Abstract
A comprehensive hydrometeorological and glaciological data set is presented, originating from a multitude of glaciological, meteorological, hydrological and laser scanning recordings at research sites in the Rofental (1891-3772ma.s.l., Ötztal Alps, Austria). The data sets span a period of 150 years and hence represent a unique time series of rich high-Altitude mountain observations. Their collection was originally initiated to support scientific investigation of the glaciers Hintereisferner, Kesselwandferner and Vernagtferner. Annual mass balance, glacier front variation, flow velocities and photographic records of the status of these glaciers were recorded. Later, additional measurements of meteorological and hydrological variables were undertaken, and over time a number of autonomous weather stations and runoff gauges were brought into operation; the available data now comprise records of temperature, relative humidity, short-and longwave radiation, wind speed and direction, air pressure, precipitation, and river water levels. Since 2001, a series of distributed (airborne and terrestrial) laser scans is available, along with associated digital surface models. In 2016 a permanent terrestrial laser scanner was installed on "Im hintern Eis" (3244ma.s.l.) to continuously observe almost the entire area of Hintereisferner. The data and research undertaken at the sites of investigation in the Rofental area enable combined research of cryospheric, atmospheric and hydrological processes in complex terrain, and support the development of several state-of-The-Art glacier mass balance and hydroclimatological models. The institutions taking part in the Rofental research framework promote their site in several international research initiatives. In INARCH (International Network for Alpine Research Catchment Hydrology, http://words.usask.ca/inarch), all original research data sets are now provided to the scientific community according to the Creative Commons Attribution License by means of the PANGAEA repository.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 151-171 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Earth System Science Data |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Jan 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgements. Many of the instruments and the monitoring activities presented here have been supported by the institutions to which the authors are affiliated to, and by countless research programs. These have been funded by the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BAdW), the Deutsche Forschungs-gemeinschaft (DFG), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW; project HydroGeM3), the European Region Tyrol – South Tyrol – Trentino (project CRYOMON-SciPro – IPN 10-N33), the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol (project hiSnow – 23/40.3), the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW, section IV/4-water cycle), and others. The laser data acquisition and processing has been funded by the European Union (project OMEGA – EVK2-CT-2000-00069), the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG ASAP (Austrian Space Applications Programme; projects ALS-X – 815527 and SE.MAP – 840109), the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG COMET (Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies) in cooperation with the alpS GmbH (project MUSICALS – 826388), the Austrian Climate Research Programme (ACRP; project C4AUSTRIA – A963633), the Tyrolean Science Foundation (TWF) and the Department of Geography, University of Innsbruck.
Funding Information:
In the Rofental several totalizing rain gauges have are used to collect precipitation data, the first of which was installed in 1905 (see Fig. 6). The totalizing rain gauges are operated by the Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences of the University of Innsbruck with financial support by the Hydrographic Service of Tyrol. These totalizing rain gauges provide a valuable picture of the historical evolution and temporal variability of precipitation, and they support the development of precipitation fields derived from interpolation of the recordings (Hoinkes and Steinacker, 1975), which is particularly important for distributed modeling exercises. Evaporation and freezing of the devices is inhibited by annual additions of oil and salt to the gauge reservoir. Readings of totals are undertaken every 2 months in summer with a 4-month break in winter. These totals are then redistributed to monthly values using the recordings of the weighing rain gauge in Vent. Altitude, geographical location and the period
Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) 2018.
