Assessing the resilience and vulnerability of mountain ice masses (Glacier-Space)
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
Understanding and quantifying the resilience of mountain glaciers is an important step in assessing their vulnerability to climate change. The GlacierSpace project provides a new, unified approach to systematically assess the resilience and vulnerability of mountain glaciers. The project aims to i) provide a revised perspective on the role of mountain glaciers in the climate system, ii) quantify the resilience of glaciers, and iii) estimate the committed loss of glacier resilience in the future, if the 1.5 and 2.0 ºC targets stated in the Paris Climate Agreement are met. The resilience concept is developed at Hintereisferner, one of the best studied glaciers in the world. Innovative observations of glacier microclimate and state-of-the-art high-resolution atmospheric models will be used to assess the impact of changing glacier microclimate on glacier retreat rates. This knowledge helps to refine projections of glacier-induced land system changes affecting local hydrological resources, rates of sea-level rise, natural hazard potential and mountain ecosystems. This new resilience concept of mountain glaciers provides scientists, stakeholders, and policy makers with a modern perspective on the future development of mountain glaciers.
Climate and Water under Change (CliWaC)
funded by the Einstein Research Unit
The Einstein Research Unit Climate and Water under Change (CliWaC) is a transdisciplinary research initiative of the Berlin University Alliance to address water-related risks under climate change. CliWaC will bring together social and natural science as well as practical expertise from stakeholders to support the governance of mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change. [Link]
Multi-scale transport and exchange processes in the atmosphere over mountains
Atmospheric processes specific to mountainous regions heavily affect the exchange of momentum, heat and mass between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere. TEAMx is an international research programme that aims at improving our understanding of these processes. [Link]
JOSTICE – Natural and societal consequences of climate-forced changes of Jostedalsbreen Ice Cap
funded by the Norwegian Research Council under the programme KLIMAFORSK. JOSTICE started on January 1, 2020, and is administrated by Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
The objective of the JOSTICE project is to assess the present and future changes in mass balance, runoff, ice volume and local climate of Jostedalsbreen, and determine the societal impact of these changes on hydropower production, tourism and agriculture. [Link]
Future Glacial Lakes in High Mountain Asia –
Modeling and Risk Analysis (GLAMoR)
funded by The German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)
The increased glacial melting in nearly every glaciated region of the world not only increases the sea level rise and influences local water resources and hydrological processes but also leads to an increase in the formation of glacial lakes. Despite these lakes being potentially valuable for freshwater management or as tourist attractions, the danger of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) needs to be considered. These floods are amongst the most dangerous natural hazards in high mountain areas and can pose an immense threat to people and infrastructures.
This project focusses on modeling subglacial bedrock morphologies in the mountains of Central Asia to detect overdeepenings and connect them to eventual glacial lake formation after the ablation of the overlying glacier. Furthermore, we will analyze the morphological risk of these future glacial lakes to determine locations with high probabilities of future GLOF events that would constitute a threat to humans and infrastructures. This project aims at increasing knowledge about the formation of glacial lakes and at furthering the understanding of GLOF hazards. [Link]
Glacial lake outburst floods in the Halji regon, Nepal (HALJI)
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (KHK) region in general, and Nepal in particular, are largely affected by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Many studies argue that the occurrence of GLOFs is, at least partly, linked to climate change and subsequent glacier retreat. The Halji village in north-western Nepal has been severely affected by six GLOFs since 2004. Based on previous studies and ongoing meteorological measurements by an automatic weather station on the Halji glacier from where the GLOFs have been released, the proposed project addresses three research questions: (1) Which topographic, atmospheric, cryospheric and hydrospheric preconditions and processes are leading to GLOFs on the Halji Glacier? (2) What determines temporal variability of GLOF occurrence in the Halji region? (3) How is GLOF occurrence in the Halji region linked to climate change in the KHK region? The three research questions shall be answered by new long-term data on atmospheric forcing and subsequent modelling of cryospheric and hydrospheric processes to obtain a better understanding of GLOF hazards and their spatial and temporal patterns. [Link]
Measuring and modelling snow-cover dynamics at high resolution for improving distributed mass balance research on mountain glaciers (SCHISM)
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
In this project we combine the expertise of our team members from the Universities of Innsbruck, Erlangen-Nuremberg and Saskatchewan with the logistically suitable, data rich, and well equipped Hintereisferner in the Ötztal Alps, Austria, for developing and calibrating novel model tools that can push mass balance studies a large step forward in glaciology. In the end we aim to obtain an effective parameterization of snow drift, which will not only increase the process understanding of glacier-climate interactions, but also be available for future studies of glaciers in climatic settings around the world.
The impact of the dynamic and thermodynamic flow conditions on the spatio-temporal distribution of precipitation in southern Patagonia (MANAU)
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)
This research project makes a contribution to the understanding of the interaction between dynamic processes and the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation in Patagonia. The aim of the project is the quantification of relevant processes, which provide new insights on relevant mechanisms on precipitation generation. Dynamic and thermodynamic flow properties are studied in detail by means of high-resolution numerical simulations. Simplified analytical models are further used to study the sensitivity of atmospheric perturbations on the precipitation distribution. The results obtained by this study provides valuable information for hydrological, glaciological and ecological topics.
EU Cost Action
The COST Action VALUE (2012-2015) will provide a European network to validate and develop downscaling methods and improve the collaboration between the dispersed research communities and with stakeholders. The Action will sytematically compare the different downscaling approaches and assess the aspects listed above. [Link]
GIS-Klischee
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)
he project GIS-Klischee has the target to estimate the local snow potential on the basis of measured and projected climate data, relief parameters, surface types, wind flow fields and radiation using satellite imagery. The impacts on winter sport tourism will be assessed on probable change scenarios precisely for an area, derived from regional climate model calculations. The inclusion of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enables the integration of data in existing infrastructure, ecological precedence areas and economic parameters, so that an expert system, which can be used for spatial planning, is created. Investment decisions can be prepared and different adaptation strategies can be suggested depending on the modelled snow cover availability. [Link]
Transregional Collaborative Research Center 32 (TR32)
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)
The overall goal of TR32 is to clarify the origins of and the interrelations between spatial and temporal patterns of each single component within the soil-vegetation-atmosphere system using innovative monitoring and modelling approaches. Spatial and temporal structures of physical parameters (e.g., soil hydraulic conductivity), state variables (such as soil moisture or air temperature) and processes (for example fluxes of CO2, water and heat) can be observed on all scales. The detection of these patterns and the understanding of the interactions involved are required to represent the different spatial and temporal scales in numerical models. [Link]
Variability and Trends in Water Balance Components of Benchmark Drainage Basins on the Tibetan Plateau (WET)
funded by the BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Forschung & Entwicklung)
The project is part of the cooperative project: “Tibet and Central Asia: Monsoon Dynamics and Geo-Ecosystems” (CAME). It investigated the coupling of climate and hydrological cycles on the example of benchmark drainage basins on the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent mountain ranges. The selected drainage basins are hydrological systems with glaciers, lakes, rivers and wetlands with characteristic structural properties for the Tibetan Plateau.
Sensitivity of Svalbard glaciers to climate change (SVALGLAC)
funded by German Research Foundation (DFG)
SvalGlac is one of the six proposals implemented within the European Polar Board programme – PolarCLIMATE. It is financed by the national funding agencies and some polar ones, also outside of Europe, as partners. Principal investigators and associated partners represent thirteen countries.
Main Project objectives spread on two PolarCLIMATE themes:
- Climate variability – Northern and Southern Hemisphere Oscillations, the scales and indicators of change and the forecasting of future threats and possibilities;
- The current status of snow and ice in the Polar Regions, the spatial distribution and magnitude of cryospheric stability.
[Link]
Sensitivity of Svalbard glaciers to climate change (SVALGLAC)
funded by the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF)
Tibetan Plateau: Formation, Climate, Ecosystems
funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)
Gran Campo Nevado Project
The long-term Gran Campo Nevado Project investigated the spatial and temporal interactions of the climate and the local ice masses in southern Patagonia.
Virtual Air Traffic System Simulation VATSS
Boost-Fund project funded by the RWTH Aachen
Simulation of air traffic near airports with iterative coupled simulations of aircraft movements and environmental impacts. Visulisation and auralisation of simulation results by means of Virtual Reality. Boost-Fund-Project funded by the RWTH Aachen University [Link]