Publication Date:
1976-01-01
Description:
The top of Mont Blanc is a dry snow zone. The cold infiltration zone extends between about 4 300 and 3 800 m. Its lower limit is lined by large cracks and ice cliffs, similar to bergschrunds. Near rock faces this limit is the bergschrund, which can descend as far as the 0°C isotherm of the mean annual air temperature, 3 100-3 200 m- At Col du Dôme (c, 4 250 m), 15 m deep temperature has increased 1.8 deg between the years 1911 and 1973, probably due to infiltration which happened there in the last few years. The ice in the ablation area is entirely temperate, while in dryer areas of the Alps it may be at 1°C to — 3°C in the vicinity of the firn line.
Print ISSN:
0022-1430
Electronic ISSN:
1727-5652
Topics:
Geography
,
Geosciences