Articles | Volume 17, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-4125-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-4125-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description paper
| 
27 Aug 2025
Data description paper |
| 27 Aug 2025
| 27 Aug 2025
Rock Glacier Inventories (RoGIs) in 12 areas worldwide using a multi-operator consensus-based procedure
Line Rouyet
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg (UNIFR), 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS, 9294 Tromsø, Norway
Tobias Bolch
Institute of Geodesy, Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), 8010 Graz, Austria
Central-Asian Regional Glaciological Centre of Category 2 under the auspices of UNESCO, 050010 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Francesco Brardinoni
Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna (UniBo), 40126 Bologna, Italy
Rafael Caduff
GAMMA Remote Sensing AG, 3076 Gümligen, Switzerland
Diego Cusicanqui
Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Margaret Darrow
Department of Civil, Geological, and Environmental Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Fairbanks, AK 99775-5900, United Stated of America
Reynald Delaloye
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg (UNIFR), 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Thomas Echelard
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg (UNIFR), 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna (UniBo), 40126 Bologna, Italy
Christophe Lambiel
Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Cécile Pellet
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg (UNIFR), 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Lucas Ruiz
Argentine Institute of Nivology, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences (IANIGLA), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina
Lea Schmid
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg (UNIFR), 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Flavius Sirbu
Institute of Advanced Environmental Research, West University of Timişoara (WUT), 300223 Timişoara, Romania
Tazio Strozzi
GAMMA Remote Sensing AG, 3076 Gümligen, Switzerland
Related authors
No articles found.
Tazio Strozzi, Nina Jones, Federico Agliardi, Alessandro De Pedrini, Othmar Frey, Philipp Bernhard, Rafael Caduff, Christian Ambrosi, and Andrea Manconi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5347, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5347, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
The latest satellite technology with longer wavelength radar improves our ability to detect and monitor large alpine rock slope instabilities. This approach works better than current satellite systems in forested areas and on fast-moving slopes, giving experts more reliable data to understand these major hazards. Our results from three locations in Italy and Switzerland also provide important recommendations for the preparation of future satellite radar missions.
Tazio Strozzi, Erik Schytt Mannerfelt, Oliver Cartus, Maurizio Santoro, Thomas Schellenberger, and Andreas Kääb
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5011, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5011, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
By analysing 30 years of satellite SAR data, we have found that the number of glacier surges over Svalbard has tripled since 2015. We show that this increase is unlikely to be explained solely by improvements in data quality or by random fluctuations in surge frequency, suggesting that this trend is caused by an external forcing mechanism. Given our incomplete understanding of surge initiation, the cause of the observed threefold increase remains however uncertain.
Alexandru Onaca, Flavius Sîrbu, Valentin Poncoş, Christin Hilbich, Tazio Strozzi, Petru Urdea, Răzvan Popescu, Oana Berzescu, Bernd Etzelmüller, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Mirela Vasile, Delia Teleagă, Dan Birtaş, Iosif Lopătiţă, Simon Filhol, Alexandru Hegyi, and Florina Ardelean
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 981–1001, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-981-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-981-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study establishes a methodology for the study of slow-moving rock glaciers in marginal permafrost and provides the basic knowledge for understanding rock glaciers in South East Europe. By using a combination of different methods (remote sensing, geophysical survey, thermal measurements), we found out that, on the transitional rock glaciers, low ground ice content (i.e. below 20 %) produces horizontal displacements of up to 3 cm per year.
Joshua J. Roering, Margaret Darrow, Annette Patton, and Aaron Jacobs
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4123, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4123, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
A deadly landslide struck Wrangell Island, Alaska, in November 2023, traveling over a kilometer and claiming six lives. Our study shows it was likely triggered by moderate rainfall combined with rapid snowmelt and drainage from a ridgetop wetland, which saturated deep soil deposits. The landslide grew unusually large as it entrained abundant soil downslope. Findings highlight the role of storm patterns, geology, and hydrology in driving future landslide hazards in SE Alaska.
Hanne Hendrickx, Melanie Elias, Xabier Blanch, Reynald Delaloye, and Anette Eltner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 705–721, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-705-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-705-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a novel AI-based method for tracking and analysing the movement of rock glaciers and landslides, key landforms in high mountain regions. By utilising time-lapse images, our approach generates detailed velocity data, uncovering movement patterns often missed by traditional methods. This cost-effective tool enhances geohazard monitoring, providing insights into environmental drivers, improving process understanding, and contributing to better safety in alpine areas.
Jakob Steiner, William Armstrong, Will Kochtitzky, Robert McNabb, Rodrigo Aguayo, Tobias Bolch, Fabien Maussion, Vibhor Agarwal, Iestyn Barr, Nathaniel R. Baurley, Mike Cloutier, Katelyn DeWater, Frank Donachie, Yoann Drocourt, Siddhi Garg, Gunjan Joshi, Byron Guzman, Stanislav Kutuzov, Thomas Loriaux, Caleb Mathias, Biran Menounos, Evan Miles, Aleksandra Osika, Kaleigh Potter, Adina Racoviteanu, Brianna Rick, Miles Sterner, Guy D. Tallentire, Levan Tielidze, Rebecca White, Kunpeng Wu, and Whyjay Zheng
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-315, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-315, 2025
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Many mountain glaciers around the world flow into lakes – exactly how many however, has never been mapped. Across a large team of experts we have now identified all glaciers that end in lakes. Only about 1% do so, but they are generally larger than those which end on land. This is important to understand, as lakes can influence the behaviour of glacier ice, including how fast it disappears. This new dataset allows us to better model glaciers at a global scale, accounting for the effect of lakes.
Diego Cusicanqui, Pascal Lacroix, Xavier Bodin, Benjamin Aubrey Robson, Andreas Kääb, and Shelley MacDonell
The Cryosphere, 19, 2559–2581, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2559-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2559-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a robust methodological approach to detect and analyse rock glacier kinematics using Landsat 7/Landsat 8 imagery. In the semiarid Andes, 382 landforms were monitored, showing an average velocity of 0.37 ± 0.07 m yr⁻¹ over 24 years, with rock glaciers moving 23 % faster. Results demonstrate the feasibility of using medium-resolution optical imagery, combined with radar interferometry, to monitor rock glacier kinematics with widely available satellite datasets.
Ikram Zangana, Rainer Bell, Lucian Drăguţ, Flavius Sîrbu, and Lothar Schrott
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2139, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2139, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Mapping landslides is essential for understanding hazards and risk assessment. This study used a geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) approach with high-resolution lidar data to map forest-covered historical landslides in Jena, Germany. Optimizing the moving-window size for lidar derivatives improved accuracy, detecting more landslides and reducing errors. This method showcases the potential of lidar-based approaches for global landslide inventory and hazard assessment.
Yu Zhu, Shiyin Liu, Junfeng Wei, Kunpeng Wu, Tobias Bolch, Junli Xu, Wanqin Guo, Zongli Jiang, Fuming Xie, Ying Yi, Donghui Shangguan, Xiaojun Yao, and Zhen Zhang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1851–1871, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1851-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1851-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study compiled a near-complete inventory of glacier mass changes across the eastern Tibetan Plateau using topographical maps. These data enhance our understanding of glacier change variability before 2000. When combined with existing research, our dataset provides a nearly 5-decade record of mass balance, aiding hydrological simulations and assessments of mountain glacier contributions to sea-level rise.
Andrea Manconi, Gwendolyn Dasser, Mylène Jacquemart, Nicolas Oestreicher, Livia Piermattei, and Tazio Strozzi
Abstr. Int. Cartogr. Assoc., 9, 41, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-9-41-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-9-41-2025, 2025
Barbara Widhalm, Annett Bartsch, Tazio Strozzi, Nina Jones, Artem Khomutov, Elena Babkina, Marina Leibman, Rustam Khairullin, Mathias Göckede, Helena Bergstedt, Clemens von Baeckmann, and Xaver Muri
The Cryosphere, 19, 1103–1133, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1103-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1103-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Mapping soil moisture in Arctic permafrost regions is crucial for various activities, but it is challenging with typical satellite methods due to the landscape's diversity. Seasonal freezing and thawing cause the ground to periodically rise and subside. Our research demonstrates that this seasonal ground settlement, measured with Sentinel-1 satellite data, is larger in areas with wetter soils. This method helps to monitor permafrost degradation.
Enrico Mattea, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Tobias Bolch, Atanu Bhattacharya, Sajid Ghuffar, Martina Barandun, and Martin Hoelzle
The Cryosphere, 19, 219–247, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-219-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-219-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We reconstruct the evolution of terminus position, ice thickness, and surface flow velocity of the reference Abramov glacier (Kyrgyzstan) from 1968 to present. We describe a front pulsation in the early 2000s and the multi-annual present-day buildup of a new pulsation. Such dynamic instabilities can challenge the representativity of Abramov as a reference glacier. For our work we used satellite‑based optical remote sensing from multiple platforms, including recently declassified archives.
Julie Wee, Sebastián Vivero, Tamara Mathys, Coline Mollaret, Christian Hauck, Christophe Lambiel, Jan Beutel, and Wilfried Haeberli
The Cryosphere, 18, 5939–5963, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5939-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5939-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study highlights the importance of a multi-method and multi-disciplinary approach to better understand the influence of the internal structure of the Gruben glacier-forefield-connected rock glacier and adjacent debris-covered glacier on their driving thermo-mechanical processes and associated surface dynamics. We were able to discriminate glacial from periglacial processes as their spatio-temporal patterns of surface dynamics and geophysical signatures are (mostly) different.
Livia Piermattei, Michael Zemp, Christian Sommer, Fanny Brun, Matthias H. Braun, Liss M. Andreassen, Joaquín M. C. Belart, Etienne Berthier, Atanu Bhattacharya, Laura Boehm Vock, Tobias Bolch, Amaury Dehecq, Inés Dussaillant, Daniel Falaschi, Caitlyn Florentine, Dana Floricioiu, Christian Ginzler, Gregoire Guillet, Romain Hugonnet, Matthias Huss, Andreas Kääb, Owen King, Christoph Klug, Friedrich Knuth, Lukas Krieger, Jeff La Frenierre, Robert McNabb, Christopher McNeil, Rainer Prinz, Louis Sass, Thorsten Seehaus, David Shean, Désirée Treichler, Anja Wendt, and Ruitang Yang
The Cryosphere, 18, 3195–3230, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3195-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3195-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Satellites have made it possible to observe glacier elevation changes from all around the world. In the present study, we compared the results produced from two different types of satellite data between different research groups and against validation measurements from aeroplanes. We found a large spread between individual results but showed that the group ensemble can be used to reliably estimate glacier elevation changes and related errors from satellite data.
Aldo Bertone, Nina Jones, Volkmar Mair, Riccardo Scotti, Tazio Strozzi, and Francesco Brardinoni
The Cryosphere, 18, 2335–2356, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2335-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2335-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Traditional inventories display high uncertainty in discriminating between intact (permafrost-bearing) and relict (devoid) rock glaciers (RGs). Integration of InSAR-based kinematics in South Tyrol affords uncertainty reduction and depicts a broad elevation belt of relict–intact coexistence. RG velocity and moving area (MA) cover increase linearly with elevation up to an inflection at 2600–2800 m a.s.l., which we regard as a signature of sporadic-to-discontinuous permafrost transition.
Daniel Falaschi, Atanu Bhattacharya, Gregoire Guillet, Lei Huang, Owen King, Kriti Mukherjee, Philipp Rastner, Tandong Yao, and Tobias Bolch
The Cryosphere, 17, 5435–5458, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5435-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5435-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Because glaciers are crucial freshwater sources in the lowlands surrounding High Mountain Asia, constraining short-term glacier mass changes is essential. We investigate the potential of state-of-the-art satellite elevation data to measure glacier mass changes in two selected regions. The results demonstrate the ability of our dataset to characterize glacier changes of different magnitudes, allowing for an increase in the number of inaccessible glaciers that can be readily monitored.
Fanny Brun, Owen King, Marion Réveillet, Charles Amory, Anton Planchot, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Tobias Bolch, Kévin Fourteau, Julien Brondex, Marie Dumont, Christoph Mayer, Silvan Leinss, Romain Hugonnet, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 17, 3251–3268, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3251-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3251-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The South Col Glacier is a small body of ice and snow located on the southern ridge of Mt. Everest. A recent study proposed that South Col Glacier is rapidly losing mass. In this study, we examined the glacier thickness change for the period 1984–2017 and found no thickness change. To reconcile these results, we investigate wind erosion and surface energy and mass balance and find that melt is unlikely a dominant process, contrary to previous findings.
Sajid Ghuffar, Owen King, Grégoire Guillet, Ewelina Rupnik, and Tobias Bolch
The Cryosphere, 17, 1299–1306, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1299-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1299-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The panoramic cameras (PCs) on board Hexagon KH-9 satellite missions from 1971–1984 captured very high-resolution stereo imagery with up to 60 cm spatial resolution. This study explores the potential of this imagery for glacier mapping and change estimation. The high resolution of KH-9PC leads to higher-quality DEMs which better resolve the accumulation region of glaciers in comparison to the KH-9 mapping camera, and KH-9PC imagery can be useful in several Earth observation applications.
Fuming Xie, Shiyin Liu, Yongpeng Gao, Yu Zhu, Tobias Bolch, Andreas Kääb, Shimei Duan, Wenfei Miao, Jianfang Kang, Yaonan Zhang, Xiran Pan, Caixia Qin, Kunpeng Wu, Miaomiao Qi, Xianhe Zhang, Ying Yi, Fengze Han, Xiaojun Yao, Qiao Liu, Xin Wang, Zongli Jiang, Donghui Shangguan, Yong Zhang, Richard Grünwald, Muhammad Adnan, Jyoti Karki, and Muhammad Saifullah
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 847–867, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-847-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-847-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, first we generated inventories which allowed us to systematically detect glacier change patterns in the Karakoram range. We found that, by the 2020s, there were approximately 10 500 glaciers in the Karakoram mountains covering an area of 22 510.73 km2, of which ~ 10.2 % is covered by debris. During the past 30 years (from 1990 to 2020), the total glacier cover area in Karakoram remained relatively stable, with a slight increase in area of 23.5 km2.
Yu Zhu, Shiyin Liu, Junfeng Wei, Kunpeng Wu, Tobias Bolch, Junli Xu, Wanqin Guo, Zongli Jiang, Fuming Xie, Ying Yi, Donghui Shangguan, Xiaojun Yao, and Zhen Zhang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-473, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-473, 2023
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we presented a nearly complete inventory of glacier mass change dataset across the eastern Tibetan Plateau by using topographical maps, which will enhance the knowledge on the heterogeneity of glacier change before 2000. Our dataset, in combination with the published results, provide a nearly five decades mass balance to support hydrological simulation, and to evaluate the contribution of mountain glacier loss to sea level.
Simon K. Allen, Ashim Sattar, Owen King, Guoqing Zhang, Atanu Bhattacharya, Tandong Yao, and Tobias Bolch
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3765–3785, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3765-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3765-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study demonstrates how the threat of a very large outburst from a future lake can be feasibly assessed alongside that from current lakes to inform disaster risk management within a transboundary basin between Tibet and Nepal. Results show that engineering measures and early warning systems would need to be coupled with effective land use zoning and programmes to strengthen local response capacities in order to effectively reduce the risk associated with current and future outburst events.
Alessandro Cicoira, Samuel Weber, Andreas Biri, Ben Buchli, Reynald Delaloye, Reto Da Forno, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Stephan Gruber, Tonio Gsell, Andreas Hasler, Roman Lim, Philippe Limpach, Raphael Mayoraz, Matthias Meyer, Jeannette Noetzli, Marcia Phillips, Eric Pointner, Hugo Raetzo, Cristian Scapozza, Tazio Strozzi, Lothar Thiele, Andreas Vieli, Daniel Vonder Mühll, Vanessa Wirz, and Jan Beutel
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 5061–5091, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5061-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5061-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper documents a monitoring network of 54 positions, located on different periglacial landforms in the Swiss Alps: rock glaciers, landslides, and steep rock walls. The data serve basic research but also decision-making and mitigation of natural hazards. It is the largest dataset of its kind, comprising over 209 000 daily positions and additional weather data.
Suvrat Kaushik, Ludovic Ravanel, Florence Magnin, Yajing Yan, Emmanuel Trouve, and Diego Cusicanqui
The Cryosphere, 16, 4251–4271, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4251-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change impacts all parts of the cryosphere but most importantly the smaller ice bodies like ice aprons (IAs). This study is the first attempt on a regional scale to assess the impacts of the changing climate on these small but very important ice bodies. Our study shows that IAs have consistently lost mass over the past decades. The effects of climate variables, particularly temperature and precipitation and topographic factors, were analysed on the loss of IA area.
Aldo Bertone, Chloé Barboux, Xavier Bodin, Tobias Bolch, Francesco Brardinoni, Rafael Caduff, Hanne H. Christiansen, Margaret M. Darrow, Reynald Delaloye, Bernd Etzelmüller, Ole Humlum, Christophe Lambiel, Karianne S. Lilleøren, Volkmar Mair, Gabriel Pellegrinon, Line Rouyet, Lucas Ruiz, and Tazio Strozzi
The Cryosphere, 16, 2769–2792, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2769-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2769-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present the guidelines developed by the IPA Action Group and within the ESA Permafrost CCI project to include InSAR-based kinematic information in rock glacier inventories. Nine operators applied these guidelines to 11 regions worldwide; more than 3600 rock glaciers are classified according to their kinematics. We test and demonstrate the feasibility of applying common rules to produce homogeneous kinematic inventories at global scale, useful for hydrological and climate change purposes.
Frank Paul, Livia Piermattei, Désirée Treichler, Lin Gilbert, Luc Girod, Andreas Kääb, Ludivine Libert, Thomas Nagler, Tazio Strozzi, and Jan Wuite
The Cryosphere, 16, 2505–2526, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2505-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2505-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier surges are widespread in the Karakoram and have been intensely studied using satellite data and DEMs. We use time series of such datasets to study three glacier surges in the same region of the Karakoram. We found strongly contrasting advance rates and flow velocities, maximum velocities of 30 m d−1, and a change in the surge mechanism during a surge. A sensor comparison revealed good agreement, but steep terrain and the two smaller glaciers caused limitations for some of them.
Benjamin Lehmann, Robert S. Anderson, Xavier Bodin, Diego Cusicanqui, Pierre G. Valla, and Julien Carcaillet
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 605–633, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-605-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-605-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Rock glaciers are some of the most frequently occurring landforms containing ice in mountain environments. Here, we use field observations, analysis of aerial and satellite images, and dating methods to investigate the activity of the rock glacier of the Vallon de la Route in the French Alps. Our results suggest that the rock glacier is characterized by two major episodes of activity and that the rock glacier system promotes the maintenance of mountain erosion.
Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Nina Brunner, Reynald Delaloye, Wilfried Haeberli, Andreas Kääb, and Patrick Thee
The Cryosphere, 16, 2083–2101, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2083-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2083-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We intensely investigated the Gruben site in the Swiss Alps, where glaciers and permafrost landforms closely interact, to better understand cold-climate environments. By the interpretation of air photos from 5 decades, we describe long-term developments of the existing landforms. In combination with high-resolution positioning measurements and ground surface temperatures, we were also able to link these to short-term changes and describe different landform responses to climate forcing.
Martin Hoelzle, Christian Hauck, Tamara Mathys, Jeannette Noetzli, Cécile Pellet, and Martin Scherler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 1531–1547, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-1531-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-1531-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
With ongoing climate change, it is crucial to understand the interactions of the individual heat fluxes at the surface and within the subsurface layers, as well as their impacts on the permafrost thermal regime. A unique set of high-altitude meteorological measurements has been analysed to determine the energy balance at three mountain permafrost sites in the Swiss Alps, where data have been collected since the late 1990s in collaboration with the Swiss Permafrost Monitoring Network (PERMOS).
Benjamin Aubrey Robson, Shelley MacDonell, Álvaro Ayala, Tobias Bolch, Pål Ringkjøb Nielsen, and Sebastián Vivero
The Cryosphere, 16, 647–665, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-647-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-647-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work uses satellite and aerial data to study glaciers and rock glacier changes in La Laguna catchment within the semi-arid Andes of Chile, where ice melt is an important factor in river flow. The results show the rate of ice loss of Tapado Glacier has been increasing since the 1950s, which possibly relates to a dryer, warmer climate over the previous decades. Several rock glaciers show high surface velocities and elevation changes between 2012 and 2020, indicating they may be ice-rich.
Gregoire Guillet, Owen King, Mingyang Lv, Sajid Ghuffar, Douglas Benn, Duncan Quincey, and Tobias Bolch
The Cryosphere, 16, 603–623, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-603-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-603-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Surging glaciers show cyclical changes in flow behavior – between slow and fast flow – and can have drastic impacts on settlements in their vicinity.
One of the clusters of surging glaciers worldwide is High Mountain Asia (HMA).
We present an inventory of surging glaciers in HMA, identified from satellite imagery. We show that the number of surging glaciers was underestimated and that they represent 20 % of the area covered by glaciers in HMA, before discussing new physics for glacier surges.
Tazio Strozzi, Andreas Wiesmann, Andreas Kääb, Thomas Schellenberger, and Frank Paul
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-44, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-44, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge on surface velocity of glaciers and ice caps contributes to a better understanding of a wide range of processes related to glacier dynamics, mass change and response to climate. Based on the release of historical satellite radar data from various space agencies we compiled nearly complete mosaics of winter ice surface velocities for the 1990's over the Eastern Arctic. Compared to the present state, we observe a general increase of ice velocities along with a retreat of glacier fronts.
Jan Bouke Pronk, Tobias Bolch, Owen King, Bert Wouters, and Douglas I. Benn
The Cryosphere, 15, 5577–5599, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5577-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5577-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
About 10 % of Himalayan glaciers flow directly into lakes. This study finds, using satellite imagery, that such glaciers show higher flow velocities than glaciers without ice–lake contact. In particular near the glacier tongue the impact of a lake on the glacier flow can be dramatic. The development of current and new meltwater bodies will influence the flow of an increasing number of Himalayan glaciers in the future, a scenario not currently considered in regional ice loss projections.
Cristian Scapozza, Chantal Del Siro, Christophe Lambiel, and Christian Ambrosi
Geogr. Helv., 76, 401–423, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-76-401-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-76-401-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Exposure ages make it possible to determine the time of weathering of a rock surface. They can be determined from rebound values measured with the Schmidt hammer and calibrated on surfaces of known age, defined in this study thanks to historical cartography and two mule tracks built in 300 and 1250 CE, which allowed us to reconstruct glacier fluctuations over the last 3 centuries in Val Scaradra and to define the time of deglaciation and rock glacier development in the Splügenpass region.
S. Kaushik, L. Ravanel, F. Magnin, Y. Yan, E. Trouve, and D. Cusicanqui
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B3-2021, 469–475, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2021-469-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2021-469-2021, 2021
Christian Vincent, Diego Cusicanqui, Bruno Jourdain, Olivier Laarman, Delphine Six, Adrien Gilbert, Andrea Walpersdorf, Antoine Rabatel, Luc Piard, Florent Gimbert, Olivier Gagliardini, Vincent Peyaud, Laurent Arnaud, Emmanuel Thibert, Fanny Brun, and Ugo Nanni
The Cryosphere, 15, 1259–1276, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1259-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1259-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In situ glacier point mass balance data are crucial to assess climate change in different regions of the world. Unfortunately, these data are rare because huge efforts are required to conduct in situ measurements on glaciers. Here, we propose a new approach from remote sensing observations. The method has been tested on the Argentière and Mer de Glace glaciers (France). It should be possible to apply this method to high-spatial-resolution satellite images and on numerous glaciers in the world.
Andreas Kääb, Tazio Strozzi, Tobias Bolch, Rafael Caduff, Håkon Trefall, Markus Stoffel, and Alexander Kokarev
The Cryosphere, 15, 927–949, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-927-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-927-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present a map of rock glacier motion over parts of the northern Tien Shan and time series of surface speed for six of them over almost 70 years.
This is by far the most detailed investigation of this kind available for central Asia.
We detect a 2- to 4-fold increase in rock glacier motion between the 1950s and present, which we attribute to atmospheric warming.
Relative to the shrinking glaciers in the region, this implies increased importance of periglacial sediment transport.
Sebastián Vivero, Reynald Delaloye, and Christophe Lambiel
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-8, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-8, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
We use repeated drone flights to measure the velocities of a rock glacier located in the western Swiss Alps. The results are validated by comparing with simultaneous GPS measurements. Between 2016 and 2019, the rock glacier doubled its overall frontal velocity, from 5 m to more than 10 m per year. These high velocities and the development of a scarp feature indicate a rock glacier destabilisation phase. Finally, this work highlights the use of drones for rock glacier monitoring.
Julián Gelman Constantin, Lucas Ruiz, Gustavo Villarosa, Valeria Outes, Facundo N. Bajano, Cenlin He, Hector Bajano, and Laura Dawidowski
The Cryosphere, 14, 4581–4601, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4581-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4581-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present the results of two field campaigns and modeling activities on the impact of atmospheric particles on Alerce Glacier (Argentinean Andes). We found that volcanic ash remains at different snow layers several years after eruption, increasing light absorption on the glacier surface (with a minor contribution of soot). This leads to 36 % higher annual glacier melting. We find remarkably that volcano eruptions in 2011 and 2015 have a relevant effect on the glacier even in 2016 and 2017.
Franz Goerlich, Tobias Bolch, and Frank Paul
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 3161–3176, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3161-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3161-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This work indicates all glaciers in the Pamir that surged between 1988 and 2018 as revealed by different remote sensing data, mainly Landsat imagery. We found ~ 200 surging glaciers for the entire mountain range and detected the minimum and maximum extents of most of them. The smallest surging glacier is ~ 0.3 km2. This inventory is important for further research on the surging behaviour of glaciers and has to be considered when processing glacier changes (mass, area) of the region.
Cited articles
Ardelean, A. C., Onaca, A. L., Urdea, P., Serban, R. D., and Sirbu, F.: A first estimate of permafrost distribution from BTS measurements in the Romanian Carpathians (Retezat Mountains), Geomorphologie, 21, 297–312, https://doi.org/10.4000/geomorphologie.11131, 2015.
Azócar, G. F., Brenning, A., and Bodin, X.: Permafrost distribution modelling in the semi-arid Chilean Andes, The Cryosphere, 11, 877–890, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-877-2017, 2017.
Bartsch, A., Strozzi, T., and Nitze, I.: Permafrost monitoring from space, Surv. Geophys., 44, 1579–1613, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-023-09770-3, 2023.
Berthling, I., Etzelmüller, B., Eiken, T., and Sollid, J. L.: Rock glaciers on Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard. I: internal structure, flow velocity and morphology, Permafrost Periglac., 9, 135–145, https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1530(199804/06)9:2<135::AID-PPP284>3.0.CO;2-R, 1998.
Bertone, A., Barboux, C., Bodin, X., Bolch, T., Brardinoni, F., Caduff, R., Christiansen, H. H., Darrow, M. M., Delaloye, R., Etzelmüller, B., Humlum, O., Lambiel, C., Lilleøren, K. S., Mair, V., Pellegrinon, G., Rouyet, L., Ruiz, L., and Strozzi, T.: Incorporating InSAR kinematics into rock glacier inventories: insights from 11 regions worldwide, The Cryosphere, 16, 2769–2792, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2769-2022, 2022.
Bertone, A., Jones, N., Mair, V., Scotti, R., Strozzi, T., and Brardinoni, F.: A climate-driven, altitudinal transition in rock glacier dynamics detected through integration of geomorphological mapping and synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR)-based kinematics, The Cryosphere, 18, 2335–2356, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2335-2024, 2024.
Blöthe, J. H., Halla, C., Schwalbe, E., Bottegal, E., Trombotto Liaudat, D., and Schrott, L.: Surface velocity fields of active rock glaciers and ice-debris complexes in the Central Andes of Argentina, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 46, 504–522, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5042, 2021.
Bodin, X., Krysiecki, J. M., Schoeneich, P., Le Roux, O., Lorier, L., Echelard, T., Peyron, M., and Walpersdorf, A.: The 2006 collapse of the Bérard rock glacier (Southern French Alps), Permafrost Periglac., 28, 209–223, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1887, 2017.
Boeckli, L., Brenning, A., Gruber, S., and Noetzli, J.: A statistical approach to modelling permafrost distribution in the European Alps or similar mountain ranges, The Cryosphere, 6, 125–140, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-125-2012, 2012.
Bolch, T. and Gorbunov, A. P.: Characteristics and origin of rock glaciers in Northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan), Permafrost Periglac., 25, 320–332, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1825, 2014.
Brardinoni, F., Scotti, R., Sailer, R., and Mair, V.: Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 44, 2450–2466, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4674, 2019.
Brencher, G., Handwerger, A. L., and Munroe, J. S.: InSAR-based characterization of rock glacier movement in the Uinta Mountains, Utah, USA, The Cryosphere, 15, 4823–4844, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4823-2021, 2021.
Calkin, P. E.: Rock glaciers of central Brooks Range, Alaska, USA, in: Rock glaciers, edited by: Giardino, J. R., Shroder, J. F., and Vitek, J. D., Allen & Unwin, Boston, 65–82, ISBN 978-0-04-551139-6, 1987.
Cicoira, A., Beutel, J., Faillettaz, J., and Vieli, A.: Water controls the seasonal rhythm of rock glacier flow, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 528, 115844, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115844, 2019.
Delaloye, R., Perruchoud, E., Avian, M., Kaufmann, V., Bodin, X., Hausmann, H., Ikeda, A., Kääb, A., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Krainer, K., Lambiel, C., Mihajlovic, D., Staub, B., Roer, I., and Thibert, E.: Recent interannual variations of rock glacier creep in the European Alps, in: 9th International Conference on Permafrost, 29 June–3 July 2008, Fairbanks, Alaska, 343–348, https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-7031, 2008.
Delaloye, R., Lambiel, C., and Gärtner-Roer, I.: Overview of rock glacier kinematics research in the Swiss Alps, Geogr. Helv., 65, 135–145, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-65-135-2010, 2010.
Delaloye, R., Morard, S., Barboux, C., Abbet, D., Gruber, V., Riedo, M., and Gachet, S.: Rapidly moving rock glaciers in Mattertal. Mattertal – ein Tal in Bewegung, in: Mattertal – ein Tal in Bewegung, Publikation zur Jahrestagung der Schweizerischen Geomorphologischen Gesellschaft, 29 Juni–1. Juli 2011, St. Niklaus, Birmensdorf, Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL, 21–31, ISBN 978-3-905621-53-2, 2013.
Delaloye, R., Barboux, C., Bodin, X., Brenning, A., Hartl, L., Hu, Y., Ikeda, A., Kaufmann, V., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Lambiel, C., and Liu, L.: Rock glacier inventories and kinematics: A new IPA Action Group, in: vol. 23, Proc. EUCOP5 – 5th European Conference of Permafrost, Chamonix, France, 392–393, https://www.unifr.ch/geo/geomorphology/en/assets/public/files/IPA/185466_EUCOP2018_extended_abstract_Delaloye_et_al.pdf (last access: 15 August 2025), 2018.
Ellis, J. M. and Calkin, P. E.: Nature and distribution of glaciers, neoglacial moraines, and rock glaciers, east-central Brooks Range, Alaska, Arct. Alp. Res., 11, 403–420, https://doi.org/10.1080/00040851.1979.12004149, 1979.
Erharter, G. H., Wagner, T., Winkler, G., and Marcher, T.: Machine learning–an approach for consistent rock glacier mapping and inventorying–example of Austria, Applied Computing and Geosciences, 16, 100093, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acags.2022.100093, 2022.
Eriksen, H. Ø., Rouyet, L., Lauknes, T. R., Berthling, I., Isaksen, K., Hindberg, H., Larsen, Y., and Corner, G. D.: Recent acceleration of a rock glacier complex, Adjet, Norway, documented by 62 years of remote sensing observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 8314–8323, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077605, 2018.
Etzelmüller, B., Patton, H., Schomacker, A., Czekirda, J., Girod, L., Hubbard, A., Lilleøren, K. L., and Westermann, S.: Icelandic permafrost dynamics since the Last Glacial Maximum–model results and geomorphological implications, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 233, 106236, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106236, 2020.
Farbrot, H., Isaksen, K., Eiken, T., Kääb, A., and Sollid, J. L.: Composition and internal structures of a rock glacier on the strandflat of western Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norsk Geogr. Tidsskr., 59, 139–148, https://doi.org/10.1080/00291950510020619, 2005.
French, H. M.: The Periglacial Environment, in: 3rd Edn., John Wiley & Sons, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118684931, 2007.
Gisnås, K., Etzelmüller, B., Lussana, C., Hjort, J., Sannel, A. B. K., Isaksen, K., Westermann, S., Kuhry, P., Christiansen, H. H., Frampton, A., and Åkerman, J.: Permafrost map for Norway, Sweden and Finland, Permafrost Periglac., 28, 359–378, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1922, 2017.
Gorbunov, A. and Titkov, S.: Kamennye Gletchery Gor Srednej Azii: (Rock glaciers of the Central Asian mountains), Akademia Nauk SSSR, Irkutsk, 1989.
Gorbunov, A. P., Titkov, S. N., and Polyakov, V.: Dynamics of the rock glaciers of the Northern Tien Shan and the Djungar Alatau, Kazakhstan, Permafrost Periglac., 3, 29–39, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.3430030105, 1992.
Hartl, L., Zieher, T., Bremer, M., Stocker-Waldhuber, M., Zahs, V., Höfle, B., Klug, C., and Cicoira, A.: Multi-sensor monitoring and data integration reveal cyclical destabilization of the Äußeres Hochebenkar rock glacier, Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 117–147, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-117-2023, 2023.
Hassan, J., Chen, X., Muhammad, S., and Bazai, N. A.: Rock glacier inventory, permafrost probability distribution modeling and associated hazards in the Hunza River Basin, Western Karakoram, Pakistan, Sci. Total Environ., 782, 146833, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146833, 2021.
Hu, Y., Liu, L., Huang, L., Zhao, L., Wu, T., Wang, X., and Cai, J.: Mapping and characterizing rock glaciers in the arid Western Kunlun Mountains supported by InSAR and deep learning, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 128, e2023JF007206, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JF007206, 2023.
Hu, Y., Arenson, L. U., Barboux, C., Bodin, X., Cicoira, A., Delaloye, R., Gärtner-Roer, I., Kääb, A., Kellerer-Priklbauer, A., Lambiel, C., Liu, L., Pellet, C., Rouyet. L., Schoeneich, P., Seier, G., and Strozzi, T.: Rock glacier velocity: An Essential Climate Variable Quantity for Permafrost, Rev. Geophys., 63, e2024RG000847, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024RG000847, 2025.
Humlum, O.: Rock glacier types on Disko, Central West Greenland, Geogr. Tidsskr., 82, 59–66, https://doi.org/10.1080/00167223.1982.10649152, 1982.
Humlum, O.: Origin of rock glaciers: Observations from Mellemfjord, Disko Island, Central West Greenland, Permafrost Periglac., 7, 361–380, https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1530(199610)7:4<361::AID-PPP227>3.0.CO;2-4, 1996.
Ikeda, A. and Matsuoka, N.: Degradation of talus-derived rock glaciers in the Upper Engadin, Swiss Alps, Permafrost Periglac., 13, 145–161, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.413, 2002.
Ikeda, A., Matsuoka, N., and Kääb, A.: Fast deformation of perennially frozen debris in a warm rock glacier in the Swiss Alps: An effect of liquid water, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 113, F01021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JF000859, 2008.
Isaksen, K., Ødegård, R. S., Eiken, T., and Sollid, J. L.: Composition, flow and development of two tongue-shaped rock glaciers in the permafrost of Svalbard, Permafrost Periglac., 11, 241–257, https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1530(200007/09)11:3<241::AID-PPP358>3.0.CO;2-A, 2000.
Jones, D. B., Harrison, S., Anderson, K., Selley, H. L., Wood, J. L., and Betts, R. A.: The distribution and hydrological significance of rock glaciers in the Nepalese Himalaya, Global Planet. Change, 160, 123–142, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2017.11.005, 2018.
Kääb, A., Frauenfelder, R., and Roer, I.: On the response of rockglacier creep to surface temperature increase, Global Planet. Change, 56, 172–187, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2006.07.005, 2007.
Kääb, A., Strozzi, T., Bolch, T., Caduff, R., Trefall, H., Stoffel, M., and Kokarev, A.: Inventory and changes of rock glacier creep speeds in Ile Alatau and Kungöy Ala-Too, northern Tien Shan, since the 1950s, The Cryosphere, 15, 927–949, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-927-2021, 2021.
Karjalainen, O., Luoto, M., Aalto, J., Etzelmüller, B., Grosse, G., Jones, B. M., Lilleøren, K. S., and Hjort, J.: High potential for loss of permafrost landforms in a changing climate, Environ. Res. Lett., 15, 104065, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abafd5, 2020.
Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Bodin, X., Delaloye, R., Lambiel, C., Gärtner-Roer, I., Bonnefoy-Demongeot, M., Carturan, L., Damm, B., Eulenstein, J., Fischer, A., Hartl, L., Ikeda, A., Kaufmann, V., Krainer, K., Matsuoka, N., Morra Di Cella, U., Noetzli, J., Seppi, R., Scapozza, C., Schoeneich, P., Stocker-Waldhuber, M., Thibert, E., and Zumiani, M.: Acceleration and interannual variability of creep rates in mountain permafrost landforms (rock glacier velocities) in the European Alps in 1995–2022, Environ. Res. Lett., 19, 034022, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad25a4, 2024.
Kenner, R., Pruessner, L., Beutel, J., Limpach, P., and Phillips, M.: How rock glacier hydrology, deformation velocities and ground temperatures interact: Examples from the Swiss Alps, Permafrost Periglac., 31, 3–14, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2023, 2020.
Lambiel, C., Strozzi, T., Paillex, N., Vivero, S., and Jones, N.: Inventory and kinematics of active and transitional rock glaciers in the Southern Alps of New Zealand from Sentinel-1 InSAR, Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 55, 2183999, https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2183999, 2023.
Lilleøren, K. S. and Etzelmüller, B.: A regional inventory of rock glaciers and ice-cored moraines in Norway, Geogr. Ann. A, 93, 175–191, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2011.00430.x, 2011.
Lilleøren, K. S., Etzelmüller, B., Schuler, T. V., Gisnås, K., and Humlum, O.: The relative age of mountain permafrost – estimation of Holocene permafrost limits in Norway, Global Planet. Change, 92, 209–223, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2012.05.016, 2012.
Lilleøren, K. S., Etzelmüller, B., Rouyet, L., Eiken, T., Slinde, G., and Hilbich, C.: Transitional rock glaciers at sea level in northern Norway, Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 975–996, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-975-2022, 2022.
Liu, L., Millar, C. I., Westfall, R. D., and Zebker, H. A.: Surface motion of active rock glaciers in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA: inventory and a case study using InSAR, The Cryosphere, 7, 1109–1119, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1109-2013, 2013.
Lugon, R. and Delaloye, R.: Modelling alpine permafrost distribution, Val de Réchy, Valais Alps (Switzerland), Norsk Geogr. Tidsskr., 55, 224–229, https://doi.org/10.1080/00291950152746568, 2001.
Ma, Q. and Oguchi, T.: Rock Glacier Inventory of the Southwestern Pamirs Supported by InSAR Kinematics, Remote Sens.-Basel, 16, 1185, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16071185, 2024.
Mahanta, K. K., Pradhan, I. P., Gupta, S. K., and Shukla, D. P.: Assessing Machine Learning and Statistical Methods for Rock Glacier-Based Permafrost Distribution in Northern Kargil Region, Permafrost Periglac., 35, 262–277, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2240, 2024.
Manchado, A. M.-T., Allen, S., Cicoira, A., Wiesmann, S., Haller, R., and Stoffel, M.: 100 years of monitoring in the Swiss National Park reveals overall decreasing rock glacier velocities, Communications Earth & Environment, 5, 138, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01302-0, 2024.
Marcer, M., Bodin, X., Brenning, A., Schoeneich, P., Charvet, R., and Gottardi, F.: Permafrost favorability index: spatial modeling in the French Alps using a rock glacier inventory, Front. Earth Sci., 5, 105, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00105, 2017.
Marcer, M., Serrano, C., Brenning, A., Bodin, X., Goetz, J., and Schoeneich, P.: Evaluating the destabilization susceptibility of active rock glaciers in the French Alps, The Cryosphere, 13, 141–155, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-141-2019, 2019.
Marcer, M., Cicoira, A., Cusicanqui, D., Bodin, X., Echelard, T., Obregon, R., and Schoeneich, P.: Rock glaciers throughout the French Alps accelerated and destabilised since 1990 as air temperatures increased, Communications Earth & Environment, 2, 81, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00150-6, 2021.
Marchenko, S. S.: A model of permafrost formation and occurrences in the intracontinental mountains, Norsk Geogr. Tidsskr., 55, 230–234, https://doi.org/10.1080/00291950152746577, 2001.
Marthaler, M., Sartori, M., and Escher, A.: Feuille 1307 Vissoie, Atlas géol. Suisse 1:25 000, Carte 122 (Sheet 1307 Vissoie, Swiss Geological Atlas 1:25 000, Map 122), ISBN 978-3-302-40018-1, 2008.
Necsoiu, M., Onaca, A., Wigginton, S., and Urdea, P.: Rock glacier dynamics in Southern Carpathian Mountains from high-resolution optical and multi-temporal SAR satellite imagery, Remote Sens. Environ., 177, 21–36, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2016.02.025, 2016.
Onaca, A., Ardelean, A. C., Urdea, P., Ardelean, F., and Sirbu, F.: Detection of mountain permafrost by combining conventional geophysical methods and thermal monitoring in the Retezat Mountains, Romania, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 119, 111–123, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2015.08.001, 2015.
PERMOS: PERMOS Database, Swiss Permafrost Monitoring Network, Davos and Fribourg, Switzerland, https://doi.org/10.13093/permos-2024-01, 2024.
Perruchoud, E. and Delaloye, R.: Short-term changes in surface velocities on the Becs-de-Bosson rock glacier (western Swiss Alps), in: Proceedings HMRSC-IX, Graz, 14–15 September 2006, Grazer Schriften der Geographie und Raumforschung, 43, 131–136, 2007.
Popescu, R., Filhol, S., Etzelmüller, B., Vasile, M., Pleşoianu, A., Vîrghileanu, M., Onaca, A., Şandric, I., Săvulescu, I., Cruceru, N., Vespremeanu-Stroe, A., Westermann, S., Sîrbu, F., Mihai, B., Nedelea, A., and Gascoin, S.: Permafrost Distribution in the Southern Carpathians, Romania, Derived From Machine Learning Modeling, Permafrost Periglac., 35, 243–261, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2232, 2024.
Rangecroft, S., Harrison, S., and Anderson, K.: Rock glaciers as water stores in the Bolivian Andes: an assessment of their hydrological importance, Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 47, 89–98, https://doi.org/10.1657/AAAR0014-029, 2015.
Reinosch, E., Gerke, M., Riedel, B., Schwalb, A., Ye, Q., and Buckel, J.: Rock glacier inventory of the western Nyainqêntanglha Range, Tibetan Plateau, supported by InSAR time series and automated classification, Permafrost Periglac., 32, 657–672, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2117, 2021.
RGIK: Optional kinematic attribute in standardized rock glacier inventories (version 3.0.1, 22 July 2022), IPA Action Group Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK), 8 pp., https://www.unifr.ch/geo/geomorphology/en/research/ipa-action-group-rock-glacier/ (last access: 15 August 2025), 2022a.
RGIK: Towards standard guidelines for inventorying rock glaciers: baseline concepts (version 4.2.2, 31 March 2022), IPA Action Group Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK), 13 pp., https://www.unifr.ch/geo/geomorphology/en/research/ipa-action-group-rock-glacier/ (last access: 15 August 2025), 2022b.
RGIK: Towards standard guidelines for inventorying rock glaciers: practical concepts (version 2.0, 11 April 2022), IPA Action Group Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK), 10 pp., https://www.unifr.ch/geo/geomorphology/en/research/ipa-action-group-rock-glacier/ (last access: 15 August 2025), 2022c.
RGIK: Guidelines for inventorying rock glaciers: baseline and practical concepts (version 1.0, 28 December 2023), IPA Action Group Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics, 25 pp., https://doi.org/10.51363/unifr.srr.2023.002, 2023a.
RGIK: InSAR-based kinematic attribute in rock glacier inventories. Practical InSAR Guidelines (version 4.0., 31 May 2023), IPA Action Group Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK), 33 pp., https://www.rgik.org (last access: 15 August 2025), 2023b.
RGIK: Rock Glacier Velocity as an associated parameter of ECV Permafrost: baseline concepts (version 3.2, 22 May 2023), IPA Action Group Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK), 13 pp., https://www.rgik.org (last access: 15 August 2025), 2023c.
RGIK: Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK) Guidelines and QGIS tools, https://www.rgik.org/resources/ (last access: 15 August 2025), 2025.
Robson, B. A., Bolch, T., MacDonell, S., Hölbling, D., Rastner, P., and Schaffer, N.: Automated detection of rock glaciers using deep learning and object-based image analysis, Remote Sens. Environ., 250, 112033, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.112033, 2020.
Rouyet, L., Lilleøren, K. S., Böhme, M., Vick, L. M., Delaloye, R., Etzelmüller, B., Lauknes, T. R., Larsen, Y., and Blikra, L. H.: Regional morpho-kinematic inventory of slope movements in northern Norway, Front. Earth Sci., 9, 681088, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.681088, 2021.
Rouyet, L., Bolch, T., Brardinoni, F., Caduff, R., Cusicanqui, D., Darrow, M., Delaloye, R., Echelard, T., Lambiel, C., Pellet, C., Ruiz, L., Schmid, L., Sirbu, F., and Strozzi, T.: Rock Glacier Inventories (RoGI) in 12 areas worldwide using a multi-operator consensus-based procedure, Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14501398, 2025.
Sattler, K., Anderson, B., Mackintosh, A., Norton, K., and de Róiste, M.: Estimating permafrost distribution in the maritime southern alps, New Zealand, based on climatic conditions at rock glacier sites, Front. Earth Sci., 4, 1–17, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2016.00004, 2016.
Schmid, M.-O., Baral, P., Gruber, S., Shahi, S., Shrestha, T., Stumm, D., and Wester, P.: Assessment of permafrost distribution maps in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region using rock glaciers mapped in Google Earth, The Cryosphere, 9, 2089–2099, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-2089-2015, 2015.
Schoeneich, P., Bodin, X., Echelard, T., Kaufmann, V., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Krysiecki, J.-M., and Lieb, G. K.: Velocity Changes of Rock Glaciers and Induced Hazards, in: Engineering Geology for Society and Territory – Vol. 1, edited by: Lollino, G., Manconi, A., Clague, J., Shan, W., and Chiarle, M., Springer, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09300-0_42, 2015.
Scotti, R., Crosta, G. B., and Villa, A.: Destabilisation of Creeping Permafrost: The Plator Rock Glacier Case Study (Central Italian Alps), Permafrost Periglac., 28, 224–236, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1917, 2017.
Scotti, R., Mair, V., Costantini, D., and Brardinoni, F.: A high-resolution rock glacier inventory of South Tyrol: Evaluating lithologic, topographic, and climatic effects, in: 12th International Conference on Permafrost, edited by: Beddoe, R. A. and Karunaratne, K. C., 16–20 June 2024, International Permafrost Association, Whitehorse, Canada, 382–389, https://doi.org/10.52381/ICOP2024.176.1, 2024.
Staub, B., Lambiel, C., and Delaloye, R.: Rock glacier creep as a thermally-driven phenomenon: A decade of inter-annual observations from the Swiss Alps, in: 11th International Conference on Permafrost, 20–24 June 2016, Potsdam, Germany, Bibliothek Wissenschaftspark Albert Einstein, 96–97, 2016.
Streletskiy, D., Biskaborn, B., Smith, S. L., Noetzli, J., Viera, G., and Schoeneich, P.: Strategy and Implementation Plan 2016–2020 for the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P), https://library.arcticportal.org/id/eprint/1938 (last access: 15 August 2025), 2017.
Streletskiy, D., Noetzli, J., Smith, S. L., Vieira, G., Schoeneich, P., Hrbacek, F., and Irrgang A. M.: Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2024 for the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6075467, 2021.
Sun, Z., Hu, Y., Racoviteanu, A., Liu, L., Harrison, S., Wang, X., Cai, J., Guo, X., He, Y., and Yuan, H.: TPRoGI: a comprehensive rock glacier inventory for the Tibetan Plateau using deep learning, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5703–5721, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5703-2024, 2024.
Tenthorey, G.: Perennial névés and the hydrology of rock glaciers, Permafrost Periglac., 3, 247–252, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.3430030313, 1992.
Titkov, S. N.: Rock Glaciers and glaciation of the Central Asian Mountains, in: vol. 1, Proceedings of the 5th International Permafrost Conference, Trondheim, 2–5 August 1988, 259–262, ISBN 978-82-519-0863-4, 1988.
Trofaier, A. M., Westermann, S., and Bartsch, A.: Progress in space-borne studies of permafrost for climate science: Towards a multi-ECV approach, Remote Sens. Environ., 203, 55–70, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2017.05.021, 2017.
Trombotto-Liaudat, D.: Survey of cryogenic processes, periglacial forms and permafrost conditions in South America, Revista do Instituto Geológico, 21, 33–55, https://doi.org/10.5935/0100-929X.20000004, 2000.
Trombotto-Liaudat, D. and Bottegal, E.: Recent evolution of the active layer in the Morenas Coloradas rock glacier, Central Andes, Mendoza, Argentina and its relation with kinematics, CIG, https://doi.org/10.18172/cig.3946, 2019.
UNIFR: WebGIS ESA CCI+ Permafrost Project – Rock Glacier Inventories, University of Fribourg (UNIFR), https://bigweb.unifr.ch/Science/Geosciences/Geomorphology/Pub/Website/CCI/CCI_qgis2web_2025_04 (last access: 15 August 2025), 2025.
Way, R. G., Wang, Y., Bevington, A. R., Bonnaventure, P. P., Burton, J. R., Davis, R., Garibaldi, M. C., Lapalme, C. M., Tutton, R., and Wehbe, M. A.: Consensus-Based Rock Glacier Inventorying in the Torngat Mountains, Northern Labrador, in: Proc. Regional Conference on Permafrost 2021 and the 19th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, 24–29 October 2021, 130–141, ISBN 978-1-7138-3849-4, 2021.
WMO: The 2022 GCOS ECVs Requirements, GCOS – 245, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), https://library.wmo.int/idurl/4/58111 (last access: 15 August 2025), 2022.
Zalazar, L., Ferri, L., Castro, M., Gargantini, H., Gimenez, M., Pitte, P., Ruiz, L., Masiokas, M., Costa, G., and Villalba, R.: Spatial distribution and characteristics of Andean ice masses in Argentina: results from the first National Glacier Inventory, J. Glaciol., 66, 938–949, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.55, 2020.
Short summary
Rock glaciers are landforms generated by the creep of frozen ground (permafrost) in cold-climate mountains. Mapping rock glaciers contributes to documenting the distribution and the dynamics of mountain permafrost. We compiled inventories documenting the location, the characteristics, and the extent of rock glaciers in 12 mountain regions around the world. In each region, a team of operators performed the work following common rules and agreed on final solutions when discrepancies were identified.
Rock glaciers are landforms generated by the creep of frozen ground (permafrost) in cold-climate...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint