Zermatt & Geotest Conduct Modern Measurements Of Glacier Thickness
The Matterhorn ski area is a popular destination for snow sports enthusiasts. It's one of the only high-altitude ski areas in Europe that's open 365 days a year. This is possible thanks to its high altitude and large glacier area. Therefore, various professional winter sports athletes, including the Swiss national ski team, train there.
To ensure that winter sports remain possible here in the future, more in-depth knowledge of the development of glacier thickness is needed.
The masts of the gondola and chairlift infrastructure are built on thick glacial ice. But with climate change, the glaciers are melting. They are sinking, they are moving, and with them, the masts are moving too. To ensure the use and functionality of the lifts and slopes, operators must have the ice thickness accurately measured at various points on the glacier. This is the only way to ensure the preservation of the ski area and the planning of future projects for decades to come. This is precisely where GEOTEST AG comes in.
In mid-May, two Geotest employees, assisted by a snow groomer, made their way across the glaciers in the southern part of the ski area on skis. Using a ground-penetrating radar device, they were able to continuously measure the thickness of the ice down to the ground.
The advantage of the radar method is that measurements can be taken quickly and easily. The measuring device can be pulled along defined measurement profiles by a snowcat and requires only partial guidance from the measurement technicians.
The ground-penetrating radar's transmitter antenna transmits electromagnetic radiation through the glacier's snow and ice layer. This radiation is reflected by the rocky ground below and objects in the ice and then picked up by the receiver antenna.
Some of the measurements were even taken 15 meters below the glacier surface, in the so-called Glacier Palace next to the Klein Matterhorn.
The ground-penetrating radar captures numerous data points along the route in real time with minimal contact and is completely non-destructive. The method delivers immediate, precise, and reliable results.
Over four days, the GEOTEST measurement technician and geophysicist traveled various distances totaling approximately 21 kilometers with the radar. From the raw data, the experienced geophysicist can identify the key reflectors. He then uses the measured data to create maps of the ice thickness in each area.
GEOTEST's engineering geology team is currently evaluating the maps and developing interpretations based on them. These results are an indispensable foundation for understanding the current state of glacier thickness in the sensitive areas of the ski area and for precise simulations of glacier retreat. They thus provide a valuable basis for ensuring sustainable operations, maintaining the area, and expanding alpine infrastructure.
"For 45 years, Geotest AG has been supporting Zermatt Bergbahnen AG with its engineering geological expertise on particularly challenging projects. Ground-penetrating radar measurements enable rapid and accurate surveys over a wide perimeter. The results of the geophysical analysis then provide a solid database for our interpretation and our recommendations to ZBAG." - Pierre Dalban, Project Manager.
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