Glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif

Final stage in sampling a rock surface polished by glaciers, using a hammer and chisel, on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present,…

Finalising the sampling of a rock surface polished by glaciers, using a hammer and chisel, on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at…

Inventory and storage of 23 samples of rock polished by glaciers, taken from the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are…

Method of sampling the surface of a rock polished by glaciers using a portable grinder to cut the rock into small blocks some centimetres across, in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when…

Using a portable grinder to take samples from the surface of a rock polished by glaciers on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present,…

Using a portable grinder to take samples from the surface of rock polished by glaciers on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present,…

Using a terrain level to calculate a topographic mask in relation with the surrounding mountains in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. These measurements were performed at a site installed to sample rock surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif. The aim of this sampling operation was to identify variations in glacier positions since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever…

Finalising the sampling of a rock surface polished by glaciers, using a hammer and chisel, on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at…

Scientists use a high resolution GPS to locate the coordinates of a sampling site in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif was to determine how their positions had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are in sharp decline due to global…

Scientists noting the GPS coordinates of a sampling point on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif was to determine how their positions had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they…

Aerial view of the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. This picture was taken during a mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif. The aim was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are…

Using a portable grinder to take samples from the surface of a rock polished by glaciers on the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking these samples was to determine how the position of glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present,…

Research scientists walking across a moraine to reach a sampling site in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of taking samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif was to determine how their positions had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are in sharp decline due to global warming. The…

View of the Talèfre glacier from the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. This picture was taken during a mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif. The aim was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are in…

View of Mont-Blanc in the midst of clouds, from the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. This picture was taken during a mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif. The aim was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than…

Preparation of the sampling equipment at the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France in September 2016. The aim of this mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are…

Identifying sampling sites at the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. The aim of this mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present, when they are in sharp…

Aerial view of Mont-Blanc from the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. This picture was taken during a mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif. The aim was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they are at present,…

The scientific team arrives by helicopter at the Jardin de Talèfre, a rocky outcrop on the Talèfre glacier in the Mont-Blanc massif in France, in September 2016. This picture was taken during a mission to collect samples from surfaces polished by glaciers in the Mont-Blanc massif. The aim was to determine how their position had changed since the end of the last great glaciation, approximately 10,000 years ago. The purpose was to ascertain whether these glaciers had ever been smaller than they…