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THE GROSSER ALETSCHGLETSCHER DYNAMICS: FROM A “MINIMAL MODEL” TO A STOCHASTIC EQUATION

https://doi.org/10.15356/2071-9388_01v09_2016_02

Abstract

Mountain glaciers manifest oscillations at different time-scales. Apart from synchronous reaction to lasting changes, there is asynchronism between climatic forcing and observed anomalies of the glaciers. Based on general theories on the laws of temporal dynamics relating to massive inertial objects, the observed interannual changes of glacier length could result from the accumulation of small anomalies in the heat/water fluxes. Despite the fact that the original model of the dynamics of mountain glaciers is deterministically based on the physical law of conservation of water mass, the model of length change is interpreted as stochastic; from this perspective, it is the Langevin equation that incorporates the action of temperature anomalies and precipitation like random white noise. The process is analogous to Brownian motion. Under these conditions, the Grosser Aletschgletscher (selected as an example) is represented by a system undergoing a random walk. It was shown that the possible range of variability covers the observed interval of length fluctuations.

About the Authors

Alexander V. Kislov
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography
Russian Federation
Department of Meteorology and Climatolog


Polina A. Morozova
Russian Academy of Science, Institute of Geography
Russian Federation


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Review

For citations:


Kislov A., Morozova P.A. THE GROSSER ALETSCHGLETSCHER DYNAMICS: FROM A “MINIMAL MODEL” TO A STOCHASTIC EQUATION. GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY. 2016;9(1):21-27. https://doi.org/10.15356/2071-9388_01v09_2016_02

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ISSN 2071-9388 (Print)
ISSN 2542-1565 (Online)