Glaciological station network Pasterze

In cooperation with foto-webcam.eu, University of Graz, Großglockner Hochalpenstraße AG and TGM, a glaciological station network was established. In total 5 cameras, one automatic weather station (EMBS PAS) and one mass balance station (MBS PAS) are in operation. The locations of the cameras are Freiwandeck (FWE), Fuscherkarkopf (FKK), kleiner Burgstall with two cameras (BUR) and (PAS) and Großglockner (GLO). This is by the way the highest situated camera in Austria with an altitude of 3750 m a.s.l.. On the glacier surface there is a automatic weather station situated on the glacier tongue and a mass balance station in the upper part of the glacier.

Map of the glaciological station network of Pasterze with location of the 5 cameras, the automatic weather station and the mass balance station. The dashed lines are the visual axis of each camera. Also marked is the boundary of the catchment and the area of Pasterze.

View of the cameras (BUR top left, FKK top right, GLO centre left, FWE centre right and PAS bottom left).

The major aims are to observe the level of snow coverage, calculate flow velocity and to document the glacier retreat.

Mass balance station (MBS PAS) (left) located in the upper part of Pasterze and the automatic weather station (EMBS PAS) situated on the tongue of Pasterze.

The EMBS PAS measures air temperature at two different levels, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, snow depth and radiation balance between incoming short wave and long wave versus surface reflected short wave, outgoing long wave radiation and ablation of ice with a pressure sensor. MBS PAS record snow depth and ablation of ice.