Monitoring system for glacier movement
- 18.04.2023
- Research
Staff member Martin Schafferer, MSc MSc, research associate at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, is installing the monitoring system on the Rettenbach Glacier.
The Alpine-IoT project of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol is designed to monitor critical areas of unstable glacier surfaces in order to identify sources of danger at an early stage. A prototype of the monitoring system has already been installed on the Rettenbachferner in the Ötztal.
Climate change is particularly noticeable in the Alpine region and poses major challenges for people and nature. One clear effect of climate change is the massive retreat of glaciers. The melting of glaciers can lead to unstable areas, which in turn can pose a danger to these regions and the people who live in them.
MONITORING SYSTEM ON THE RETTENBACHFERNER
A monitoring system now makes it possible to monitor critical areas. As part of the Alpine-IoT project, employees of the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences are currently working on the concrete implementation of such a system. With the support of the ÖAW Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Martin Schafferer and Prof. (FH) Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Schmiedinger installed a prototype of the monitoring system on the Rettenbachferner, a glacier in the Ötztal. The focus of the test was to examine numerous aspects, such as how to fix the sensors to the glacier, the battery life of the sensors and the transmission quality of the data. Based on the results, the team is working on an improved prototype.
STUDENTS DEVELOP SYSTEM FURTHER
Several master's theses by students of the master's program Smart Products & Solutions (now: Smart Products & AI-driven Development) at the Kufstein University deal with further functions of the monitoring system. These include sensor selection and energy supply as well as simulation models. The monitoring system has a flexible design and should also be used for other monitoring tasks.