Parcs

Entry no. 36549

Holocene Glacier Fluctuations in the Valaisian Alps

Further info

https://proclim4dwebssl.scnat.ch/4dcgi/parkforschungArchive/de/Detail_Project?ch-2488

Private URL

External URL

Datatype

Project

Filename

Path

Alternative/Online Name

Author/Owner

Holzhauser, Hanspeter

Medium

None

Year created

2000

Month created

Location

Remarks

Research Project

The reconstruction of holocene glacier fluctuations are achieved using several methods. Written and pictorial historical records such as drawings, paintings, engravings and photographs are interpreted. The radiocarbondating of fossil soils and wood from glacier forefields indicate glacier advance and retreat periods. The dendrochronological analysis of some of these fossil woods give absolute dates if they fit within known absolute dated tree-ring chronologies. These investigations are necessary to find the range of glacier fluctuations during the last 10,000 years - the maximum and minimum extensions during holocene advance and retreat periods. Furthermore, this investigation also shows how far the modern accelerated retreat period of the alpine glaciers is unusual as compared to earlier retreat periods. A further aim of the dendrochronological analysis of larch and alpine stone pine trees found at the alpine timberline is to establish long tree-ring width chronologies as a base for dating fossil wood found in glacier forefields. These tree-ring records will also be used to reconstruct the mean June/July temperatures at high altitudes in the Swiss Alps.

Ancestors

Offspring

ID	TITLE	DATATYPE	AUTHOR/OWNER	YEAR
36552	Glacier and lake-level variations in west-central Europe over the last 3500 years	Publication	HOLZHAUSER, Hanspeter, MAGNY, Michel, ZUMBÜHL, Heinz Jürg	2005
36550	Fluctuations of the Grosser Aletsch Glacier and the Gorner Glacier during the last 3200 years: new results	Publication	Holzhauser, Hanspeter	1997
36551	To the history of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier during the last 2800 years - palaeosols, fossil wood and historical pictorial records - new results	Publication	Holzhauser, H. and Zumbühl, H.J.	1996