Field Studies on High Mountain Processes (University of Zurich)

Abstract

This course is focused on introducing field methods and their application for investigating processes in high mountain environments. Besides getting familiar with specific methods and field equipment, it conveys the evelopment and practical aspects of field-project studies in high mountains areas.

Objective

Besides getting familiar with specific methods and field equipment (including ice-penetrating radar, temperature logging, melt measurements and modelling, geomorphological mapping, sampling strategies, ...) it conveys the development and practical aspects of field-project studies in high mountains areas. Note that the course will end with a compulsory presentation session. This module will, as a whole, also contribute to a deeper understanding of the physical processes and their interactions in high mountain areas.

Content

The module consists of two parts: (i) The preparatory seminar, introducing the field-approaches and related background in practical seminars (4h, bi- weekly practicals in FS, compulsory); and (ii) The field course (5-day, August, compulsory), in which the students work on their own group- project in the field (Witenwasserengletscher, Rotondohütte area) using the methods and tools from the preparatory seminar, followed by two compulsory data analysis sessions at the Department of Geography.

Resources