Snow accumulation and ice flow at Dôme du Goûter (4300 m), Mont Blanc, French Alps

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Vincent, C., Vallon, M., Pinglot, J. F., Funk, M., Reynaud, L.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1997
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Mont Blanc; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000035127; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000035127

Abstract Glaciological experiments have been carried out at Dôme du Goûter (4300 m a.s.l.), Mont Blanc, in order to understand the flow of firn/ice in this high-altitude Alpine glacierized area. Accumulation measurements from stakes show a very strong spatial variability and an unusual feature of mass-balance fluctuations for the Alps, i.e. the snow accumulation does not show any seasonal patterns. Measured vertical velocities which should match with long-term mean mass balance are consistent with observed accumulations. Therefore, the measurement of vertical velocities seems a good way of quickly obtaining reliable mean accumulation values for several decades in such a region. A simple flow model can be used to determine the main flowlines of the glacier and to propose snow/ice age of core samples from the two boreholes drilled down tο the bedrock in June 1994. These results coincide with radioactivity measurements made to identify the well-known radioactive snow layers of 1963 and 1986. We can hope to obtain ice samples 55–60 years old about 20 or 30 m above the bedrock (110 m deep). Below, the deformation of the ice layers is loo great to be dated accurately.