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  • Presentation | C43A: Decoding Glacier Change Through Observations and Models I Oral
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  • C43A-05: HERMIT: A Low-Cost Integrated GNSS-Seismic Platform for Monitoring Glacier Dynamics
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Author(s):
Benedikt Soja, Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, ETH Zurich (First Author, Presenting Author)
Fabian Walter, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
Daniel Binder, University of Potsdam
Stefan Mertl, Mertl Research
Alexander Wolf, Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, ETH Zurich
Robert Presl, Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, ETH Zurich
Yuanxin Pan, Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, ETH Zurich
Daniel Farinotti, ETH Zurich


Glaciers are changing rapidly due to climate warming, especially in high mountain and polar regions. To understand how glaciers move and respond to melting, scientists need tools that can measure both slow and fast ground motion. The HERMIT project is developing a new, affordable sensor system that combines satellite-based positioning (GNSS) with three-axis seismic measurements in a single, low-power, durable device. This allows scientists to track glacier motion and related vibrations at the same time, using a compact and cost-effective setup.


In summer 2025, we deployed ten HERMIT sensors on Rhone Glacier in the Swiss Alps. These stations recorded both how the glacier surface moved and the small seismic signals that result from water flowing under the ice and the glacier sliding over bedrock. This helps researchers understand how meltwater influences glacier flow over time.


HERMIT’s goal is to make high-quality glacier monitoring easier and more accessible, even in harsh and remote environments. The technology could also be useful for studying landslides or ice sheet dynamics in the Arctic and Antarctic.




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