Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland
In this paper we reconstruct the space–time trajectory beneath the surface of Aletschgletscher, Switzerland, of the corpses of three mountaineers that disappeared in March 1926 and reappeared at the glacier surface in June 2012. Our method integrates the time-dependent velocity field of an existing...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
International Glaciological Society
2014
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/ http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/1/Jouvet_Funk_2014.pdf https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J156 |
id |
ftfuberlinimp:oai:biocomputing-berlin.de:1861 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftfuberlinimp:oai:biocomputing-berlin.de:1861 2023-05-15T16:57:32+02:00 Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland Jouvet, G. Funk, M. 2014 application/pdf http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/ http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/1/Jouvet_Funk_2014.pdf https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J156 en eng International Glaciological Society http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/1/Jouvet_Funk_2014.pdf Jouvet, G. and Funk, M. (2014) Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland. Journal of Glaciology, 60 (220). pp. 255-261. ISSN 0022-1430 Numerical Analysis Article PeerReviewed 2014 ftfuberlinimp https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J156 2022-07-10T14:27:19Z In this paper we reconstruct the space–time trajectory beneath the surface of Aletschgletscher, Switzerland, of the corpses of three mountaineers that disappeared in March 1926 and reappeared at the glacier surface in June 2012. Our method integrates the time-dependent velocity field of an existing full-Stokes glacier model, starting at the point where the corpses were found at the glacier surface. Our main result is that we were able to localize the immersion location where the brothers presumably died. As a second result, the upstream end point of the computed trajectory emerges very close to the glacier surface in 1926, giving a new and global validation of the glacier model in space and time. Testing the sensitivity of the immersion location obtained with respect to the model and other uncertainties indicates an area of 0.6% of the entire glacier area where the accident could have occurred. Our result suggests that death was not caused by an avalanche or a fall into a crevasse; instead, it is likely that the mountaineers became disoriented in prolonged severe weather conditions and froze to death. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology fu_mi_publications (Repository - Freie Universität Berlin, Math Department Journal of Glaciology 60 220 255 261 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
fu_mi_publications (Repository - Freie Universität Berlin, Math Department |
op_collection_id |
ftfuberlinimp |
language |
English |
topic |
Numerical Analysis |
spellingShingle |
Numerical Analysis Jouvet, G. Funk, M. Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland |
topic_facet |
Numerical Analysis |
description |
In this paper we reconstruct the space–time trajectory beneath the surface of Aletschgletscher, Switzerland, of the corpses of three mountaineers that disappeared in March 1926 and reappeared at the glacier surface in June 2012. Our method integrates the time-dependent velocity field of an existing full-Stokes glacier model, starting at the point where the corpses were found at the glacier surface. Our main result is that we were able to localize the immersion location where the brothers presumably died. As a second result, the upstream end point of the computed trajectory emerges very close to the glacier surface in 1926, giving a new and global validation of the glacier model in space and time. Testing the sensitivity of the immersion location obtained with respect to the model and other uncertainties indicates an area of 0.6% of the entire glacier area where the accident could have occurred. Our result suggests that death was not caused by an avalanche or a fall into a crevasse; instead, it is likely that the mountaineers became disoriented in prolonged severe weather conditions and froze to death. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jouvet, G. Funk, M. |
author_facet |
Jouvet, G. Funk, M. |
author_sort |
Jouvet, G. |
title |
Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland |
title_short |
Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland |
title_full |
Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland |
title_fullStr |
Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland |
title_sort |
modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on aletschgletscher, switzerland |
publisher |
International Glaciological Society |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/ http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/1/Jouvet_Funk_2014.pdf https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J156 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_relation |
http://publications.imp.fu-berlin.de/1861/1/Jouvet_Funk_2014.pdf Jouvet, G. and Funk, M. (2014) Modelling the trajectory of the corpses of mountaineers who disappeared in 1926 on Aletschgletscher, Switzerland. Journal of Glaciology, 60 (220). pp. 255-261. ISSN 0022-1430 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J156 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
60 |
container_issue |
220 |
container_start_page |
255 |
op_container_end_page |
261 |
_version_ |
1766049102171209728 |