Swiss Alps
Grosser Aletschgletscher
Grosser Aletschgletscher is the longest glacier in the Alps, and its meltwater feeds the Rhône River that traverses the Swiss Valais, feeds Lake Geneva, and continues through southern France before reaching the Mediterranean. Grosser Aletschgletscher supplies meltwater to the Electra Massa Power Plant, operated by Alpiq SA, as well as to downstream agriculture and industry in the Naters and Brig regions. At this site, CryoSCOPE aims to assess the impact of glacier retreat on seasonal droughts in the Alps, using a glacier evolution model powered by deep learning, together with glaciohydrological modelling.
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Grosser Aletschgletscher is the longest and largest glacier in the Alps, with 12 km³ of ice volume and a length of 22 km. It has been monitored for length variations by Glacier Monitoring Switzerland since 1870 and for mass balance since 1918. In the twenty-first century, this glacier’s mass balance has been strongly negative as a result of exceptionally warm and dry summers, despite occasional winters (e.g., 2023–2024) with substantial snow accumulation.
The NTNU team is conducting in situ measurements designed to better understand the glacier’s subglacial drainage system, including its capacity to erode, transport and deposit sediment. It is employing GPR, sediment load and turbidity measurements, as well as meteorological measurements at the glacier surface, to assess the local climate in the ablation zone of the glacier. The data collected is crucial for the improvement of glacio-hydrological models and provides additional data for hydropower operators.
