Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo

Tab.1: Data interpolation show 2008 volumes to be greater than 2007 ones, both on sheer volume
of snow and water equivalent content, thanks to the increased density. The water stored in
the 2008 snow cover was almost 600,000 m³ . The 2008 specific accumulation reached 3.04
m w.e. while the figure for 2007 was 1.20 m w.e.. Data have been derived from interpolation
through kriging and minimum curvature methods.
Lupo Glacier accumulation balance Units 2007 2008
Reference area of the glacier (2006) m² 197.113
Volume of the snow cover m³ 460.498 1.051.548
Average density of snow cover 0,512 0,569
Water stored in the snow m³ 235.775 598.331
Specific accumulation balance (meters of water
equivalent)
Fig. 6: October 5, 2008 (Photo by
V. Sciaresa) The acquisition of
data by means of the differential
GPS.
- 59 -
m w.e. 1,20 3,04
Fig. 5: The specific balance (accumulation,
ablation and net) at the
two stakes, located at mid-glacier
in an area with direct accumulation
only. Thanks to a much better accumulation,
2008 showed a net balance
less negative than 2007. The
figure of the positive degrees day at
the Bivacco Corti station, indicated
very similar values for the 2007
(752 DD >0 °C) and 2008 (752 DD
>0 °C) ablation seasons. The same
can be said of the summer ablation
values (snow + ice melted during
the summer months)
Operators involved in 2007 and 2008 surveys at Lupo Glacier: A. Amato,D. Bavera, S. D’Adda,
P. Dego, M. Dusatti, M. Gianatti, D. Gotti, E. Gotti, A. Gusmeroli, G. M. Lucini, F. Mocci,
M. Pagni, D. Perego, R. Scotti, V. Sciaresa, D. Sironi, A. Toffaletti, S. Vigani and F. Villa.
mass balance