Oscillazioni frontali dei ghiacciai italiani e clima: un sessantennio di ricerche

Fluctuations of the termini of some Italian glaciers and climate: Sixty years of research

Abstract

Here, studies about the relationships between glacier termini fluctuations and climatic factors, which were carried out in Italy from 1932 to 1990, are considered. The first works here described are those by MONTERIN (1932) and LOVERA (1948), regarding fluctuations of Lys Glacier terminus and climatic variations as observed at Gran San Bernardo from 1818 to 1931. Others studies considered at first are those by TONINI (1963), about fluctuations of Calderone Glacier terminus from 1925/26 to 1959/60 in relation to glaciation index variations as deduced from thermic and pluvial parameters, and BELLONI (1967) on termini fluctuations, as observed in ten glaciers of the Ortler-Cevedale group from 1921 to 1963, on annual precipitations as well as mean summer temperature variations at Bormio, and on elevation of the snow cover at Santa Caterina di Valfurva. Then the following studies are described: JANIN (1970), who reexamined the comparison between Lys Glacier terminus fluctuations and climate at Colle del Gran San Bernardo by MONTERIN (1932) and extended the study up to the period from 1931 to 1964. CERUTTI (1971, 1975, 1977), who related the advance of Monte Bianco glaciers from 1963 to 1970 with fluctuations of the mean elevation of the 0 °C isothermal line and with increasing precipitations. Furthermore, the Autor examines the duration of ablation in catchment basins of the glaciers on the basis of the monthly elevation of the 0 °C isothermal line and observed that the time of response of the glaciers to climatic changes is connected with the amount of precipitation. RABAGLIATI & SERANDREI BARBERO (1982) took into consideration termini fluctuations of the glaciers of the Julian Alps from 1920 to 1979 and related these changes to mean annual and summer temperatures as well as to annual precipitations at Cave del Predil, in order to define response times. BELLONI & alii (1985, 1986) examined termini fluctuations of about twenty alpine glaciers and related them with thermal and pluvial parameters as observed in two groups of weather stations in Northern Italy, thus obtaining the time of delay between cause and effect for thermal and pluviometric parameters analyzed both separately and simultaneously. CERUTTI (1986) considered termini fluctuations of some glaciers of Monte Bianco and Monte Rosa and observed that the variations occured in the two mountain groups are related with their geographic setting and climate. SMIRAGLIA (1987) examined terminus fluctuations of Ventina Glacier and the time of response between climate variations and their effects from 1924 to 1983. SERANDREI BARBERO & alii (1990) analized termini fluctuations of the glaciers of the Eastern Alps from 1921 up to the present time and related these variations both with summer temperature and winter precipitations. Furthermore, the Authors measured times of response. BELLONI & alii (1991) related termini fluctuations of two glaciers of Upper Valtellina from 1926 to 1989 with parameters derived from mean monthly temperatures measured in the period May-September and from precipitations occurred from October to September at Sondrio; then the Authors calculated times of response both for thermal and pluviometic causes. SMIRAGLIA & VEGGETTI (1991) extended the method of study for the relationship between Calderone Glacier terminus fluctuations and glaciation index of TONINI (1963). Finally, an unpublished study relates data of mass-balance for Sforzellina Glacer from 1986/87 to 1989/90 with thermal and pluviometric parameters.