Energy and glacier mass balance of Fürkeleferner, Italy: past, present, and future

The energy and mass balance of mountain glaciers translate into volume changes that play out as area over time. From this, together with former moraines during maximum advances, information on past climate conditions the climatic drivers behind glacier advances can be obtained. Here, we use distributed COupled Snowpack Ice surface model in PYthon (COSIPY) to simulate present state an Italian glacier, named Fürkeleferner, for years 2013–2017. Next, investigate local time last “Little Age” (LIA) advance using COSIPY LIA outline retrieved from moraine mapping a digital elevation (DEM) adapted glacier’s geometry at benchmark. Furthermore, sensitivity future air temperature increase +1 K +2 is investigated same model. For all simulations, meteorological data closely located stations are used force We show individual monthly contribution components. Refreezing summer months important component balance, average about 9 % relative total annual ablation. results simulating 2.8 times larger Fürkeleferner than today. This further implies 2.5 colder climate, assuming amount precipitation was 10 %–20 excess today’s value. Concerning 2 K, would only consist ablation implying sustained loss eventual loss. Even under current conditions, have decrease 17 its steady state. discuss reliability by comparing simulated measured balances neighboring European Alps short-term measurements itself. In conclusion, able how responds change determine behind.