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Vanished glaciers of the Swiss Alps: An inventory-based assessment from 1973 to 2016

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study presents the first nationwide assessment of vanished glaciers in Switzerland. By comparing the Swiss Glacier Inventories SGI1973 and SGI2016, we identify 1019 vanished glaciers, representing more than 40% of all glaciers inventoried in 1973 and accounting for 13% (47±3 km²) of total glacier area loss. Glacier disappearance was most widespread along the main Alpine divide, in regions with relatively low peak elevations. Most vanished glaciers were very small (<0.10 km $^{2}$ ) and steep, south- or east-facing glaciers more often vanished with respect to the initial glacier distribution. In the 2300–2550 m elevation band, vanished glaciers contributed over 30% of total area loss. Regionally, the Rhine basin hosts the largest number of vanished glaciers (423), while the Po (39%) and Danube (55%) basins have the highest share of glaciers disappearing with respect to the initial number. These findings underscore the relevance of systematically including vanished glaciers in change assessments. With a new inventory underway and two extreme melt years in 2022 and 2023, this study provides a benchmark for tracking continued glacier extinction in the Swiss Alps.

Source: Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)

DOI: 10.5167/uzh-283318

Authors: Linsbauer, Andreas, Huss, Matthias, Hodel, Elias, Bauder, Andreas, Barandun, Martina

Language: English

Topic: Cryospheric studies and observations

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7126071770

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