AUTOMATED AND PERMANENT LONG-RANGE TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING IN A HIGH MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT: SETUP AND FIRST RESULTS

The spatial variability of snow depth distribution in avalanche release areas is key for avalanche forecasting but is strongly influenced by the interaction of wind with the terrain. We generate maps of high resolution snow depth changes during three snowfall events by using low-cost terrestrial laser scanner measurements and compare them to the results of selected snow depth distribution models. We show that basic terrain derivations have the highest correlations to our measurement results.

Snow depth variations caused by wind are an important factor in avalanche danger, but detailed and up-to-date information is rarely available. We propose a monitoring system, using lidar and optical sensors, to measure the snow depth distribution at high spatial and temporal resolution. First results show that we can quantify snow depth changes with an accuracy on the low decimeter level, or better, and can identify events such as avalanches or displacement of snow during periods of strong winds.

Wind-driven snow redistribution affects glacier mass balance. A case study of Hintereisferner glacier in Austria used high-resolution observations and simulations to model snow redistribution. Simulations matched observations, showing the potential of the model for studying snow redistribution on other mountain glaciers.

The Glacier Loss Day (GLD) is the day on which all mass gained from the accumulation period is lost, and the glacier loses mass irrecoverably for the rest of the mass balance year. In 2022, the GLD was already reached on 23 June at Hintereisferner (Austria), and this led to a record-breaking mass loss. We introduce the GLD as a gross yet expressive indicator of the glacier’s imbalance with a persistently warming climate.