Rhone Glacier
| Rhonegletscher | |
|---|---|
 View towards the Tieralplistock |
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| Type | Valley glacier |
| Location | Valais, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°34.32′N 8°22.58′E / 46.572°N 8.37633°ECoordinates: 46°34.32′N 8°22.58′E / 46.572°N 8.37633°E |
The Rhone Glacier, or sometimes Rhône Glacier (German: Rhonegletscher) is a glacier in the Swiss Alps and the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais. Because the Glacier is located close to the Furka Pass road it is easily accessible.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
The Rhone Glacier is the largest glacier in the Urner Alps. It lies on the south side of the range at the source of the Rhone. The Undri Triftlimi (3,081 m) connects it to the Trift Glacier. The glacier is located on the northernmost part of the canton of Valais, between the Grimsel Pass and the Furka Pass and is part of the Oberwald municipality. The Dammastock (3,630 m) is the highest summit above the glacier.
[edit] Evolution
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2010
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2008
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2005
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1900
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1870
Vertical axis: length difference in meters
Horizontal axis: years
In thick green: cumulated length difference starting 1879
In thin red: growth during one year
The Rhone Glacier is easily accessible so its evolution is observed since the 19th century. The glacier lost ~1300 m during the last 120 years leaving back a track of naked stone.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Rhone Glacier at Glaciers online
- Rhone Glacier at NASA Earth Observatory
[edit] External links
- Simulation of the shrinking of the glacier
- Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network: Rhone Glacier - with length variation measurements since 1879
Media related to Rhone Glacier at Wikimedia Commons
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