Automatic measurement of glacier ice ablation using thermistor strings

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: L. CARTURAN, F. CAZORZI, G. DALLA FONTANA, T. ZANONER
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press 2019
• Subjects: glacier mass balance; glacier monitoring; glaciological instruments and methods; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.103; https://doaj.org/article/47c7d467daec4260999fb14a4172ee01

In this work we tested the suitability of thermistor strings as automatic tools for the continuous measurement of glacier ice ablation. Experimental data collected in summer 2017 over an Italian glacier provided ice ablation readings with accuracy similar to manual measurements with ablation stakes and other automatic systems, like the draw-wire method and the Bøggild ablatometer. Thermistor strings have potential for future applications in remote glacier monitoring, thanks to their flexibility, simple construction, and robustness.