Abstract:

Stratigraphic variations of ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios of winter accumulated snow at an alpine temperate glacier correspond to temporal patterns of local climatic variations. Although the snow is influenced by percolation and homogenization processes, the isotope stratigraphy in the glacier's accumulation area is not destroyed during the first part of summer. Below the equilibrium line altitude, rapid melting results in isotopic homogenization. Variation of δ¹⁸O values in the firn are relatively small.

Key words: isotopic analysis, snow cover, alpine glacier, climatic change