Alpine glaciology and climatology
A.A. 2021/2022
Obiettivi formativi
This course will give competence and skills to describe and analyze cryosphere dynamics and evolution with a particular focus on climate change driven impacts on Alpine glaciers. Methods and techniques to survey glaciers and several approaches to model their dynamics, to reconstruct their mass and to compute the energy exchanges at the ice-atmosphere interface will be described and explained. The course will take advantage from field activities (mainly at the Forni Glacier, the widest Italian valley glacier where a UNIMI permanent Automatic Weather Station has been running since the last decade) and laboratory experiences to permit to the students to acquire competence and skills for collecting, processing, analyzing and modelling glacier data.
Risultati apprendimento attesi
The students will acquire competence and skills for collecting, processing, analyzing and modelling glacier data.
Periodo: Secondo semestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento non può essere seguito come corso singolo. Puoi trovare gli insegnamenti disponibili consultando il catalogo corsi singoli.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Secondo semestre
More specific information on the delivery modes of the training activities for the Academic year 21/22 will be provided over the coming months based on the evolution of the public health situation
Programma
From snow to ice: introduction to glaciers, classifications and basic concepts.
Glacier motion: a physical approach to know creep, sliding and ice-bed interactions.
Debris free and debris covered glaciers: features and distribution.
The glacier mass balance: introduction, computation, applied methods, glaciological and climatic meanings.
The glacier terminus fluctuations: introduction, computation, applied methods, glaciological and climatic meanings.
Glacier energy budget: introduction, computation and exercises.
Glacier meteorology: theoretical features and processing of actual data from AWS on glaciers.
Glacier models: examples of application, simulation and data discussion.
Tropical glaciers: recent dynamics and climate meanings.
The Antarctic cryosphere: features and recent evolution.
The Himalayan cryosphere: ongoing dynamics and climate relations.
Calving processes: analysis of a spreading phenomenon on the Alps.
Sea level rising and glaciers.
Glacier motion: a physical approach to know creep, sliding and ice-bed interactions.
Debris free and debris covered glaciers: features and distribution.
The glacier mass balance: introduction, computation, applied methods, glaciological and climatic meanings.
The glacier terminus fluctuations: introduction, computation, applied methods, glaciological and climatic meanings.
Glacier energy budget: introduction, computation and exercises.
Glacier meteorology: theoretical features and processing of actual data from AWS on glaciers.
Glacier models: examples of application, simulation and data discussion.
Tropical glaciers: recent dynamics and climate meanings.
The Antarctic cryosphere: features and recent evolution.
The Himalayan cryosphere: ongoing dynamics and climate relations.
Calving processes: analysis of a spreading phenomenon on the Alps.
Sea level rising and glaciers.
Prerequisiti
The students need to have appropriate knowledge of math, physics, physical geography and climatology
Metodi didattici
Lectures and technical practical activities in the lab to analyse cryo data,
field excursions
Notes and recommended textbooks:
Notes are available at the ARIEL web site
students can also use:
- Benn and Evans, Glaciers and Glaciations
- J. Oerlemans Glaciers and Climate
field excursions
Notes and recommended textbooks:
Notes are available at the ARIEL web site
students can also use:
- Benn and Evans, Glaciers and Glaciations
- J. Oerlemans Glaciers and Climate
Materiale di riferimento
Notes and recommended textbooks:
Notes are available at the ARIEL web site
students can also use:
- Benn and Evans, Glaciers and Glaciations
- J. Oerlemans Glaciers and Climate
Notes are available at the ARIEL web site
students can also use:
- Benn and Evans, Glaciers and Glaciations
- J. Oerlemans Glaciers and Climate
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
The exam is oral. The student can start presenting and discussing a paper (from a peer reviewed journal) focusing on a cryospheric issue or he/she can discuss cryosperic data he analysed and processed
GEO/04 - GEOGRAFIA FISICA E GEOMORFOLOGIA - CFU: 6
Lezioni: 48 ore
Docenti:
Diolaiuti Guglielmina Adele, Senese Antonella
Docente/i
Ricevimento:
su appuntamento scrivere al docente verrà fissato un appuntamento skype o zoom
piattaforme skype o zoom
Ricevimento:
su appuntamento