Glacier melting from 1850 to 2016 in southwestern Switzerland based on GLAMOS aerial and satellite observations. On the right is a false-color Landsat 8 satellite image from 2 October 2016, with lines indicating the distribution of glaciers during different periods. Credit: Vilnius University
NASA’s Landsat mission, which has been monitoring the Earth since 1972, has provided invaluable data on glacier loss. False-color Landsat satellite images showcase the heavily visited Rhône Glacier and the source of the Rhône River in Switzerland.
The image, comprising near infrared, red, and green bands, highlights glaciers in bluish-white tones, while the surrounding vegetation appears red. A comparison of the images taken in August 2001 and August 2024 reveals a striking reduction in the area covered by the glacier.
Satellite data can be used to track changes in the glacial area, analyze shifts in glacier height, and measure volume variations. As glaciers increase in mass, they start to move, and this movement can be monitored using active sensors like IceSAT-2/GLAS and radars such as the Sentinel-1 satellite.
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Melting glaciers are altering Europe’s borders
The implications of melting glaciers go beyond ecological concerns—this phenomenon also has geopolitical consequences. Significant sections of the borders between Italy, Switzerland, and Austria are defined by watershed lines that run along the highest mountain ridges.
As glaciers melt or mountain peaks collapse, the established natural boundaries between countries can shift. In 2006, Italy and Austria signed an agreement allowing their shared border to be redrawn in response to shifting mountain ridges.
Similarly, the border between Italy and Switzerland has also become subject to adjustment: for instance, in 2024, the melting of the Matterhorn Glacier shifted the mountain’s highest point toward Italy, thereby slightly expanding Switzerland’s territory.
However, changing national borders is not the only issue. The Alps are critical to feeding major river networks such as the Rhône and the Rhine, which run through several countries. In Switzerland, many villages located near glaciers rely on tourism, which is directly tied to this natural phenomenon.
While local efforts, such as the use of reflective geotextiles to slow glacial melt, can provide temporary relief, long-term solutions require coordinated global action to combat climate change and mitigate its impact on this vulnerable region.
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