Articles | Volume 19, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2983-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2983-2025
Research article
 | 
13 Aug 2025
Research article |  | 13 Aug 2025

Modelling cold firn evolution at Colle Gnifetti, Swiss/Italian Alps

Marcus Gastaldello, Enrico Mattea, Martin Hoelzle, and Horst Machguth

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Cited articles

Alean, J., Haeberli, W., and Schädler, B.: Snow accumulation, firn temperature and solar radiation in the area of the Colle Gnifetti core drilling site (Monte Rosa, Swiss Alps): Distribution patterns and interrelationships, Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie, 19, 131–147, 1983. a
Anderson, E. A.: A point energy and mass balance model of a snow cover, Technical Report, National Weather Service (NWS), United States, https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/6392/noaa_6392_DS1.pdf (last access: 11 September 2023), 1976. a
ARPA Piemonte: (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale) Piedmonte, Meteorological and hydrological data request, ARPA Piemonte [data set], https://www.arpa.piemonte.it/scheda-informativa/richieste-dati (last access: 5 January 2024), 2024. a, b, c, d
Arthern, R., Vaughan, D., Rankin, A., Mulvaney, R., and Thomas, E.: In situ measurements of Antarctic snow compaction compared with predictions of models, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F03011, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001306, 2010. a
Auer, I., Böhm, R., and Schöner, W.: Final report of EU project ALPCLIM. Chapter 3: Instrumental climate., Tech. Rep., Vienna: Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, http://www.zamg.ac.at/histalp/download/abstract/Auer-etal-2001c-F.pdf (last access: 20 August 2024), 2001. a
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Inside the highest glaciers of the Alps lies an invaluable archive of data revealing the Earth's historic climate. However, as the atmosphere warms due to climate change, so does the glaciers' internal temperature, threatening the future longevity of these records. Using our customised Python model, validated by on-site measurements, we show how a doubling in surface melt has caused a warming of 1.5 °C in the past 21 years and explore the challenges of modelling in complex mountainous terrain.
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