Permafrost Research Team Finding Data On Climate Change In Switzerland
Rock slides blocking prominent alpine routes have become a prominent issue in the Alps. Due to global warming, the permafrost is unfreezing by degrees, giving way to a fast erosion of high peaks like the Swiss Matterhorn.
An interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Basel and Zurich and other organisations are researching the processes involved in a project called “Permasense” and have installed battery-powered sensors in some of the key affected areas including the Matterhorn above Zermatt and the Jungfraujoch to gather information. The Canadian clothing brand Arc’teryx has equipped the entire team with high tech alpine wear.
The “Permasense” project started in 2006 after a massive rock slide at the famous Hoernligrat in Switzerland had drastically shown that erosion is happening much faster than expected. Researchers believe this to be due to the change of the rock/ice compound with the frost that is literally glueing together the rock at the peaks no longer permanent but melting. The researchers believe that man-made global warming is the reason for this speedy process.
The battery-powered machines deliver reliable data from the deeper rock layers: freezing processes, rock movement and temperature development. The information will help to gain more knowledge on the speed of the melting processes.
“A research project like this has to go on for years until the first statistically founded results are generated,” explained Dr. Jan Beutel, a team leader.
Interpreting the first data, the scientists will be able to present first conclusions in the months to come. Well protected from rock fall, avalanches and storms, the probe heads are fixed into the rock wall with the help of a strong electric drill.
The installation of the sensor fields above 3,500m is pretty challenging and requires a high level of mountaineering skills. Even approaching the peaks on the helicopter long line is necessary. Most of the team members, therefore, are skilled climbers and alpinists.
Photo taken from wikipedia and used courtesy of MooreJR.
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