Permafrost, Phillips, Springman & Arenson (eds)
© 2003 Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, ISBN 90 5809 582 7
Lateglacial and Holocene evolution of glaciers and permafrost in the
Val Muragl, Upper Engadin, Swiss Alps
M. Maisch, W. Haeberli, R. Frauenfelder, A. Kääb
Glaciology and Geomorphodynamics Group, Geography Department, University of Zurich, Switzerland
C. Rothenbühler
Academia Engiadina, Samedan, Switzerland
ABSTRACT: Spectacular landforms associated with permafrost creep and glacier fluctuations characterize the
Val Muragl, one of the most frequently visited high-mountain valleys and tourist attractions in the St. Moritz area,
Upper Engadin, eastern Swiss Alps. Combined consideration of glaciers and permafrost enhances the possibilities of understanding the landscape evolution in this area. The Val Muragl is able to constitute a large and easily
accessible “geotope-site” illustrating phenomena and processes of Lateglacial, Holocene and present-day time
scales. The scientific vision is based on a variety of methodological approaches such as GIS-based geomorphological mapping, reconstruction of Lateglacial and Holocene palaeoglaciers, field mapping and spatial modelling
of permafrost occurrences, photogrammetric analyses, relative age dating using the Schmidt–Hammer technique,
geophysical soundings, drilling and borehole investigations. The landscape evolution starts from a situation with
a cold or polythermal accumulation area, covering most of the topography during full Ice-Age conditions, and
leads to Lateglacial retreat stages of polythermal valley glaciers surrounded by permafrost. The Holocene situation displays repeated but spatially limited glacier advances accompanied by the development of large sediment
bodies partially subjected to permafrost creep and the present-day situation is characterized by ongoing vanishing of the remaining surface ice as well as by complex patterns of de- and aggrading periglacial permafrost.
of a 20,000-year landscape evolution with quite dramatic changes. As a consequence, Val Muragl has an
important potential to be declared a protected site of
high value for geoscience and landscape or a so-called
“geotope”. The following briefly outlines the main
aspects to be considered in this context, i.e. the scientific background and the evaluation of the interest
from the side of the public – a true transdisciplinary
task of glacier and permafrost research.
1 INTRODUCTION
Present-day landforms in cold mountain areas are
strongly influenced by their development since full
Ice-Age conditions (Florineth 1998) via Lateglacial ice
disappearance to Holocene ice fluctuations and 20th
century warming trends (Maisch 2001). Under conditions of a climate which is transitional between
wet-maritime conditions at humid margins of coastal
mountains and dry continental regimes found in many
mountain chains at greater distance to oceanic sources,
annual precipitation is generally around 1000 mm
at timberline and polythermal glaciers coexist with
periglacial permafrost in close neighbourhood (Haeberli
1983, Kneisel 1999, Kneisel et al. 2000). Thorough
understanding of landscape evolution must, therefore,
be based on a combined consideration of both types of
perennial ice occurrences and their various but still
hardly investigated interactions through time.
The Val Muragl in the Upper Engadin, eastern
Swiss Alps, has not only been a focus of corresponding research for years now but also represents one of
the major attractions within the spectacular and
world-famous tourist region around St. Moritz and
Pontresina. This means that a great number of hikers
visit an area with extraordinarily well developed
“text-book” examples of typical high-mountain landforms, enabling a deep understanding of glacial as
well as periglacial processes and a fascinating vision
2 GEOMORPHOLOGY OF VAL MURAGL
Geomorphology, as a specialized and meanwhile
highly computerized discipline of earth science and in
combination with the topographic, geological, hydrological and glaciological background provides one of
the most important “information layers” for multidisciplinary landscape analysis, its interpretation and
visualisation (Fig. 1).
In high-alpine environments such as the Bernina
region and its adjacent valleys, most geomorphic
processes are evidently dynamic; on the “macro-”,
“meso-” and “micro-scale” level, they are strongly
linked to numerous other natural phenomena such as
permafrost distribution, soil development and vegetation cover (cf. glaciological map of Julier-Bernina; NFP
31 1998; cf. Haeberli et al. 1999). Geomorphological
aspects serve also as modern guidelines for specific
717
Figure 1. 3D-view of the Bernina region with Val Muragl in
the center. Satellite imagery ©ESA/Eurimage 1990–1994.
Image processing by Dr. Urs Frei, Remote Sensing Laboratories RSL, Geography Department. University of Zurich.
public and tourism-related educational concepts of
landscape didactics (WWF Switzerland & Natf. Gesellschaft Engadin, 1998: “Climate trail Pontresina/
Muragl”; Maisch et al. 1999: “Glacierforefield trail
Morteratsch”).
The geomorphology of the Val Muragl and the adjacent areas of Val Champagna, Val Languard and Val
Roseg, was recently mapped, accomplished with a
new GIS-based approach, described and analyzed
(Rothenbühler 2000) as a mosaic-like part of an
extended mapping project on the geomorphology of
the entire northern Swiss part of the Bernina massif
(Maggetti 1994, Vogel 1995, Castelli 2000, Koch in
prep.). A small section of the geomorphologic cartography of the inner Val Muragl is illustrated in Figure 2.
The mapping procedure applied here followed
the “GMK 25-concept” (Leser & Stäblein 1975,
Schoeneich 1993, cf. also Kneisel et al. 1998). The
concept divides the landforms and the associated
processes (in a simplified way) into different process
units (glacial, periglacial, fluvial, gravitational, denudational, biotic/organic and anthropogenic) according to
their predominance represented by a standardized
colour system. In the order of significance, gravitational (rock falls from headwalls at high altitudes),
denudational (valley slopes in general without clearly
developed landforms), glacial (morainic ridges of
lateglacial or holocene age, glacier forefields, icemarginal terraces) and periglacial zones (rockglaciers,
protalus ramparts) are the most frequent geomorphologic units found in Val Muragl with respect to their
spatial distribution and importance in recent geomorphologic activity (Fig. 3).
Fluvial processes (debris flows and alluvial fans) are
mirrored by a large number of erosional scars and
Figure 2. Section (appr. 5 3 km) of the geomorphological map of Val Muragl and Val Champagna (Rothenbühler
2000, simplified legend in German).
Figure 3. Oblique low angle view of the upper part of
Val Muragl with the most pronounced landforms indicated
(Photography: Chr. Rothenbühler, 2000).
debris flow channels depositing debris fans at the footzone of the slopes especially in the Val Champagna.
3 FULL ICE AGE CONDITIONS
During maximum glaciation (around 20 ka BP). Val
Muragl and the entire region of the Upper Engadin
was part of a major centre and dome within the accumulation zone of the Ice-Age glaciers, receiving their
718
precipitation predominantly from mediterranean
sources in the south and flowing radially out to various directions (Florineth 1998). Only ridges above
about 2,600 to 3,000 m a.s.l. stuck out of the firn
surface which may have been cold with mean annual
firn temperatures around 15 to 20°C (Blatter &
Haeberli 1984). Deep penetration of subglacial permafrost, especially on valley slopes, and of continuous mountain permafrost on ice-free ridges and
summits must be assumed. However, polishing and
striations of high-altitude bedrock (on the rounded
crest between Val Muragl and Val Champagna, for
instance) indicates that temperate basal conditions
must have existed in the glaciers during earlier and
later stages of ice build-up and vanishing. This leaves
important questions concerning the timing, duration
and maximum depth of subglacial permafrost formation open and indicates high complexity of spatiotemporal permafrost development at depth.
a) Longitudinal valley profile
Piz Bernina
4049 m
actual glacier size
Val Champagna Val Muragl
1850
Val Languard
Berninapass
1850
Margun Punt Muragl
sch
rat
Pontreeg
rte
s
o
o
R
sina
M
Cinuos-chel
Samedan
b)Time/space-diagram of the glacier front position
(Roseg/Tschierva and Morteratsch glacier)
glaciers
today
glacier advance
period 1850
of
stadial
stadial
of of glacier as small
Pontresina
as in 1850
(ca. 11’000 y BP)
?
?
glacier front
retreat
? position unknown
LGM last glacial maximum
TIME
10000 y BP
Lateglacial period
stadial of
Samedan
(ca. 13’000 y BP)
stadial of
Cinuos-che
(ca. 14’000 y BP)
Holocene
Holocene advance
periods
real distance
not to scale
20000 y BP
SPACE
end moraine series
glacier advance periods
("stadials", cool phases)
glacier front position
glacier retreat periods
("interstadials", warm phases)
estimated ages 14C-years BP
y BP
(before present, uncalibrated)
4 LATEGLACIAL EVOLUTION
reconstructed variations of
the glacier front position
villages
Figure 4. Generalized system of late-würmian glacier
retreat, adapted for the Bernina region. a) longitudinal valley
profile stretching from the stadial of Cinuos-chel up to the
recent glaciers (in black) and b) Time/space diagram of the
glacier front positions reconstructed by moraine correlation.
The Lateglacial decay of surface ice (20,000-10,000 y
BP, uncalibr.) in and around the Bernina region
formed noticeable morainic systems near Cinuos-chel
(Clavadel-stadial), Samedan (Daun-stadial) and
Pontresina (Egesen-stadial; Beeler 1977, Maisch 1981,
Suter 1981, Suter & Gamper-Schollenberger 1982;
Maisch 1992, 2000). Equivalent morainic series, correlated by ELA-depressions and moraine geomorphology (Fig. 4), can also be identified in adjacent
valleys of the Upper Engadin (Ivy-Ochs et al. 1996,
Ohlendorf 1998).
According to Gamper & Suter (1982) and
Rothenbühler (2000), two main morainic series (and
related subseries) can be mapped and used for
palaeoglaciological reconstructions of lateglacial
retreat (or perhaps better “readvance”) stages in the
Val Muragl (Fig. 5).
Calculations with the AAR-method (Accumulation
Area Ratio of 0.67; cf. Gross et al. 1977) and interpretation of corresponding ELA-depressions as compared to the “1850-situation”, taken as reference for
glaciological and chronological parallelism, can produce surprisingly variable results.
In Figure 6 the ELA-variations of the “Punt
Muragl”, the “Margun” and “1850-situation” (zeroline) and the “present-day glaciation” are displayed,
reconstructed manually on topographic maps (scale
1:25‚000) and edited by a group of 67 students. The
wide scattering of ELA-values illustrates the highly
variable effect of individual interpretation and
palaeoglaciological reconstruction as well as of the
inherent uncertainities of the AAR-method itself,
which was found and set up as a simple empirical
N
1
2
3 km
/I
nn
0
En
Va
lC
785
156
Piz Uter
ha
mp
ag
na
Muottas Muragl
gl
"Punt Muragl"
ELA 2520 m
ELA 2680 m
ELA 2900 m
"Margun"
ura
lM
Va
Piz Vadret
ELA 2560 m
Fla
z
ELA 2770 m
ELA 2650 m
glacier in 1850
Piz Muragl
Piz Languard
Val
L
ang
uar
d
ELA 2840 m
glacier in 1850
ELA 2630 m
mountain peaks
30
contour lines of glacier
surface topography (interval 100 m)
ELA 2720 m
glacier positions
3000
Piz Albris
"Punt Muragl"
ELA (reconstructed, AAR 0.67)
"Margun"
rivers
"1850-Little Ice Age"
795
148
Figure 5. Reconstruction of the the ice surface topography
and the ELA (equilibrium line altitude) during the local glacier front positions of “Punt Muragl”, “Margun” and “1850”
in the valleys of Champagna, Muragl and Languard.
“rule of thumb-approach” (Gross et al. 1977). Given
the large variability by the method and taken the existing ranges of ELA-depression values for the
Lateglacial stadials, there is no possibility for a clear
and and strict decision on the question, whether the
719
500
Chur
Samedan
ELA depression
Va
l
Val Muragl
Ch
am
pa
gn
6
a
400
Punt Muragl
mean: 247 m – 43
Val L
in
angu
z
edo
Val F
x
Fe
−σ
ard
ratsch
g
Val
Ros
e
En
g
+σ
Morte
3
2
l
Va
ELA position [m]
r
pe
Up
−σ
100
villages
lakes
+σ
200
area loss
since 1850
glacier surface
area today
Pontresina
St. Moritz
ad
300
glacier size
glacier
surface
area
in 1850
1
4
Berninapass
5
Margun
ITALY
mean: 147 m – 36
ELA 1850 (level of reference)
0
Poschiavo
selected glaciers
mean: -153 m – 30
5
2
0.5
1
km2
o
+σ
−σ
glacier
surface area
v
hia
-100
Roseg
Tschierva
Morteratsch
Cambrena
Pal
Muragl
c
os
1
2
3
4
5
6
lP
Va
present day
0
5 km
10
N
-200
ELA rise
-300
1
10
20
Figure 7. Regional map of glaciers and glacier retreat
since 1850 in the Bernina region (after Maisch 1992).
30
40
50
60 67
number of students [n]
precipitation at 2000 m a.s.l.), the Bernina region
(highest peak is Piz Bernina 4049 m) is one of the
most densely glacierized mountain ranges in the
Eastern Swiss Alps (Fig. 7).
Glacier size and regional glacier distribution are
clearly connected with mountain topography, thus
influencing the altitude and extension of the accumulation zones of the existing glaciers (Maisch 1992).
This combination produces a much stronger glaciation in the north facing valleys of the Bernina massif
(Roseg, Morteratsch, Fex, Fedoz) which are much
more sheltered against radiation input from sunlight.
On the other hand glacier size tends to decrease
towards the outer edges of the Bernina mountains
which offer only lower elevated cirque headwalls and
provide less favourable conditions for glacier feeding
(Val Muragl, Val Languard). This decrease in glacier
size is accompanied by an increase in the relative
importance of periglacial debris and discontinuous
permafrost. In fact, conspicuous bodies of debris
accumulated in the form of periglacial debris cones
and in the forefields of the remaining cirque glaciers
at the head of the valleys. In Val Muragl area, the
periglacial debris cones started to creep and – over the
millennia involved since deglaciation – developed into
one of the most spectacular rock glaciers in the Alps.
Relative age dating with the Schmidthammer-method
clearly documents that the coarse blocks at the surface
of this rock glacier creeping at characteristic rates of
several decimeters per year (Kääb & Vollmer 2001)
is increasing along flowlines from top towards the
front. Relative ages remain intermediate between recent
ages of blocks freshly deposited at the foot of the
headwall and ages of rocks exposed in the moraines of
lateglacial age. The polythermal structure of the historical/holocene and present-day cirque glacier leads to
a patchy distribution of permafrost occurrence in the
Figure 6. Variability of individual ELA-measurements
(total sample n 67) on the glacier front positions of “Punt
Muragl”, “Margun”, “1850” and “present day”.
situation “Punt Muragl” has to be interpreted as a
(may be younger) phase of the “Samedan-stadial”
(Daun; Suter & Gamper 1982) or as equivalent to
the “Pontresina-stadial” (Egesen, Younger Dryas;
Rothenbühler 2000). The age difference between
these two correlation possibilities would be at least
2,000 years. During these lateglacial readvances of
small valley glaciers filling parts of Val Muragl, mean
annual air temperatures were probably lower than
today by at least 3°C and local limits of discontinuous
mountain-permafrost occurrence were correspondingly depressed by some 500 m or more (Frauenfelder
et al. 2001). With mean annual air temperatures
around 5 to 10°C near the ELA, the lateglacial
glaciers can be assumed to have been polythermal,
with a temperate accumulation area (meltwater percolation and refreezing) and partially cold ablation areas
(Frauenfelder et al. 2000). The exceptionally wellpreserved orographic right-lateral moraines in the
Val Muragl exhibit structures which indicate cohesive
deformation under conditions of ice-rich permafrost –
a fact which appears plausible with the inferred thermal structure of the glacier tongues and ice margins
frozen to their beds.
5 HOLOCENE AND LITTLE ICE AGE
Since the onset of the Holocene, climate, glaciers and
permafrost in the Alps are commonly assumed to have
varied within the extremes of conditions of the Little
Ice Age (“1850”) and today, respectively. Despite the
relative dryness of regional climate (appr. 900 mm
720
highly elevated sediment bed of the forefield as a reflection of highly complex glacier/permafrost-interactions
(Kneisel et al. 2000). Part of this complexity is also the
direct displacement of debris through rock fall, debris
flow, avalanche transporation or permafrost creep to
the glacier forefield during times of reduced glacier
area (Maisch et al. 1999).
to be protected as an information site on high-mountain
glaciers and permafrost. An integrated inventory,
modelling and monitoring study is now underway as
part of the project GISALP within the National
Research Programme 48 “Landscapes and Habitats of
the Alps” (SNF 2001).
6 RECENT WARMING
REFERENCES
Arenson, L.U., Almasi, N. & Springman, S.M. 2003a.
Shearing response of ice-rich rock glacier material.This
volume.
Arenson, L.U., Hawkins, P.G. & Springman, S.M. 2003b.
Pressuremeter tests within an active rock glacier in the
Swiss Alps. This volume.
Barsch, D. 1973. Refraktionsseismische Bestimmung der
Obergrenze des gefrorenen Schuttkörpers in verschiedenen Blockgletschern Graubündens. Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie 9(1–2): 143–167.
Beeler, F. 1977. Geomorphologische Untersuchungen am
Spät- und Postglazial im Schweizerischen Nationalpark
und im Berninapassgebiet (Südrätische Alpen). Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen im
Schweizerischen Nationalpark, XV, PhD.-thesis,
Geography Dept., University of Zurich.
Blatter, H. & Haeberli, W. 1984. Modelling temperature distribution in Alpine glaciers. Annals of Glaciology 5:
18–22.
Castelli, S. 2000. Glazialmorphologische Kartierungen im
Gebiet zwischen Julierpass und Piz Corvatsch. Diploma
thesis, Geography Dept., University of Zurich.
Domaradzki, J. 1951. Blockströme im Kanton Graubünden.
Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen des
schweizerischen Nationalparks III(24): 177–235.
Florineth, D. 1998. Surface geometry of the Last Glacial
Maximum (LGM) in the southeastern Swiss Alps
(Graubünden) and its paleoclimatolological significance. Eiszeitalter und Gegenwart 48: 23–37.
Frauenfelder, R. & Kääb, A. 2000. Towards a paleoclimatic
model of rock glacier formation in the Swiss Alps.
Annals of Glaciology 31: 281–286.
Frauenfelder, R., Haeberli, W., Hoelzle, M. & Maisch, M.
2001. Using relict rockglaciers in GIS-based modelling
to reconstruct Younger Dryas permafrost distribution
patterns in the Err-Julier area, Swiss Alps. Norsk
Geografisk Tidsskrift 55: 195–202.
Gamper-Schollenberger, B. & Suter, J. 1982. Gletscherausdehnungen im Oberengadin (map). In M. Maisch
& J. Suter (eds), Exkursionsführer Teil A: Ostschweiz.
Hauptversammlung der Deutschen Quartärvereinigung
(DEUQUA) in Zürich, 1982. Physische Geographie
Vol. 6, Zurich.
Gross, G. 1987. Der Flächenverlust der Gletscher in Österreich 1850–1920–1969. Zeitschr. für Gletscherkunde und
Glazialgeologie, 2: 131–141.
Gross, G., Kerschner, H. & Patzelt, G. 1977. Methodische
Untersuchungen über die Schneegrenze in alpinen
Gletschergebieten. Zeitschr. für Gletscherkunde und
Glazialgeologie XII(2): 223–251.
Haeberli, W. 1983. Permafrost-glacier relationships in the
Swiss Alps today and in the past. Proceedings of the
Fourth International Conference on Permafrost:
415–420.
The ice-decay since 1850 reveals a surprising variety
in individual glacier behaviour. In general, a significant inverse correlation of relative area loss with former glacier size can be observed (Gross 1987, Maisch
et al. 2000). The group of small and tiny glaciers, like
they are overrepresented in the Val Muragl area, tend
to disappear completely. In fact, only smallest and
slightly cold ice bodies (“glacierets”) remain today in
the Val Muragl. Due to continuous glacier recession
and in a complementary way large areas covered with
unstable material get exposed, building a pioneer like,
geomorphic fresh and dynamic zone, usually called
“glacier forefield”. Some of the forefields getting icefree by glacier recession are exposed newly (or again)
to climate conditions favourable for permafrost occurrence (NFP 31 1998, Kneisel 1998, 1999, Kneisel et al.
2000). A long tradition of rock-glacier investigations
(Salomon 1929, Domaradzki 1951, Barsch 1973,
Haeberli 1992, Frauenfelder & Kääb 2000, Kääb
& Vollmer 2000, Arenson et al. 2003ab, Maurer et al.
2003, Vonder Mühll et al. 2003) provides more and
more detail on the nearby rock glacier (mentioned
above), the frontal and marginal parts which are now
close to the local permafrost limit and contain thin
permafrost at pressure melting temperature. Such
signs of permafrost degradation contrast with possible
local aggradation of permafrost in parts of the newly
exposed glacier forefield.
7 PERSPECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The well-preserved remains of earlier glaciations and
the striking periglacial creep phenomena in the Val
Muragl are highly representative landforms reflecting
climate-change effects on glaciers and permafrost in
dryer parts of the Alps and other cold mountain chains
of the world. Their combined existence within an easily accessible catchment and especially the rich scientific documentation concerning their evolution and
mutual interaction is quite unique. Beyond such geoscientific aspects, the touristic potential and the significance of the phenomena to be seen and understood
in the area described constitute a high value to society.
The Val Muragl with its moraines and rock glaciers,
therefore, can be recommended to become a “geotope”
721
Führer und Begleitbuch zum Gletscherlehrpfad
Morteratsch. Geogr. Institut der Univ. Zürich &
Gemeinde Pontresina, 2. Auflage, 138 S.
Maisch, M., Haeberli, W., Hoelzle, M. & Wenzel, J. 1999.
Occurrence of rocky and sedimentary glacier beds in
the Swiss Alps as estimated from glacier-inventory data.
Annals of Glaciology 28: 231–235.
Maisch, M., Wipf, A., Denneler, B., Battaglia, J., &
Benz, C. 2000. Die Gletscher der Schweizer Alpen.
Gletscherhochstand 1850, Aktuelle Vergletscherung,
Gletscherschwund-Szenarien. Schlussbericht NFP 31Projekt Nr. 4031–033412, 2. Auflage, v/d/f
Hochschulverlag ETH Zürich.
Maurer, H.R., Springman, S.M., Arenson, L.U., Musil, M. &
Vonder Mühll, D.S. 2003. Characterisation of potentially unstable mountain permafrost – a multidisciplinary approach. This Volume.
NFP 31 (Nationales Forschungsprogramm “Klimaänderungen und Naturkatastrophen”), 1998. Glaziologische
Karte Julier-Bernina (Oberengadin). v/d/f Hochschulverlag ETH Zürich und AlpenRock (eds), map.
Ohlendorf, C. 1998. High Alpine lake sediments as chronicles for regional glacier and climate history in the Upper
Engadine,
southeastern
Switzerland.
Ph.D.thesis No. 12705, ETH Zürich.
Rothenbühler, Chr. 2000. Erfassung und Darstellung der
Geomorphologie im Gebiet Bernina (GR) mit Hilfe von
GIS. Diploma thesis, Geography Dept. University of
Zurich.
Salomon, W. 1929. Arktische Bodenformen in den Alpen.
Sitzungsberichte der Heidelberger Akademie der
Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche
Klasse 5, Nr. 31.
Schoeneich, P. 1993. Comparaison des systèmes de légendes
francais, allemand et suisse – principe de la légende
IGUL. In P. Schoeneich & E. Reynard (eds), Cartographie géomorphologique – Cartographie des risques.
Actes de la Réunion annuelle des la Soc. Suisse de
Géomorphologie, 19 au 21 juin 1992 aux Diablerets et à
Randa. Publ. Institut de Géographie à Lausanne: 15–24.
SNF (Schweiz. Nationalfonds) 2001. Nationales Forschungsprogramm 48: “Landschaften und Lebensräume der
Alpen”. Liste der bewilligten Forschungsprojekte, 6 p.
Suter, J. 1981. Gletschergeschichte des Oberengadins:
Untersuchung von Gletscherschwankungen in der
Err-Julier-Gruppe. PhD.-thesis Geography Dept.,
University of Zurich, Physische Geographie Vol. 2,
Zurich.
Suter, J., Gamper-Schollenberger, B., Zoller, H., HeitzWeniger, A. & Punchakunnel, P. 1982. Gletscher-,
Vegetations- und Klimageschichte im Oberengadin. In
M. Maisch & J. Suter (eds), Exkursionsführer: Teil A
Ostschweiz. Physische Geographie Vol. 6: 14–30,
Zurich.
Vogel, H.H. 1995. Geomorphologische Kartierung sowie
gletschergeschichtliche
und
geochronologische
Untersuchungen im Val Fedoz. Diploma thesis,
Geography Dept., University of Zurich.
Vonder Mühll, D.S., Arenson, L.U. & Springman, S.M. 2003.
Temperature conditions in two Alpine rock glaciers.
This volume.
WWF & Naturf. Ges. des Engadins (SESN) 1998. Auf den
Spuren des Klimawandels. Broschüre zum Klimawag
im Oberengadin, 60 S.
Haeberli, W. 1992. Possible effects of climate change on the
evolution of Alpine permafrost. Catena Supplement 32:
23–35.
Haeberli, W., Kääb, A., Hoelzle, M., Bösch, H., Funk, M.,
Vonder Mühll, D. & Keller, F. 1999. Eisschwund und
Naturkatastrophen im Hochgebirge. Schlussbericht
NFP 31, v/d/f Hochschulverlag ETH Zürich.
Ivy-Ochs, S., Schlüchter, C., Kubik, P.W., Synal, H.-A., Beer,
J. & Kerschner, H. 1996. The exposure age of an Egesen
moraine at Julier Pass, Switzerland, measured with the
cosmogenic radionuclides 10Be, 26Al and 36Cl. Eclogae
geol. Helv. 89(3): 1049–1063.
Kääb, A. & Vollmer, M. 2000. Surface geometry, thickness
changes and flow fields on rock glaciers: automatic
extraction by digital image analysis. Permafrost and
Periglacial Processes 11(4): 315–326.
Kneisel, C. 1998. Occurrence of surface ice and ground
ice/permafrost in recently deglaciated glacier forefields,
St. Moritz area, Eastern Swiss Alps. In A.G. Lewkowicz
& M. Allard (eds), 7th International Conference on
Permafrost (Yellowknife, 23–27 June 1998), Collection
Nordicana 57: 575–581. Centre d’Etudes Nordiques,
Universitè Laval, Quebec.
Kneisel, C. 1999. Permafrost in Gletschervorfeldern. Eine vergleichende Untersuchung in den Ostschweizer Alpen und
Nordschweden. Trierer Geogr. Studien 22, 156 p.
Kneisel, C., Lehmkuhl, F., Winkler, S., Tressel, E. &
Schröder, H. 1998. Legende für geomorphologische
Kartierungen in Hochgebirgen (GMK Hochgebirge).
Trierer Geographische Studien 18, 24 p.
Kneisel, C., Haeberli, W. & Baumhauer, R. 2000.
Comparison of spatial modelling and field evidence of
glacier/permafrost-relations in an Alpine permafrost
environment. Annals of Glaciology 31: 269–274.
Koch, R. (in prep.). Erfassung, Darstellung und Analyse der
Geomorphologie im Berninagebiet (Oberengadin, GR)
mit Hilfe von GIS. Diploma thesis, Geography Dept.,
University of Zurich.
Leser, H. & Stäblein, G. 1975. Geomorphologische Kartierung.
Richtlinien zur Herstellung geomorphologischer Karten
1:25’000 (GMK 25). 2. Veränderte Auflage, Berliner
Geogr. Abhandlungen, Sonderheft: 1–39.
Maggetti, B. 1994. Geomorphologische und geochronologische sowiegletschergeschichtliche Untersuchungen im
Val Fex (Graubünden). Diploma thesis, Geography
Dept., University of Zurich.
Maisch,
M.,
1981.
Glazialmorphologische
und
gletschergeschichtliche Untersuchungen im Gebiet
zwischen Landwasser- und Albulatal (Graubünden,
Schweiz). Ph.D-thesis Univ. Zürich, Physische
Geographie, Vol. 3, Zurich.
Maisch, M. 1992. Die Gletscher Graubündens. Rekonstruktion und Auswertung der Gletscher und deren
Veränderungen seit dem Hochstand von 1850 im Gebiet
der östlichen Schweizer Alpen (Bündnerland und
angrenzende Regionen). Physische Geographie, Vol.
33, Zurich.
Maisch, M. 2001. The longterm signal of climate change in the
Swiss Alps – Glacier retreat since the end of the Little Ice
Age and future ice decay scenarios. Geografia Fisisca e
Dinamica Quaternaria 23: 139–151.
Maisch, M., Burga, C. A. & Fitze, P. 1999. Lebendiges
Gletschervorfeld. Von schwindenden Eisströmen,
schuttreichen Moränenwällen und wagemutigen
Pionierpflanzen im Vorfeld des Morteratschgletschers.
722