Post-glacial Switzerland?
Physics in the news… unfortunately.
This last week, the Swiss climate science organisation Glacier Watch Switzerland published a report in which it showed that glaciers in Switzerland have lost 5.5% of their ice mass. A loss of 2% has - until now - been considered an extreme climate event. See for example,
Switzerland loses a fifth of its glacier ice in just five years
This includes the Morteratsch glacier, which is a short cycle up the Engadin valley from me:
Swiss glaciers suffer 'disastrous' year of ice loss, threatening water supplies
I featured the recession of Morteratsch glacier in the learning task C Glaciers in retreat in the 4.6 Thermal transfer unit. My colleague Piers Tainsh, who teaches DP Geography and Environmental Systems and Societies, continues to take students to Morteratsch to analyse evidence of recession. I guess we are fortunate to have these vivid demonstrations of the impact of global heating on our doorstep - and very unfortunate to see this happening.