Articles | Volume 10, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-695-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-695-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Mar 2016
Research article |
| 18 Mar 2016
Analysis of the mass balance time series of glaciers in the Italian Alps
Luca Carturan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, University of
Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, Padova, Italy
Comitato Glaciologico Italiano, Corso Massimo d'Azeglio 42, 10125,
Torino, Italy
Carlo Baroni
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria
53, 56126, Pisa, Italy
IGG-CNR, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
Comitato Glaciologico Italiano, Corso Massimo d'Azeglio 42, 10125,
Torino, Italy
Michele Brunetti
ISAC–CNR, Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy
Alberto Carton
Dipartimento di Geoscienze, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6,
35131, Padova, Italy
Comitato Glaciologico Italiano, Corso Massimo d'Azeglio 42, 10125,
Torino, Italy
Giancarlo Dalla Fontana
Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, University of
Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, Padova, Italy
Comitato Glaciologico Italiano, Corso Massimo d'Azeglio 42, 10125,
Torino, Italy
Maria Cristina Salvatore
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria
53, 56126, Pisa, Italy
Comitato Glaciologico Italiano, Corso Massimo d'Azeglio 42, 10125,
Torino, Italy
Thomas Zanoner
Dipartimento di Geoscienze, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6,
35131, Padova, Italy
Comitato Glaciologico Italiano, Corso Massimo d'Azeglio 42, 10125,
Torino, Italy
CNR-IRPI, Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135, Torino, Italy
Giulia Zuecco
Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, University of
Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, Padova, Italy
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24 citations as recorded by crossref.
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- Common climatic signal from glaciers in the European Alps over the last 50 years C. Vincent et al. 10.1002/2016GL072094
- Topographic control of glacier changes since the end of the Little Ice Age in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, Colombia J. López-Moreno et al. 10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102803
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- Global warning: challenges, threats and opportunities for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in high altitude habitats M. Gobbi 10.17109/AZH.66.Suppl.5.2020
- Hydropower Potential in the Alps under Climate Change Scenarios. The Chavonne Plant, Val D’Aosta T. Duratorre et al. 10.3390/w12072011
- Climatology of snow depth and water equivalent measurements in the Italian Alps (1967–2020) R. Ranzi et al. 10.5194/hess-28-2555-2024
- Thickness and geodetic mass balance changes for the Triglav Glacier (southeastern Alps) from 1952 to 2016 M. Triglav Čekada & M. Zorn 10.3986/AGS.7673
- Glacier mass-balance and length variation observed in China during the periods 1959–2015 and 1930–2014 Y. Che et al. 10.1016/j.quaint.2017.07.003
- Long-term trend of snow water equivalent in the Italian Alps N. Colombo et al. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128532
- Local- and Regional-Scale Forcing of Glacier Mass Balance Changes in the Swiss Alps S. Gharehchahi et al. 10.3390/rs13101949
- Glacier shrinkage and slope processes create habitat at high elevation and microrefugia across treeline for alpine plants during warm stages R. Gentili et al. 10.1016/j.catena.2020.104626
- European heat waves 2022: contribution to extreme glacier melt in Switzerland inferred from automated ablation readings A. Cremona et al. 10.5194/tc-17-1895-2023
- Energy and glacier mass balance of Fürkeleferner, Italy: past, present, and future D. Krampe et al. 10.3389/feart.2022.814027
- Use of ablation-season albedo as an indicator of annual mass balance of four glaciers in the Tien Shan X. Yue et al. 10.3389/feart.2023.974739
- Replacing monitored glaciers undergoing extinction: a new measurement series on La Mare Glacier (Ortles-Cevedale, Italy) L. CARTURAN 10.1017/jog.2016.107
- Long-term hydrological behavior of an Alpine glacier M. Zanoni et al. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130316
- A Pinus cembra L. tree-ring record for late spring to late summer temperature in the Rhaetian Alps, Italy R. Cerrato et al. 10.1016/j.dendro.2018.10.010
- Double response of glaciers in the Upper Peio Valley (Rhaetian Alps, Italy) to the Younger Dryas climatic deterioration C. Baroni et al. 10.1111/bor.12284
- Decadal Region-Wide and Glacier-Wide Mass Balances Derived from Multi-Temporal ASTER Satellite Digital Elevation Models. Validation over the Mont-Blanc Area E. Berthier et al. 10.3389/feart.2016.00063
23 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Hydroelectric power generation in an Alpine basin: future water-energy scenarios in a run-of-the-river plant M. Bongio et al. 10.1016/j.advwatres.2016.05.017
- Deconstructing human-shaped treelines: Microsite topography and distance to seed source control Pinus nigra colonization of treeless areas in the Italian Apennines A. Vitali et al. 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.10.004
- The European mountain cryosphere: a review of its current state, trends, and future challenges M. Beniston et al. 10.5194/tc-12-759-2018
- The Aneto glacier's (Central Pyrenees) evolution from 1981 to 2022: ice loss observed from historic aerial image photogrammetry and remote sensing techniques I. Vidaller et al. 10.5194/tc-17-3177-2023
- More than a century of direct glacier mass-balance observations on Claridenfirn, Switzerland M. Huss et al. 10.1017/jog.2021.22
- Common climatic signal from glaciers in the European Alps over the last 50 years C. Vincent et al. 10.1002/2016GL072094
- Topographic control of glacier changes since the end of the Little Ice Age in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, Colombia J. López-Moreno et al. 10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102803
- Pinus cembra L. tree-ring data as a proxy for summer mass-balance variability of the Careser Glacier (Italian Rhaetian Alps) R. Cerrato et al. 10.1017/jog.2020.40
- Global warning: challenges, threats and opportunities for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in high altitude habitats M. Gobbi 10.17109/AZH.66.Suppl.5.2020
- Hydropower Potential in the Alps under Climate Change Scenarios. The Chavonne Plant, Val D’Aosta T. Duratorre et al. 10.3390/w12072011
- Climatology of snow depth and water equivalent measurements in the Italian Alps (1967–2020) R. Ranzi et al. 10.5194/hess-28-2555-2024
- Thickness and geodetic mass balance changes for the Triglav Glacier (southeastern Alps) from 1952 to 2016 M. Triglav Čekada & M. Zorn 10.3986/AGS.7673
- Glacier mass-balance and length variation observed in China during the periods 1959–2015 and 1930–2014 Y. Che et al. 10.1016/j.quaint.2017.07.003
- Long-term trend of snow water equivalent in the Italian Alps N. Colombo et al. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128532
- Local- and Regional-Scale Forcing of Glacier Mass Balance Changes in the Swiss Alps S. Gharehchahi et al. 10.3390/rs13101949
- Glacier shrinkage and slope processes create habitat at high elevation and microrefugia across treeline for alpine plants during warm stages R. Gentili et al. 10.1016/j.catena.2020.104626
- European heat waves 2022: contribution to extreme glacier melt in Switzerland inferred from automated ablation readings A. Cremona et al. 10.5194/tc-17-1895-2023
- Energy and glacier mass balance of Fürkeleferner, Italy: past, present, and future D. Krampe et al. 10.3389/feart.2022.814027
- Use of ablation-season albedo as an indicator of annual mass balance of four glaciers in the Tien Shan X. Yue et al. 10.3389/feart.2023.974739
- Replacing monitored glaciers undergoing extinction: a new measurement series on La Mare Glacier (Ortles-Cevedale, Italy) L. CARTURAN 10.1017/jog.2016.107
- Long-term hydrological behavior of an Alpine glacier M. Zanoni et al. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130316
- A Pinus cembra L. tree-ring record for late spring to late summer temperature in the Rhaetian Alps, Italy R. Cerrato et al. 10.1016/j.dendro.2018.10.010
- Double response of glaciers in the Upper Peio Valley (Rhaetian Alps, Italy) to the Younger Dryas climatic deterioration C. Baroni et al. 10.1111/bor.12284
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Latest update: 19 Jul 2025
Short summary
This work analyses the longer mass balance series of Italian glaciers. All glaciers experienced mass loss in the observation period, with increasing mass loss rates mainly due to increased ablation during longer and warmer ablation seasons. Low-altitude glaciers with low range of elevation are more out of balance than the higher, larger and steeper glaciers, which maintain accumulation areas. Because most of the monitored glaciers are at risk of extinction, they require a soon replacement.
This work analyses the longer mass balance series of Italian glaciers. All glaciers experienced...
