Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-5453-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-20-5453-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
23 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 23 Sep 2026
| 23 Sep 2026
Polythermal conditions in small glaciers in the Swiss Alps
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Mylène Jacquemart
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Matthias Huss
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Ilaria Santin
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Gabriela Clara Racz
Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Christophe Ogier
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Saskia Gindraux
Centre de recherche sur l'environnement alpin (CREALP), Sion, Switzerland
Leo Hösli
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Raphael Moser
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
James Irving
Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Mauro Fischer
Institute of Geography, Faculty of Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Daniel Farinotti
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
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Short summary
Small Alpine glaciers can exhibit a mix of cold and temperate ice, a polythermal structure, which can promote hazardous conditions. We drilled into six small Swiss glaciers and measured ice temperatures in boreholes. We found polythermal conditions in three of six sites and show that the thermal structure is linked to firn cover loss. Our results suggest that polythermal glaciers may be more common in the Alps than previously recognised.
Small Alpine glaciers can exhibit a mix of cold and temperate ice, a polythermal structure,...
