Chapter 9
Glaciological Studies at Pasterze Glacier
(Austria) Based on Aerial Photographs
Viktor Kaufmann, Andreas Kellerer-Pirklbauer, Gerhard Karl Lieb,
Heinz Slupetzky, and Michael Avian
Abstract This chapter describes and analyses glacier recession observed at
Pasterze Glacier, Hohe Tauern Range, Austria, for the time period 2003–2009.
Pasterze Glacier is the largest glacier of the entire Eastern Alps, and it is highly
indicative of ongoing glacier melt in the Alps. We evaluated three glacier stages
(2003, 2006 and 2009) and the glaciological changes between them. The quantitative analysis is based on aerial surveys carried out during the summer of these years.
The photogrammetric workflow provided high resolution datasets, such as digital
elevation models and orthophotos of each stage. We evaluated the extent, surface
elevation, flow velocity field, supraglacial debris cover, and geomorphological
changes at the glacier surface and the adjacent paraglacial environment. The
main numerical results can be summarized as follows: the glacier covered
17.3 Æ 0.1 km
2 in 2009, the mean surface elevation change was À1.31 Æ 0.07 m
a
À1 for the period 2003–2009, the glacier surface flow velocity in two test areas at
the glacier tongue decelerated from 2003–2006 to 2006–2009 (À4 % and À31 %),
and the debris cover of the glacier tongue increased from 63 % (2003) to 72 %
(2009). We conclude that Pasterze Glacier is far from equilibrium and that its
glacier tongue will turn into a large dead ice body in the near future.
V. Kaufmann (*)
Institute of Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry, Graz University of Technology,
Steyrergasse 30, 8010 Graz, Austria
e-mail: viktor.kaufmann@tugraz.at
A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer • G.K. Lieb
Department of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz,
Heinrichstraße 36, 8010 Graz, Austria
e-mail: andreas.kellerer@uni-graz.at; gerhard.lieb@uni-graz.at
H. Slupetzky
Department of Geography and Geology, University of Salzburg,
Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5101 Bergheim, Austria
e-mail: heinz.slupetzky@sbg.ac.at
M. Avian
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 26, 8010 Graz, Austria
e-mail: michael.avian@uni-graz.at
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015
J. Li, X. Yang (eds.), Monitoring and Modeling of Global Changes:
A Geomatics Perspective, Springer Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-9813-6_9
173
Glaciological Studies at Pasterze Glacier
(Austria) Based on Aerial Photographs
Viktor Kaufmann, Andreas Kellerer-Pirklbauer, Gerhard Karl Lieb,
Heinz Slupetzky, and Michael Avian
Abstract This chapter describes and analyses glacier recession observed at
Pasterze Glacier, Hohe Tauern Range, Austria, for the time period 2003–2009.
Pasterze Glacier is the largest glacier of the entire Eastern Alps, and it is highly
indicative of ongoing glacier melt in the Alps. We evaluated three glacier stages
(2003, 2006 and 2009) and the glaciological changes between them. The quantitative analysis is based on aerial surveys carried out during the summer of these years.
The photogrammetric workflow provided high resolution datasets, such as digital
elevation models and orthophotos of each stage. We evaluated the extent, surface
elevation, flow velocity field, supraglacial debris cover, and geomorphological
changes at the glacier surface and the adjacent paraglacial environment. The
main numerical results can be summarized as follows: the glacier covered
17.3 Æ 0.1 km
2 in 2009, the mean surface elevation change was À1.31 Æ 0.07 m
a
À1 for the period 2003–2009, the glacier surface flow velocity in two test areas at
the glacier tongue decelerated from 2003–2006 to 2006–2009 (À4 % and À31 %),
and the debris cover of the glacier tongue increased from 63 % (2003) to 72 %
(2009). We conclude that Pasterze Glacier is far from equilibrium and that its
glacier tongue will turn into a large dead ice body in the near future.
V. Kaufmann (*)
Institute of Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry, Graz University of Technology,
Steyrergasse 30, 8010 Graz, Austria
e-mail: viktor.kaufmann@tugraz.at
A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer • G.K. Lieb
Department of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz,
Heinrichstraße 36, 8010 Graz, Austria
e-mail: andreas.kellerer@uni-graz.at; gerhard.lieb@uni-graz.at
H. Slupetzky
Department of Geography and Geology, University of Salzburg,
Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5101 Bergheim, Austria
e-mail: heinz.slupetzky@sbg.ac.at
M. Avian
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 26, 8010 Graz, Austria
e-mail: michael.avian@uni-graz.at
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015
J. Li, X. Yang (eds.), Monitoring and Modeling of Global Changes:
A Geomatics Perspective, Springer Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-9813-6_9
173