Latest Posts

12/08/2025
Allgemein Publications

The State and Fate of Glaciar Perito Moreno

The Perito Moreno Glacier, a 30 km long outlet of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in Argentina, has been considered unusually stable among Patagonian glaciers, exhibiting almost no retreat between 2000 and 2019. In this paper we present our findings of an acceleration in ice loss since 2019, with retreat exceeding 800 m in some areas and a 16-fold increase in thinning rates at the terminus, from 0.34 m yr⁻¹ (2000–2019) to 5.5 m yr⁻¹ (2019–2024). Using helicopter-borne radar surveys in March 2022 and bathymetric mapping of the proglacial lake, integrated with satellite-derived surface height and velocity data, we identify a prominent subglacial ridge beneath the glacier terminus that likely sustained its prior stability. Current thinning trends suggest imminent detachment from this ridge, which would trigger rapid multi-kilometre retreat into a deep basin, promoting further mass loss via calving.

Publication available on: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02515-7

29/07/2025
Allgemein Event

Summer expedition to Aletsch Glacier 2025

A trip to the glacier is an opportunity to bring the algorithms to life. From the 4th to the 19th of July 2025, Danielle Gunders-Hunt (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, M3OCCA) and Valentin Marx (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, M3OCCA affiliated) were situated at the Jungfraujoch research station in Switzerland to collect radar measurements using custom-built radar systems.

This summer’s fieldwork took us to the Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland. We drove to Grindelwald on Thursday and met up with colleagues from RWTH Aachen and the University of Wuppertal, affiliated with the TRIPLE project. After an impressive gondola ride and train journey through the mountain, we arrived at the research station located at 3,454 m a.s.l.

Our brave mountain guide jumping into a crevasse, expecting us to save him.

The research station is home only to researchers and is managed by a couple who oversee the High Altitude Research Stations Jungfraujoch & Gornergrat. They showcased the fascinating equipment held permanently on the glacier, ranging from instruments measuring air constituents for climate change monitoring, to medical and biological experiments observing the influence of high altitude on organisms.

The next day we began with a guided tour led by a mountain guide to learn the basic rescue techniques and familiarize ourselves with the glacier terrain. Unstable weather in the first few days caused some delays, but we soon began carrying out our full set of measurements with the GPR sled.

Our goal was to evaluate our equipment in various walking formations to assess the efficiency of each imaging method. Different formations can leverage different algorithms to generate 2D or 3D images of the snow and firn layers, as well as crevasses hidden beneath the surface.

Both radar systems used during the campaign were developed in-house at the Institute of Microwaves and Photonics (LHFT), FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg. The first system was an impulse radar operating at a center frequency of 1.35 GHz. Impulse radar transmits short, broadband pulses and listens for echoes reflected from internal glacier boundaries—such as transitions between snow, firn, ice—or from embedded features like crevasses, air pockets or water inclusions. We then replaced the radar system with a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar, ramping between 0.7 and 4.7 GHz. Unlike impulse radar, FMCW continuously emits a frequency-modulated signal and compares the transmitted and received waves to measure the time delay and amplitude of returning echoes. This method offers improved sensitivity and resolution, especially for fine structures near the surface.

Tracks we were walking to test out various reconstruction algorithms.
The sled being dragged in a measurement scenario.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are now looking forward to analyzing how each type of radar—together with its frequency and signal power—affects both the penetration depth and the resolution of subsurface glacial features.

The fieldwork was a rewarding collaborative experience. Working alongside the TRIPLE team, who were testing a hybrid radar and sonar based forefield reconnaissance system integrated into a melting probe, reaching 12 m beneath the surface, gave us valuable insights into subsurface structures which we hope to cross-validate with our radar results.

Valentin improvising resourceful ways of preparing Spätzle.

Beyond the scientific goals, sharing meals, challenges, and ideas made the high-altitude days both productive and memorable. Each evening, breathtaking sunsets from the Sphinx Observatory (3,570 m a.s.l.) reminded us how extraordinary our setting truly was—it felt like we were on top of the world!

This campaign wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Valentin Marx, Lukas Rechenberg, and Niklas Haberberger, as well as the remaining colleagues from the TRIPLE-FRS-2 project.

The M3OCCA project is generously funded by the Elitenetzwerk Bayern.

Incredible sunsets from the Sphinx observatory.

 

24/07/2025
Allgemein Event Outreach

IDP M3OCCA second phase is approved

The Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Arts has approved a second phase of the International Doctorate Program “Measuring and Modelling Mountain Glaciers and Ice caps in a Changing Climate” (IDP M³OCCA) as part of the Elite Network of Bavaria (ENB). In the second phase, we will continue the close collaboration between FAU, the Technical University of Munich, the Microwave Institute of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen, and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences (BAdW).

The aim of the IDP is to develop innovative methods and technologies to quantify global glacier retreat more accurately over large areas and reduce existing uncertainties. Artificial intelligence techniques are used, for example, to analyze large-scale satellite data or to improve physics-based process models. In addition, the researchers are further developing pioneering technologies such as radar tomography and geophysical models to enable improved forecasts.

Starting in June 2026, nine doctoral students will be funded for four years by the ENB. In addition, the new funding includes a postdoctoral position to help graduates of the current funding phase transition into independent scientific work. M³OCCA is characterized by a high degree of internationality and interdisciplinarity and trains its young scientists in a structured support program in addition to their professional qualifications. In addition to the doctoral students funded by the ENB, doctoral students from other funding programs—such as various junior research groups—are explicitly allowed and encouraged to participate in the IDP in order to create a broader scientific and thematic basis and facilitate lively exchange.

15/07/2025
Allgemein Event

Winter expedition to Aletsch Glacier 2025

A much-awaited winter 2025 Aletsch expedition was carried out to attain repeat glaciological and geophysical measurements at locations similar to the winter 2024 Aletsch campaign. An expedition aimed to detect changes in firn stratigraphy and firn density over two consecutive years under the influence of regional climatic changes. This was achieved by using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) profiling across the two main accumulation zones of the Aletsch glacier. The GPR-based common mid-point (CMP) method was used to gather indirect firn density measurements. This was complemented by the deep firn core (nearly 20 m) at the upper part of the Ewigschneefeld, a shorter firn core (approximately 8 m) at the lower part of the Ewigschneefeld, and two snow pits at Jungfraufirn and the Ewigschneefeld.

This expedition is part of the M3OCCA international doctoral program (IDP) project SP2.3. The campaign was a collaborative effort of Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Bern, Switzerland, BAdW, Munich, and FAU Erlangen, Germany.

We appreciate the efforts of the firn core team, Dr. Theo Jenk, Michelle Worek (PhD), and Samuel Marending from Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, PSI Bern, Switzerland, Dr. Christoph Mayer, Dr. Astrid Lambercht, and Akash Patil (PhD) from Department of Geodesy and Glaciology BAdW Munich, Germany, and Dr. Thorsten Seehaus and Dr. Alexander Groos from Institute of Geography FAU Erlangen, Germany.

06/06/2025
Allgemein Publications

Climate’s firm grip on glacier ablation in the Cordillera Darwin Icefield, Tierra del Fuego

The Cordillera Darwin Icefield (CDI) in Tierra del Fuego is one of the largest temperate ice bodies in the Southern Hemisphere. In this study, we simulate the climatic energy and mass balance of its glaciers (2000–2023), which are sensitive indicators of climatic changes in the Southern Hemisphere’s higher mid-latitudes. Year-round westerly winds cause strong climatic gradients across the mountain range, reflected in the energy and mass fluxes. Our results reveal a significant increase in surface melt (+0.18 m w.e. yr-1 per decade) over the past two decades. We also present the first estimate of dynamically controlled mass loss into adjacent fjords and lakes by frontal ablation, amounting to 1.44 ± 0.94 Gt yr-1 (26 % of the total CDI mass loss). Frontal losses are mainly channelized through few marine-terminating glaciers. While frontal ablation is important for predicting the fate of individual glaciers, for the CDI as a whole, atmospheric conditions exert the main control on the current glacier evolution.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57698-6

16/05/2025
Event

Winter Fieldwork Hintereisferner 2025

During regular office days, a glacier often feels very far away. Fieldwork is always exciting because it provides a clearer understanding of what we are actually researching. From April 1st until April 4th 2025, Céline Walker (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, M3OCCA-affiliated), Felix Pfluger (Technische Universität München (TUM), M3OCCA) and Léa Rodari (Université Lausanne (UNIL)) were in the field to acquire GPR data on Hintereisferner, Austria, for the M3OCCA-affiliated DeLIGHT Junior research project.

For this spring’s fieldwork, we went to the Hintereisferner in the Austrian Alps. We drove to Rofental on Tuesday and met up with colleagues from the Universität Innsbruck (UIBK). Together, we went to the small research station situated at 3,050 m a.s.l., which offers an excellent view of the impressive glacier. The hut was our home for the next three days and is equipped with a small gas stove, a table, eight beds, plenty of gumboots, a guitar, and an old portable gramophone.

Upon arrival at the hut, we settled in, reviewed our crevasse rescue techniques, and made the final preparations to go onto the glacier. Over the following two days, our goal was to investigate the glacier and its englacial water regime. We used a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) antenna provided by Felix’s working group at TUM. The GPR antenna sends out radar pulses and receives echoes from layers where the density changes. This makes GPR an ideal tool for detecting the bedrock beneath the ice, as well as objects or water within the ice.

After testing the antenna, we began our measurements on the lower part of the glacier. We skied across the glacier in a zigzag pattern while dragging the antenna behind us to obtain radar profiles perpendicular to the flow direction. We used a 50 MHz center frequency for sufficient penetration depth in the ice and 100 MHz for high resolution of small features.

We were lucky with the weather on the second day and got some sunshine, which made the scenery magnificent. We could complete our measurements and ended up with a dense measurement grid of the lower part of the glacier. After finishing the data acquisition, we were able to relax and enjoy the cozy hut and its view on our third evening.

On Friday, we returned to civilization, bringing with us a new dataset. With the collected data, we now have a record of the englacial water content in spring. Later this year—during the melt season—the measurements will be repeated, and the water content and discharge regime will be compared to the spring data. We are already looking forward to the next fieldwork.

This fieldwork wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Léa and Felix for the data acquisition and the provision of the GPR antennas. Big thanks go to Rainer Prinz for the coordination of the fieldwork and Marie Schroeder and Leo Schlagbauer from UIBK for the accompaniment and hosting in the hut. Those contributions are appreciated.

This project is funded by the Elitenetzwerk Bayern.

The research station situated on 3026 m a.s.l. above Hintereisferner was established by the UIBK in the 70s.

After the successful data acquisition, Felix, Léa and Céline enjoyed the sun outside the hut.

The reseach station was equipped with a portable gramophone and a variety of old vinyls worth listening into.

The view on the glacier from the research station.

Felix is carrying the GPR antenna over the glacier.

Snow was constantly cooked on the stove in the hut to get drinking water.

Léa and Céline are dragging the antenna over the uneven glacier tongue.

17/03/2025
Publications

Glaciers are melting rapidly – new ESA study demonstrates dramatic developments

The glaciers in the world’s high mountain regions are important freshwater reservoirs, providing resources for drinking water, irrigation and hydropower. However, as a result of climate change, they are melting dramatically and causing sea levels to rise. This has been confirmed by a new international study, in which three researchers from the Institute of Geography were involved and which has now been published in the scientific journal Nature.

The study shows that glaciers have lost an average of 273 billion tons of ice per year since 2000, with an alarming increase in the last ten years. Over the entire period, more than 6,500 billion tons of glacier ice have been lost. This corresponds to a global sea level rise of 18 millimeters in the last two decades. However, there are clear regional differences in the change in glaciated areas: the loss of ice mass in the European Alps compared to the year 2000 is around 39%, while glaciers on the Antarctic islands have only lost 2% of their original mass. Overall, however, the worldwide melting of glaciated areas is now the second largest cause of global sea level rise, surpassed only by the warming of the oceans.

For the “Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise” (GlaMBIE) by the European Space Agency ESA, 35 teams consisting of around 450 scientists from all over the world combined observations from field measurements and various satellite missions to create time series of global ice mass changes from 2000 to 2023. As the investigations were carried out using different measurement methods, the new GlaMBIE study not only provides a more detailed description of global and regional glacier development over the last two decades, but also enables a direct comparison of different research approaches. Prof. Dr. Matthias Braun, Dr. Thorsten Seehaus and Dr. Christian Sommer from the Institute of Geography contributed data and analyses on glacier elevation changes based on measurements from the German TanDEM-X satellite mission in the Andes, the European Alps and the Arctic.

Their research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Prof. Braun coordinates the IDP M³OCCA. Dr. Seehaus leads a DFG Emmy-Noether funded research group that aims to better assess glacier changes and their impacts in the tropical Andes.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08545-z

 

13/02/2025
Event Outreach

Our doctoral candidates present their research in short videos

Our doctoral candidates participated in an activity to make their research better accessible to the broad public. Many of them therefore created short videos where they briefly present themselves and their work. Check it out here:

(the webcam video shown in Manuels video is taken from www.foto-webcam.eu)

21/01/2025
Publications

New Publication out now revealing how interactions of glacier, permafrost, and hydrogeology trigger massive rock slope failures situated in the cryosphere

Do you wonder what mechanism caused the massive rock avalanche at Piz Scerscen (Bernina, CH) in spring 2024 (link to DAV-report)? Read the paper: >here<.

Felix Pfluger (TUM, funded by M³OCCA) and colleagues investigated glacier changes, conducted fieldwork on permafrost at 3200 m asl, rock mechanical laboratory studies (Joseph Steinhauser as part of his Bachelor Thesis) and mechanical modeling on a slope scale to infer permafrost–glacier interactions and their implications for triggering high-volume rock slope failures. Using the Bliggspitze rock slide as a case study (Austria, Tyrol), we demonstrate a new type of rock slope failure mechanism triggered by the uplift of the cold–warm dividing line in polythermal alpine glaciers, a widespread and currently under-explored phenomenon in alpine environments worldwide. The publication features a holistic discussion on the role of meltwater and water infiltration/migration in bedrock enabling the buildup of hydrostatic pressure that eventually triggered the rock slide.

With this research, we advance our understanding of coupled processes in complex slope failures situated in the cryosphere.

It was realized as a joint collaboration with researchers from TUM, SLF, BOKU, and FAU.