The altitude effect on the isotopic composition of precipitation and glacier ice in the Alps

1. Simultaneously collected rain samples from 3 stations in the Alps (altitude difference 1680 m) show that the evaporation from falling drops causes an isotopic altitude effect of -0.2 % per 100 m.

2. Despite the lack of altitude effect in Alpine snow fall, the summer melting and the wind erosion cause distinct isotopic variations in the net-accumulated material on Kesselwandferner.

3. These variations are reflected in the ice in the ablation zone, and they may be used for studying glacier flow patterns.