Automatic measurement of glacier ice ablation using thermistor strings

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Carturan, L., Cazorzi, F., Dalla Fontana, G., Zanoner, T.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: glacier mass balance; glacier monitoring; glaciological instruments and method; Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11390/1146467; https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.103; https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology/all-issues

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.