Il Catasto dei Ghiacciai Sovietici e il glacialismo attuale della Valle dell’Akkem (Altai, Siberia Meridionale)

The Soviet Glacier Inventory and the present glaciation of the Akkem Valley (Altaj, Southern Siberia)

Abstract

The author briefly describes the characteristics of the Soviet Glacier Inventory, whose publication was begun in 1965 and which now consists in 110 volumes. The whole area of the listed glaciers amounts to approx. 21 600 km². Data from individual glaciers are mainly obtained from aerial photographs and maps, while in some cases of particular interest field work on the ground is carried out (e. g., in the Pamirs). The data of the glaciers in the Akkem basin (Altaj, Southern Siberia) are then examined. These glaciers were visited by the author during a study period in the summer of 1983. Relationships among ten variables shown by the Inventory were determincd, ascertaining the existence of particularly significant connections between maximum length/ablation area and total area/glacier terminus altitude. The author then describes in detail the Rodzevic Glacier, the largest (approx. 10 km²) in the basin, which shows a retreat of about 2 Km from 1850 to 1974, with an annual average of 16 m.