Glaciers in the Hohen Tauern
For thousands of years, glaciers have shaped the appearance of the Hohe Tauern National Park. Besides their imposing appearance, they have important functions for the environment.
Today there are more than 2,000 glaciers in the Alps with an ice volume of around 100 km², of which 342 can be found in the Hohe Tauern National Park. One can distinguish between different types of glaciers, such as cirque glaciers, slope glaciers, block glaciers, avalanche glaciers or outlet glaciers.
Glaciers form when the summer temperatures are not sufficient to melt the snow that has fallen in winter. Year after year, layers of snow accumulate, which then turn into firn and solidify into ice due to increasing pressure. Glacial ice is therefore not a rigid body and flows down into the valley due to gravity. When terrain crests are overflowed, disruptive forces arise, which are discharged by the tearing open of crevasses.
Hohe Tauern National Park is home to various glacier types. These include the Pasterze at the foot of the Großglockner, Austria’s largest glacier. Its appearance is changing as ice loss continues. The Pasterze extends from the nival zone, characterised by snow and ice, down to elevations where forest could grow under suitable conditions. In terms of this altitudinal range, it can be compared with Alpine glaciers such as the Glacier Noir or the Glacier des Bossons.
Glaciers store water in the form of ice. Their meltwater feeds streams and rivers and influences seasonal flows. In catchment areas with hydropower plants, it also contributes to electricity generation. Glaciers also influence air temperatures in their immediate surroundings. Changes in glaciers can be associated with natural hazards, such as ice avalanches or glacial lake outburst floods.