Objectives

The main objectives of the AlpGlacier project are to provide

• enhanced observation capacity for glaciers in the Alps regarding their surface flow velocity and snow cover on a weekly-to-annual basis, and
• a scientifically sound assessment of hazard state as a direct function of glacier change, specifically, glacier lake size and slope movements around glaciers.

To achieve these objectives, we will combine methods developed to map (1) snow cover on glaciers, (2) glacier surface flow velocity, (3) lakes in glacier forefields, and (4) slope instabilities in glacier forefields, with specific use cases that derive additional products from the combined datasets and numerical modelling (e.g. glacier mass balance from (1) and GLOF hazards from (3) and (4)). The methods will be developed in selected test sites with sufficient validation data and then applied to the entire European Alps using the full archive of Sentinel-1 and -2 satellite data.

Along this line, the AlpGlacier project aims at supporting regional glacier monitoring by fostering the use of EO-based products, as well as serving the science community, including contributions to international science initiatives that are concerned with glacier observations and environmental research in mountain regions.