651-1506-00L  The High-Mountain Cryosphere: Processes and Risks (University of Zurich)

SemesterSpring Semester 2016
LecturersUniversity lecturers
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentNo enrolment to this course at ETH Zurich. Book the corresponding module directly at UZH.
UZH Module Code: GEO856

Mind the enrolment deadlines at UZH:
Link


AbstractPart I: Hazards in glacierized high-mountain regions
Hazard assessments in cold high-mountain areas with respect to glaciers and permafrost.

Part II: Paleoglaciology
Ice-related aspects of the recent earth and climate history (Ice Age, Holocene, 20. century): reconstruction/modeling of past glaciers/ice sheets and interpretation of information from ice cores.
ObjectivePart I: Hazards in glacierized high-mountain regions
Knowledge about integrative hazard assessment techniques in high-mountain areas under conditions of climate change.

Part II: Paleoglaciology
Understanding of the role of glaciers and ice sheets in the climate system through time since the last Ice Age; knowledge of corresponding reconstruction techniques and of the glaciological basis for ice core interpretation.
ContentPart I: Natural hazards in glacierised mountain regions
- Introduction and instruction e-learning, Hazard/risk concepts
- Introduction to Part II, Paleoglaciology
- e-learning glacier floods and ice avalanches
- Comments on glacier floods, Comments on ice avalanches, climate-induced glacier changes
- Recent case studies
- Application of remote sensing, Principles and applications of numerical mass movement models
- Glacier-clad volcanoes
- Feedbacks on exercises and test

Part II: Paleoglaciology
2-day block course (Friday and Saturday)
Including written test on Paleoglaciology, Subjects include:
- Former glaciers/ice sheets: outlines and geometry
- Former glaciers/ice sheets: flow, mass turnover, temperature, etc.
- Former glaciers/ice sheets: changes in time
- Ice cores: archive (embedding) characteristics
- Ice cores: Information carriers, polar und alpine examples
- Nuclear waste disposal and ice ages, climate change and sea level
Lecture notesPaleoglaciology (about 100p.)
Hazards in glacierized high-mountain regions (about 100p.)

available at the Geography Department, University of Zurich
Literaturerich reference list in lecture notes
Prerequisites / NoticePrecondition
- Getscher und Permafrost (651-4073-00)