Articles | Volume 18, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2103-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2103-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Surface heat fluxes at coarse blocky Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps)
Dominik Amschwand
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Martin Scherler
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
deceased, 4 June 2022
Martin Hoelzle
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Bernhard Krummenacher
GEOTEST AG, Zollikofen/Bern, Switzerland
Anna Haberkorn
GEOTEST AG, Zollikofen/Bern, Switzerland
Christian Kienholz
GEOTEST AG, Zollikofen/Bern, Switzerland
Hansueli Gubler
Alpug GmbH, Davos, Switzerland
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Cited
20 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Sub-surface processes and heat fluxes at coarse blocky Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): seasonal ice and convective cooling render rock glaciers climate-robust D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-365-2025
- Lingering beneath crumbling walls: The origin of Holocene rock glaciers R. Anderson & S. Anderson https://doi.org/10.1130/G53180.1
- Seasonal and diurnal freeze–thaw dynamics of a rock glacier and their impacts on mixing and solute transport C. Louis et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1505-2025
- Investigating seasonal and multi-decadal water/ice storage changes in the Murtèl rock glacier using time-lapse gravimetry L. Halloran & D. Amschwand https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3397-2025
- Seasonal ice storage changes and meltwater generation at Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): estimates from measurements and energy budgets in the coarse blocky active layer D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2219-2025
- Spectral induced polarization survey for the estimation of hydrogeological parameters in an active rock glacier C. Moser et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-143-2025
- Thermal diffusivity of mountain permafrost derived from borehole temperature data in the Swiss Alps S. Weber et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6727-2025
- Spring-water temperature suggests widespread occurrence of Alpine permafrost in pseudo-relict rock glaciers L. Carturan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5713-2024
- Characterizing ground ice content and origin to better understand the seasonal surface dynamics of the Gruben rock glacier and the adjacent Gruben debris-covered glacier (southern Swiss Alps) J. Wee et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5939-2024
- The Sun is setting for the historic Sunlight Glacier, Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming, USA T. Meng et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2026.10041
- Geomorphological responses of periglacial environments to large scale mining activity in the Central Andes of Chile C. Chédécal et al. https://doi.org/10.4000/14868
- Monitoring of thermal conditions and snow dynamics at periglacial block accumulations in a low mountain range in central Germany T. Wiegand & C. Kneisel https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5998
- Glacier induced different changing patterns of temperature and precipitation on glacial regions compared with nonglacial regions over Tibetan Plateau J. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108576
- Knowledge Base, Thematic Structure, and Evolutionary Trends in Global Rock Glacier Research: A Bibliometric and Science Mapping Analysis Q. Du et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16115567
- Global evidence that cold rocky landforms support icy springs in warming mountains S. Brighenti et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adf07f
- Combining facts and physics-based concepts with objective treatment of landsystem relations for documenting viscous flow features (rock glaciers) in mountain permafrost: examples from Nuristan/Hindu Kush, Galena Creek (Absaroka Mountains) and Gruben (Swiss Alps) W. Haeberli et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353676.2025.2452760
- The coarse-grained active layer as a thermal shield: Mechanisms of ice-debris complexes preservation at a retreating glacier margin in the Tianshan Mountains, China Y. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2026.105059
- Slow-moving rock glaciers in marginal periglacial environment of Southern Carpathians A. Onaca et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-981-2025
- Improved permafrost modelling in mountain environments by including air convection in a hydrological model G. Zegers et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4091-2025
- Multi-annual and seasonal patterns of Murtèl rock glacier borehole deformation, environmental controls and implications for kinematic monitoring G. Saibene et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3511-2026
20 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Sub-surface processes and heat fluxes at coarse blocky Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): seasonal ice and convective cooling render rock glaciers climate-robust D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-365-2025
- Lingering beneath crumbling walls: The origin of Holocene rock glaciers R. Anderson & S. Anderson https://doi.org/10.1130/G53180.1
- Seasonal and diurnal freeze–thaw dynamics of a rock glacier and their impacts on mixing and solute transport C. Louis et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1505-2025
- Investigating seasonal and multi-decadal water/ice storage changes in the Murtèl rock glacier using time-lapse gravimetry L. Halloran & D. Amschwand https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3397-2025
- Seasonal ice storage changes and meltwater generation at Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): estimates from measurements and energy budgets in the coarse blocky active layer D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2219-2025
- Spectral induced polarization survey for the estimation of hydrogeological parameters in an active rock glacier C. Moser et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-143-2025
- Thermal diffusivity of mountain permafrost derived from borehole temperature data in the Swiss Alps S. Weber et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6727-2025
- Spring-water temperature suggests widespread occurrence of Alpine permafrost in pseudo-relict rock glaciers L. Carturan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5713-2024
- Characterizing ground ice content and origin to better understand the seasonal surface dynamics of the Gruben rock glacier and the adjacent Gruben debris-covered glacier (southern Swiss Alps) J. Wee et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5939-2024
- The Sun is setting for the historic Sunlight Glacier, Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming, USA T. Meng et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2026.10041
- Geomorphological responses of periglacial environments to large scale mining activity in the Central Andes of Chile C. Chédécal et al. https://doi.org/10.4000/14868
- Monitoring of thermal conditions and snow dynamics at periglacial block accumulations in a low mountain range in central Germany T. Wiegand & C. Kneisel https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5998
- Glacier induced different changing patterns of temperature and precipitation on glacial regions compared with nonglacial regions over Tibetan Plateau J. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108576
- Knowledge Base, Thematic Structure, and Evolutionary Trends in Global Rock Glacier Research: A Bibliometric and Science Mapping Analysis Q. Du et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16115567
- Global evidence that cold rocky landforms support icy springs in warming mountains S. Brighenti et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adf07f
- Combining facts and physics-based concepts with objective treatment of landsystem relations for documenting viscous flow features (rock glaciers) in mountain permafrost: examples from Nuristan/Hindu Kush, Galena Creek (Absaroka Mountains) and Gruben (Swiss Alps) W. Haeberli et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353676.2025.2452760
- The coarse-grained active layer as a thermal shield: Mechanisms of ice-debris complexes preservation at a retreating glacier margin in the Tianshan Mountains, China Y. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2026.105059
- Slow-moving rock glaciers in marginal periglacial environment of Southern Carpathians A. Onaca et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-981-2025
- Improved permafrost modelling in mountain environments by including air convection in a hydrological model G. Zegers et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4091-2025
- Multi-annual and seasonal patterns of Murtèl rock glacier borehole deformation, environmental controls and implications for kinematic monitoring G. Saibene et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3511-2026
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 21 Jul 2026
Short summary
Rock glaciers are coarse-debris permafrost landforms that are comparatively climate resilient. We estimate the surface energy balance of rock glacier Murtèl (Swiss Alps) based on a large surface and sub-surface sensor array. During the thaw seasons 2021 and 2022, 90 % of the net radiation was exported via turbulent heat fluxes and only 10 % was transmitted towards the ground ice table. However, early snowmelt and droughts make these permafrost landforms vulnerable to climate warming.
Rock glaciers are coarse-debris permafrost landforms that are comparatively climate resilient....