeet Indians of Glacier National Park Winold Reiss Prints 40’s GNRailway picture

6 Blackfeet Indians of Glacier National Park Winold Reiss Prints 40’s GNRailway

$39.00



Powered by WordPress. Designed by WooThemes