Vorstoss und R\"uckzug der Gletscher w\"ahrend der Kleinen Eiszeit

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple model linking climate variables like temperature, precipitation, solar irradiation, and albedo to explain glacier advances and retreats during the Little Ice Age in Europe, addressing a long-standing paradox.

Contribution

It introduces a new model that integrates multiple climate factors to explain glacier fluctuations during the Little Ice Age, clarifying the causes behind glacier growth and retreat.

Findings

Climate drivers can explain glacier fluctuations during the Little Ice Age.

The model attributes glacier changes to temperature, precipitation, solar irradiation, and albedo effects.

Enhanced understanding of past glacier responses aids predictions of future changes.

Abstract

The Little Ice Age in Europe (between about 1350 and 1850) marked the largest glacier extent over the entire Holocene period. Although several authors have investigated the causes of the substantial glacier advances in the mid-19th century and the rapid retreat following this phase, a conclusive insight linking all relevant components is still lacking. The so-called "Paradox of the Little Ice Age" refers to the yet unsolved problem why glaciers in the Alps experienced rapid growth around 1850 and subsequent decline despite air temperatures remaining at a low level until 1920. Here, we propose a simple model to explain glacier advance and retreat during the maximum of the Little Ice Age with the primary climatological drivers: air temperature and precipitation variations, changes in solar irradiation and glacier-surface albedo effects. These forcing mechanisms allow attributing the causes of glacier change, and, hence, enhancing our understanding of past and future glacier response.