Very Small Glaciers as Geoheritage: Combining a Spatio-Temporal Visualisation of Their Development and Related Effects of Climate Change

Abstract

Outside the main mountain ranges and high North and South regions, individual isolated very small glaciers are the only glacier remnants and exceptional high-mountain active geomorphosites, which can be used to represent climate change consequences first hand to the local general public. The isolated, very small Triglav glacier in Slovenia was used to represent 3D glacier area changes for the period 1829–2016, together with long-term meteorological changes. Spatio-temporal changes of the glacier were derived mainly from old images and postcards with the help of interactive orientation (monoplotting), which enables the acquisition of a 3D glacier boundary from a single image by using a modern detailed digital elevation model. Very intuitive 3D visualisation was prepared, which shows the spatio-temporal changes of the glacier area, together with changes in average annual temperature and maximum annual snow depth. The last two are presented by colour palettes, where red colours represent stages when temperatures or maximum snow depths deviate from long-term averages in a negative way, meaning accelerating the glacier area reduction. Blue colours are used for stages when these parameters deviate from long-term averages in a positive way, meaning preserving the glacier area. From this 3D visualisation, one can easily recognise which meteorological parameter is the most important for the Triglav glacier preservation; this is the maximum annual snow depth. Such kind of 3D visualisation has a great potential for promotion of other active or evolving passive geomorphosites too.