Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 3.8
The Debeli Namet glacier in the Durmitor massif, Montenegro. Photograph taken in
September 2006 (photo by the author)
3.3.6 Pirin Mountains (Bulgaria)
Two small glaciers are present in the Pirin Mountains of Bulgaria along with nu-
merous permanent snow patches (Grunewald
et al.
, 2004, Gachev
et al.
, 2010) (see
Figure 3.1). The largest of these, the Sneschnika glacier, is found below the north-
ern cliffs of Vihren (2914 m asl), the highest peak in the Pirin, and covered an area
of just 1 ha in 2005. This glacier is currently the southernmost such feature in Eu-
rope. Another glacier is present below the peak of Kutelo (2908 m asl) just a few
kilometres north of Vihren. The glaciers and perennial snow fields of this area are
found in cirques at altitudes between 2400 and 2750 m asl.
3.3.7 Turkey
The largest concentration of glaciers in the Mediterranean mountains is found in
Turkey, where at least 40 glaciers are present. The largest of these occur in the
mountains of eastern Turkey (Ak¸ar and Schluchter, 2005) (see Figure 3.1). In the
late twentieth century, satellite observations indicated that glaciers covered a total
