Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo
Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo
Suretta Sud Glacier - Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo
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mass balance<br />
Alpe <strong>Sud</strong> <strong>Glacier</strong> at Monte Sobretta (Ortles - Cevedale)<br />
10 years of mass balance and monthly snow cover investigations<br />
Just below the Monte Sobretta peak, on the small Alpe <strong>Sud</strong> <strong>Glacier</strong>, the Bormio Snow - Meteorological<br />
Centre operators, coordinated by SGL, have been conducting monthly snow investigations<br />
and evaluation of the ice thickness since October 1997. The readings are taken at 2 stakes<br />
located at 3170 m and 3220 m a.s.l. Having reached 10 years of uninterrupted investigations, it<br />
is now possible to produce some additional summary data (stake 2, at 3170 m a.s.l.). The average<br />
accumulation value was + 0,97 m w.e., the average ablation value - 2,24 m w.e., and the<br />
net mass balance - 1,46 m w.e. The total loss from 1997/1998 to 2007/2008 has reached - 16,0<br />
m w.e.<br />
Fig. 8: Alpe <strong>Sud</strong> <strong>Glacier</strong> at Monte Sobretta: the specific mass balance at stake 2 (3170 m a.s.l.) in m w.e. The<br />
2008 year saw a net balance of – 1,3 m w.e.; in the historical series, only the 2000/2001 season has seen a<br />
positive net balance, thanks to the huge accumulation. The most negative ablation balance (-3,3 m w.e.) occurred<br />
in the 2002/2003 season, while the worst net balance was reached in the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006<br />
seasons. ARPA Lombardy data (Bormio Snow-Meteorological Centre).<br />
- 60 -<br />
Fig. 7: The small Alpe <strong>Sud</strong><br />
<strong>Glacier</strong> at Monte Sobretta<br />
has been hosting the main<br />
SGL snow site since 1997.<br />
In the picture taken on<br />
August 30, 2008, the glacier<br />
is once again without<br />
residual snow, a common<br />
sight since 2001 (photo by<br />
P. Pagliardi).