| Title | Twenty-first century glaciers and climate in the Prokletije Mountains, Albania |
| Author | Hughes, P.D. |
| Author Affil | Hughes, P.D., University of Manchester, Department of Geography, Manchester, United Kingdom |
| Source | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 41(4), p.455-459, . Publisher: University of Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, Boulder, CO, United States. ISSN: 1523-0430 |
| Publication Date | Nov. 2009 |
| Notes | In English. 30 refs. GeoRef Acc. No: 296811 |
| Index Terms | climatic change; glacial geology; glaciers; ice; mass balance; meltwater; models; snow; Albania; climate change; Europe; northern Albania; Prokletije Mountains; Southern Europe |
| Abstract | At least four active glaciers are present in the Prokletije Mountains of northern Albania. These glaciers exist at altitudes between 1980 and 2420 m a.s.l. well below the regional equilibrium line altitude on shaded northeast-facing slopes prone to avalanche. Glacier-climate modeling suggests that these glaciers require annual accumulation of between 4137 and 5531 mm (water equivalent) to balance melting. A significant proportion of this accumulation is likely to be sourced from windblown snow and, in particular, avalanching snow. It is estimated that the total accumulation needed to balance melting is potentially up to twice the value received from direct precipitation. The presence of these glaciers, some of the southernmost in Europe, at altitudes well below the regional equilibrium line altitude, highlights the importance of local controls on glacier development. |
| URL | http://hdl.handle.net/10.1657/1938-4246-41.4.455 |
| Publication Type | journal article |
| Record ID | 64001914 |