Leibnitzkopf Rock Glacier (Carinthia, Austria):

Leibnitzkopf rock glacier (46°55'51" N, 12°42'43" E) is located at the head of Leibnitz valley, Schober Mountains, Hohe Tauern Range, Austria. The rock glacier lobe has a max. length of 350 m and a max. width of 200 m. Its lower limit is at approx. 2450 m. The main flow direction is from east to west with at least two distinct debris supply channels originating from the steep slopes of Törlkopf (2755 m) and Leibnitzkopf (2863 m). The confining frontal and marginal slopes are well developed and steep. Buchenauer (1990) assessed Leibnitzkopf rock glacier as being most probably inactive.

Leibnitzkopf rock glacier. Photograph taken in August 2012. Viewing direction in southeasterly direction.

References (selected):

Buchenauer, H.W. (1990): Gletscher- und Blockgletschergeschichte der westlichen Schobergruppe (Osttirol). Marburger Geographische Schriften, 117, 276 p.

Kaufmann, V. (2009): Detection and measurement of highly active rock glaciers using multi-temporal high-resolution orthophotos of virtual globes, such as Google Maps and Microsoft Virtual Earth/ Bing Maps. International Workshop "Glacier Hazards, Permafrost Hazards and GLOFs in Mountain Areas: Processes, Assesment, Prevention, Mitigation", University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, 10-13 November 2009. [ Abstract ] [ Poster ] [ Computer Animations]
Kaufmann, V. (2010): Measurement of surface flow velocity of active rock glaciers using orthophotos of virtual globes. Geographia Technica, Special Issue, 2010, Cluj University Press, 68-81. [ Abstract ] [ Paper ] [ Paper last access 20.2.2013] (= Proceedings 7th ICA Mountain Cartography Workshop, 1-5 September 2010, Borsa, Romania)
Kaufmann, V., Filwarny, J.O., Wisiol, K., Kienast, G., Schuster, V., Reimond, S. and Wilfinger, R. (2012): Leibnitzkopf Rock Glacier (Austrian Alps): Detection of a Fast Moving Rock Glacier and Subsequent Measurement of its Flow Velocity. Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Permafrost, Volume 4/1: Extended Abstracts, The Fort Dialog-Iset Publisher, Ekaterinburg, Russia, 249-250. [ Extended Abstract ]
Filwarny, J.O. and Wisiol, K. (2012): Quantifizierung der Oberflächendeformation von aktiven Blockgletschern in Osttirol durch photogrammetrische Zeitreihenanalyse. Unpublizierte Bakkalaureatsarbeit, Institut für Fernerkundung und Photogrammetrie, Technische Universität Graz, 61 Seiten mit DVD.
Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Lieb, G.K. and Kleinferchner, H. (2012): A new rock glacier inventory of the eastern European Alps. Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 105(2), 78-93. [ Paper ]
Kaufmann, V., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A. und Seier, G. (2021): Conventional and UAV-Based Aerial Surveys for Long-Term Monitoring (1954–2020) of a Highly Active Rock Glacier in Austria. Front. Remote Sens. 2:732744. [ https://doi.org/10.3389/frsen.2021.732744 ] [ Paper ] [ Computer Animations ] [ Video 1 ] [ Video 2 ]

Hu, Y., Arenson, L.U., Barboux, C., Bodin, X., Cicoira, A., Delaloye, R., Gärtner-Roer, I., Kääb, A., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Lambiel, C., Liu, L., Pellet, C., Rouyet, L., Schoeneich, P., Seier, G. and Strozzi, T. (2025): Rock Glacier Velocity: An Essential Climate Variable Quantity for Permafrost. Reviews of Geophysics, 63(1). https://doi.org/10.1029/2024RG000847

For more information on the Leibnitzkopf rock glacier kinematics, please see http://www.staff.tugraz.at/viktor.kaufmann/Leibnitzkopf_Rock_Glacier/

Animation of the Leibnitzkopf rock glacier movement, please see: https://www.staff.tugraz.at/viktor.kaufmann/animations.html#Leibnitzkopf_rock_glacier

last update: february 8, 2025

Leibnitzkopf Rock Glacier (Carinthia, Austria):

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