One Decade of airborne laser scanning at Hintereisferner October 3.-6. 2012, University Center Obergurgl

Workshop program and abstracts

Contact: Rudolf Sailer, Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, +43 512 507 5419 [email protected] Lorenzo Rieg, Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, +43 512 507 5413 [email protected]

Workshop Program Wednesday, October 3rd 2012 Arrival and registration 10:00 – 12:00 Individual arrival/Transfer Innsbruck – Obergurgl 12:00 – 14:00 Registration&Lunch

Afternoon Sessions 14:00 – 14:15 Welcome Johann Stötter (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck)

14:15 – 15:00 Mountain geomorphology under climate change (Keynote) Olav Slaymaker (University of British Columbia, Departement of Geography)

15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break 15:30 – 16:00 Potentials of ALS in the analysis of geomorphodynamic processes in high alpine regions Rudolf Sailer (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, alpS GmbH, Innsbruck) Erik Bollmann (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Veronika Ebe (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Anna Girstmair (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Christoph Klug (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Lorenzo Rieg (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Maximilian Spross (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Johann Stötter (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, alpS GmbH, Innsbruck)

16:00 – 16:20 Combining terrestrial and airborne laser scanning with digital airborne photogrammetry for monitoring high alpine mass movements Robert Kenner (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalance Research SLF) Yves Bühler (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalance Research SLF) Reynald Delaloye (Departement of Geosciences, University of Fribourg) Christian Ginzler (Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL) Marcia Phillips (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalance Research SLF)

16:20 – 16:40 Landslide Investigations in Alpine Permafrost Environment using Airborne Laser Scanning Christine Fey (alpS GmbH; Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Martin Rutzinger (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck; Institute of Mountain Research: Man and Environment, Austrian Academy of Sciences) Christoph Prager (alpS GmbH, Innsbruck) Volker Wichmann (alpS GmbH; Laserdata GmbH, Innsbruck) Christian Zangerl (alpS GmbH, Innsbruck)

16:40 – 17:00 LiDAR as complementary tool of mass balance monitoring programmes Andrea Fischer (Institute for Mountain Research: Man and Environment, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

17:00 – 17:20 Management of LiDAR Data Frederic Petrini-Monteferri (Laserdata GmbH, Innsbruck) Volker Wichmann (alpS GmbH; Laserdata GmbH, Innsbruck)

17:30 – 18:30 Poster session & wine tasting (sponsored by Laserdata GmbH) 19:00 Dinner

Thursday, October 4th 2012 7:30

Breakfast

Morning Sessions 08:30 – 9:15

10 years of ALS measurements at Hintereisferner Johann Stötter (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Petri Pellika (Departement of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Finland) Joachim Lindenberger (Topscan GmbH, Germany)

09:15 – 10:00 Keynote Georg Kaser (Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck)

10:00 – 10:40 Coffee Break

10:40 – 11:00 Measuring Volume Changes of Alpine Glaciers with SRTM/X-SAR and TanDEM-X Data Michael Eineder (Remote Sensing Technology Institute , DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany) Helmut Rott (Enveo IT, Innsbruck; Institute for Meteorology and Gephysics, University of Innsbruck) Thomas Nagler (Enveo IT, Innsbruck) Dana Floricioiu (Remote Sensing Technology Institute, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany)

11:00 – 11:20 Airborne Laserscanning glacier mass balance Erik Bollmann (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Rudolf Sailer (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Johann Stötter (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck)

11:20 – 11:40 Glacier Change in the Ortler-Cevedale Group, Autonomous Province of Bozen, Italy – From single glacier observations to the catchment scale Stephan Galos (Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck) Lorenzo Rieg (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Rudolf Sailer (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, alpS GmbH, Innsbruck)

11:40 – 12:00 ALS-based quantification of surface movement on rockglaciers and glaciers Christoph Klug (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Erik Bollmann (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck)

12:00 – 13:30 Lunch

Afternoon Sessions 13:40 – 14:00 Statistical modelling of the snow depth distribution for two glaciated catchments Tom Grünewald (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalance Research SLF, Cryos, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland) Michael Lehning (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalance Research SLF, Cryos, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland)

14:00 – 14:20 The application of airborne laser scanned snow depth data for the analysis and modelling of the spatial variability of the alpine snow cover Johannes Schöber (alpS GmbH, Innsbruck; Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck) Katrin Schneider (alpS GmbH, Innsbruck) Kay Helfricht (alps GmbH, Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck) Robert Kirnbauer (Institute for Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering, Vienna University) Johann Stötter (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, alpS Gmbh, Innsbruck) Fritz Schöberl (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck)

14:20 – 14:40 Application of airborne laser scanning for hydrological investigations in alpine catchments Kay Helfricht (alps GmbH, Innsbruck, Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck) Michael Kuhn (Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck)

14:40 – 15:00 Experiences with Full-Waveform Data Processing and Radiometric Calibration of ALS Campaigns within C4Austria Andreas Roncat (Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of Technology) Martin Wieser (Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of Technology) Christian Briese (Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of Technology; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology) Norbert Pfeifer (Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of Technology)

15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break 15:30 – 16:00 Impulse Talk: New techniques and future possibilities of ALS Christian Briese (Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of Technology)

16:00 – 17:00 Thematic Workshops 17:00 – 17:30 Summary of thematic workshops 17:30 – 18:00 Workshop closure Johann Stötter (Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck)

19:00 Conference Dinner sponsored by TopScan GmbH

Friday, October 5th 2012 7:30 08:30 - 18:00

Breakfast

Excursions to Hintereisferner or Hochebenkar rockglaciers 19:00 Dinner

Saturday, October 6th 2012 7:30 8:30

Breakfast

Individual departure/Transfer Obergurgl - Innsbruck

Workshop abstracts Bollmann, E. et al.: Airborne Laserscanning glacier mass balance Ebe, V. & Sailer, R.; Mapping, Quantification and Analysis of Gravitative Processes based on ALS data Eineder, M. et al.: Measuring Volume Changes of Alpine Glaciers with SRTM/X-SAR and TanDEM-X Data Fey, C. et al.: Landslide Investigations in Alpine Permafrost Environments using Airborne Laser Scanning Fischer, A.: LiDAR as complementary tool of mass balance monitoring programmes Galos, S. et al.: Glacier Change in the Ortler-Cevedale Group, Autonomous Province of Bozen, Italy – From single glacier observations to the catchment scale Grünewald, T. & Lehning, M.: Statistical modellling of the snow depth distribution for two glaciated catchments Helfricht, K. & Kuhn, M.: Application of airborne laser scanning for hydrological investigations in alpine catchments Kenner, R. et al.: Combining terrestrial and airborne laser scanning with digital airborne photogrammetry for monitoring high alpine mass movements Klug, C. & Bollman, E.: ALS-based quantification of surface displacements Roncat, A. et al.: Experiences with Full-Waveform Data Processing and Radiometric Calibration of ALS-Campaigns within C4Austria Sailer, R. et al.: Potentials of ALS in the analysis of geomorphodynamic processes in high alpine regions Schöber, J. et al.: The application of airborne laser scanned snow depth data for the analysis and modelling of the spatial variability of the alpine snow cover Slaymaker, O.: Mountain geomorphology under climate change Stocker-Waldhuber, M. et al.: First results of glaciological and geomorphological research on Gepatschand Weißseeferner (Ötztal Alps)

Airborne Laserscanning glacier mass balance Erik Bollmann (1), Rudolf Sailer (1,2), Johann Stötter (1,2) (1) Institute of Geography, University od Innsbruck (2) alps - Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies, Innsbruck, Austria Hintereisferner is a scientifically well investigated valley glacier in the Ötztal Alps (Austria) where mass balance measurements using the direct-glaciological method were initiated in the glaciological year 1952/53. Since then, the direct-glaciological method is applied annually without any interruption resulting in a consistent mass balance data set. In 2001, the first airborne laser scanning (ALS) campaign at Hintereisferner was carried and until now (2012) 22 ALS campaigns were conducted. This results in a world-wide unique ALS dataset of a glacierized alpine catchment. Each year, one ALS data acquisition campaign was carried out at the end of the glaciological year. The resulting data provide high quality topographic information to determine the mass balance of the glacier by applying the geodetic method. In this study we calculate the net mass balance (B) of Hintereisferner using the geodetic method with high resolution digital elevation models (1m spatial resolution) derived from airborne laser scanning data. To receive net mass balance, the thickness change of the glacier is calculated in a first step which is then converted to mass change with an assumed ice density of 0.9 g/cm 3. The geodetic mass balance is determined on an interannual time scale as well as in its cumulative form from 2001 – 2009. The geodetic mass balance results (B) of Hintereisferner are compared to results from the direct glaciological method. On an inter-annual time scale, the calculated geodetic mass balance shows negative values for all mass balance years. This corresponds with results from the direct-glaciological method. However, stronger deviations between the two methods become evident for individual mass balance years. The mass losses calculated by the two methods differ from each other within a range of factors of 1.60 (2004/05) and 0.55 (2002/03). Regarding the cumulative mass balance of B, the deviations between the two methods tend to become smaller from initially 60% for the glaciological year 2001/02 to 25% for the period 2001/09. The main goal of the presentation is to present factors that might explain the differences of the net mass balance derived from the two methods. Such factors encompass I) slightly different glacier boundaries used in both methods, II) the influence of snow covered and snow free crevasses in successive years on the geodetic mass balance, III) the influence of summer snow cover on the geodetic mass balance, IV) the influence of ice dynamic processes on the geodetic mass balance, V) density assumptions to convert volume to mass change and VI) problems of point samplings (stakes and pits) which are necessary for the direct-glaciological method.

Mapping, Quantification and Analysis of Gravitative Processes based on ALS data Veronika Ebe (1), Rudolf Sailer (1,2) (1) Institute of Geography, University od Innsbruck (2) alps - Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies, Innsbruck, Austria In recent years the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data has gained increasingly in importance in geomorphology. Most research is based on the analysis of morphometric parameters derived from a single high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). In contrast to the aforementioned mono-temporal analyses, in this study gravitative process areas are mapped, quantified and statistically evaluated by means of repeat ALS datasets. The study area is located in the Central Tyrolean Alps, Austria (Oetztal,Pitztal, Kaunertal and Nauderer Mountains) and covers an area of about 750 km². The mapping of the geomorphologic process areas is carried out on the basis of DEM differencing calculated from 2006 DEM (derived from ALS point cloud data) and 2010 DEM (dDEM). In these dDEM, areas with a decrease in elevation (erosion) as well as areas with an increase in elevation (deposition) can be identified and mapped. The mapped process areas are thereafter classified into the gravitative process types rock fall, land slide and debris flow based on their morphometric characteristics. The analyses show that depending on the raster resolution a different number of processes can be identified. In the lowest resolution class (10 m) 62 distinct process areas could be mapped, whereas in the highest resolution class (1 m) 181 process areas could be identified. In the highest resolution a total of 78 process areas are mapped in the Oetztal area, of which 33 are classified as rock falls, 37 as land slides and 18 as debris flows. 23 areas were mapped in the Pitztal area (8 rock falls, 6 land slides and 18 debris flows), 55 in the Kaunertal area (11 rock falls, 9 land slides, 35 debris flows) and 16 in the Nauderer Mountains (4 rock falls, 2 land slides, 10 debris flows). All mapped process areas lie at elevations betweeen 2200 m to 3400 m. Almost all rock falls released above 3000 m in the Oetztal, all land slides above 2800m and all debris flows between 2500 m and 2850 m. Most rock falls and land slides are found at elevations between 2900 m and 3400 m in the Pitztal, debris flows cover a broader altitude range with elevations between 2100 m and 3200 m. Rock falls and land slides are predominantly located between 2800 m and 3100 m in the Kaunertal, whereas the debris flows released at an altitude between 2200 m and 3200 m. Rock falls and land slides were triggered at altitudes between 2800 m and 3100 m in the Nauderer Mountains, debris flows between 2400 m and 2800 m. In the whole study area all mapped process areas lie between 2000 m to 3400 m. Most rock falls and land slides released at elevations between 2800 and 3200 m, most debris flows between 2400 and 2800 m. The mean slope gradient for erosion areas of rock falls is around 50°, of land slides 40° and of debris flows 35°. The erosion and deposition volumes of the mapped process areas are quantified and analysed with regard to volumetric differences between the different DEM resolutions, as well as with regard to differences between erosion and deposition volume. Regarding the erosion and deposition volumes per altitudinal belt, it can be found that most material is lost between 3100 and 3200 m and most material is gained between 2700 and 2900 m. For many of the processes there occur quite large volume differences between erosion and deposition, with generally less deposited than eroded material (up to 60%). Furthermore can be stated that the volumes calculated from DEM in 3, 5 and 10 m resolutions deviate from the 1 m DEM: the percentaged deviation is highest at the 10 m resolution and lowest at the 1 m resolution, though the deviations between 3 and 1 m and 5 and 1 respectively are less pronounced.

Measuring Volume Changes of Alpine Glaciers with SRTM/X-SAR and TanDEM-X Data Michael Eineder (1), Helmut Rott (2,3), Thomas Nagler (2), Dana Floricioiu (1) (1) Remote Sensing Technology Institute , DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany (2) ENVEO IT, Innsbruck, Austria (3) Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck, Austria Interferometric radar data (InSAR) offer the capability of measuring and monitoring the surface topography of glaciers and ice caps at high accuracy. Of particular interest are single-pass spaceborne InSAR systems such as X-SAR and the satellite formation TerraSAR-X (TSX)/TanDEM-X (TDX) because they are not affected by temporal decorrelation and changes in the atmospheric phase delay. The German-Italian dual antenna radar sensor X-SAR operated in February 2000 on the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), acquiring data over swath of 50 km width, mapping about 40 per cent of the land masses between 60°N and 56°S. SRTM/X-SAR delivered DEM data at slightly better relative vertical accuracy (6 m) and horizontal resolution (30 m) than the SIR-C sensor which also operated on SRTM but provided full area coverage. In June 2010 TDX was launched, flying in close formation with TSX, both forming a single-pass InSAR system with the objective of providing a global DEM with 12m × 12m horizontal sampling and