2016-03-31

360° Panoramic View of Icequakes

Research into glaciers has a long tradition at the Swiss Seismological Service (SED). The SED is collaborating closely with glaciologists at ETH Zurich (Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology, VAW) to research the motion of glaciers. Together with observations from classic glaciology, seismic measurements help to shed light on the processes occurring in and under glacial ice. The aim of the exercise is to obtain an understanding of the interplay between the retreat of the glaciers, their flow behavior, higher temperatures, and the volume of melt water.

In January 2016, the British educational TV program BBC Click accompanied a team from the SED and the VAW to the Aletsch Glacier, where they examined the glacier as part of the GlaHMSeis project (Glacial Hazard Monitoring with Seismology). The project was filmed with a 360° camera, and a unique video, in which viewers are able to select the camera angle for themselves, has been made using the footage. Check it out – open the video on your computer using the latest version of Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Opera (Safari is unfortunately not supported) or on your smartphone using the YouTube app.

Click here to view the 360° video on YouTube.