Pasterze Glacier
Encyclopedia
The Pasterze, at approximately 8.4 kilometers (5.2 mi) in length, is the longest glacier
in Austria
and in the Eastern Alps
reaching from the 3453 metres (11,328.7 ft) Johannisberg to 2100 metres (6,889.8 ft) above sea level
. It lies within the Hohe Tauern
mountain range in Carinthia
, directly beneath Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner. The Pasterze can be reached via the Grossglockner High Alpine Road
and a funicular
railway.
The length of the glacier currently decreases about 10 m (33 ft) each year. Its volume diminished by half since the first measurements in 1851.
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and in the Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. North of the Splügen Pass, the Posterior Rhine forms the border, and south of the pass, the Liro river and Lake Como form the boundary line.-Geography:The...
reaching from the 3453 metres (11,328.7 ft) Johannisberg to 2100 metres (6,889.8 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It lies within the Hohe Tauern
Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs...
mountain range in Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
, directly beneath Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner. The Pasterze can be reached via the Grossglockner High Alpine Road
Grossglockner High Alpine Road
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a panoramic road in Austria, in the state of Salzburg. It connects the state of Salzburg with the state of Carinthia...
and a funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
railway.
The length of the glacier currently decreases about 10 m (33 ft) each year. Its volume diminished by half since the first measurements in 1851.
See also
- List of glaciers
- Retreat of glaciers since 1850Retreat of glaciers since 1850The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, mountain recreation, animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt, and in the longer term, the level of the oceans...
- Effects of global warmingEffects of global warmingThis article is about the effects of global warming and climate change. The effects, or impacts, of climate change may be physical, ecological, social or economic. Evidence of observed climate change includes the instrumental temperature record, rising sea levels, and decreased snow cover in the...