Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo
Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo
Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo
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Editorial<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
As previously announced, Terra Glacialis has changed its format.<br />
For the better or the worse, over the last decade the dissemination of scientific reports<br />
has witnessed many changes, mostly driven by Internet, with further developments<br />
probably forthcoming.<br />
At the same time, other transformations as sudden as the previous ones have affected<br />
the objects of our studies: the glaciers.<br />
As a consequence, after 11 years we have been forced to partially reconsider scope,<br />
contents and timing of this magazine.<br />
More in detail, the fast evolution (actually a dramatic involution) of the glacialism of<br />
the Central Alps and the consequent and growing attention it demands are calling for<br />
a faster turnaround between the monitoring/data collection phase, on the one hand,<br />
and their analysis/divulgation among the scientific community, local authorities and<br />
ever growing ranks of interested and passionate people, on the other hand.<br />
Economic and organizational reasons internal to SGL, the editor of TG, have<br />
somehow dictated our choices: the result is the magazine the readers have in their<br />
hands.<br />
Having done away with monographs, articles addressing methodologies, monitoring<br />
reports or other miscellanea in favour of a faster and more effective report of meteorological,<br />
snow and glaciers data this TG is all about the last hydrological year.<br />
While we definitely hope that this will foster a quicker evaluation of the events, we<br />
are aiming at further timing improvements in the near future.<br />
The English/Italian version has disappeared, but only apparently. Actually, rather<br />
than forgoing the export of its contents, Terra Glacialis is splitting up, with a parallel<br />
edition in the “Language of Science” available in digital format only: the advantages<br />
of this choice are evident in terms of ecologic and economic returns, improved timing<br />
and faster international distribution.<br />
More in detail, with the exception of the monitoring data, we still plan to maintain all<br />
the contents the reader was used to find, sometimes in a seemingly disorganized<br />
layout, within the previous Terra Glacialis. This new Terra Glacialis will have a different<br />
format, possibly a less rigid publication timing but a more organic and coherent<br />
content.<br />
In practice, a series of monographic issues will be dedicated to specific topics, in the<br />
wake of our 2008 publication “Ghiacciai montani e cambiamenti climatici nell’ultimo<br />
secolo” (Mountain glaciers and climate changes in the last century). Several subjects<br />
are being evaluated already.<br />
To prove our determination, three TG’s, including this one, have been published in<br />
the last nine months: a remarkable effort for our organization. Still, more issues and<br />
more innovations are being considered.<br />
Back to our TG, the 2007-08 hydrological year has left us, once more, with a regional<br />
glacialism in its worst condition ever, though showing some signs of a slow-<br />
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