Retreat of an Alpine glacier
Hintergrund
With a total length of almost 23 kilometers and an area of approximately 80 square kilometers, the Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. Its ice reaches a thickness of up to 900 meters, forming a frozen river that winds its way through the rugged mountain landscape.
The effects of climate change are taking a toll on the Aletsch Glacier. Over the past century, it has been retreating at an increasing rate of about 100 meters per year. Rising global temperatures are causing the glacier to lose more ice through melting than it gains through snowfall. This imbalance threatens not only the glacier’s size but also the ecosystems that depend on it.
Satellite imagery has been instrumental in monitoring the Aletsch Glacier’s changes. These images provide a clear visual record of the glacier’s retreat and allow scientists to quantify its decline. Since the 1980s, satellite data has shown that the Aletsch Glacier has lost almost 2 kilometers in length, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change.
Übungen
- Satellitenkarte:
- EO Browser:
Quellen und Links
- ESA Video: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2018/05/Earth_from_Space_Columbia_Glacier
- ESA Satellitenbild: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2018/05/Columbia_Glacier
- NASA Animation: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/ColumbiaGlacier
