Sir

The rare occurrence of a corpse becoming exposed on a glacier surface is closely connected with the glaciological situation at the scene of the accident. The discovery in August 1990 of two corpses on the Mitterkarferner (Oetztal Alps, Tyrol) initiated a glaciological comparison of this recent discovery with earlier discoveries made on Tyrolean glaciers. There are three known cases, which can be characterized as follows: accident in the accumulation area (fall over a rock face) and discovery in the accumulation area near the equilibrium line (1990); accident in the ablation area (fall down a crevasse) and discovery in the ablation area (1973); accident in the accumulation area and discovery on the ice-free terrain at the very end of the glacier (1952). Furthermore, a further case is described which is glaciologically obscure.

Case 1. Following a fall down a rock face with a gradient of 45–50° and a height of 260 m, the casualties (a married couple) came to rest in the accumulation area of the Mitterkarferner, close to the base of the headwall (3400 m a.s.1.). The accident occurred on 25 August 1965 and the casualties were recovered in the accumulation area at altitudes of 3320 and 3340 m a.s.1., respectively, on 21 September 1990. They had therefore been immersed in glacier ice for 25 years. In view of the immersing component of the flowlines, it is to be expected that the casualties would have been exposed in the ablation area at a much later date. It is because of the high rate of ablation in the years 1984—85 to 1989–90 (personal communication from G. Markl) that the casualties were only discovered in the accumulation area near the equilibrium line after 25 years. Flow path and time yield a mean flow velocity of < 6myear⁻¹, which agrees with measurements taken on the Kesselwandferner, a glacier located in the near vicinity (Reference SchneiderSchneider, 1970).

The Mitterkarferner has a length of 2.1km and a maximum width of 1.2km. The upper part (>3300 m a.s.l.) is exposed to the southwest and the lower part to the southeast. The lowest part is strongly covered by rock debris, deposited by rockfalls from the slopes above and transferred by the stream lines. Above the discovery location, the glacier has a gradient of 35–40°. This could have caused the casualties to slide down several meters in the course of the accident and could have led to a lower averaged flow velocity. There is no bergschrund.

The mean equilibrium-line altitude for the periods 1965–66 to 1989–90 is estimated at 3150 m a.s.l. on the basis of exposures and steepness. For comparison, the equilibrium-line altitude of the Hintereisferner is 2990 m a.s.l. and that of the Kesselwandferner is 3095 m a.s.l. (personal communication from G. Markl). Comprehensive glaciological investigations have been carried out for many decades on both glaciers which are immediately adjacent. The Mitterkarferner is close to Wildspitze which is the highest peak in the Tyrol.

Case 2. Following a fall down a crevasse ( >40 m) in the ablation area of the Gurglerferner (Oetztal Alps, Tyrol) at approximately 2800 m a.s.l., the casualty was discovered on the glacier surface in 1973, about 150 m below the scene of the accident. The fatal accident occurred in 1965 and the corpse had been immersed in glacier ice for 8 years. Flow path and time of flow movement yield a velocity of approximately 20 m year⁻¹. Considering the size of the Gurglerferner (length 6.5 km, maximum width 3.0km, depth at the accident site ~140m), this value seems consistent with glaciological measurements (Reference SchneiderSchneider, 1970).

Case 3. After a fatal accident in the upper part of the Madatschferner (Oetztal Alps, Tyrol) in 1923, the casualty was discovered in 1952 at the very end of the glacier on the ice-free terrain, but not at the terminus of the glacier. The casualty had therefore been immersed in glacier ice for 29 years. The circumstances of the accident are unknown. There is a trail leading across the uppermost part of the Madatschferner. Assuming that the accident happened on this trail, path and time of the movement would have resulted in an average velocity between 25 and 35 m year⁻¹. Glaciological experience shows that this value is too high, because the Madatschferner is a relatively small glacier (length 1.1km, maximum width 0.6km). It is therefore to be concluded that the accident occurred some distance from the trail and at a lower altitude.

A glaciologically obscure case is the discovery of bones of a human skeleton in the ablation area of the Rotmoosferner (2700 m a.s.l., Oetztal Alps, Tyrol) in 1982 and in 1990. Both discoveries were made at the same location. Both sets of bones were identified as belonging to the same person reported missing in March 1943. This person had therefore been immersed in glacier ice for between 39 and 47 years, respectively. The time difference between the two discoveries at the same location is unclear from a glaciological viewpoint.

A discovery of particular historical interest was made on Theodulgletscher (Wallis Alps, Switzerland) and was reported earlier by Reference Krämer, Lehner, Zink and BauerKrämer and others (1988).

For forensic medicine, glaciological data are interesting in relation to the post-mortem findings.

Sincere thanks are due to officials of the rural police station in Soelden (Oetztal, Tyrol) for supplying necessary information. Also, G. Markl is thanked for making data available.

W. Ambach

Institut für Medizinische Physik, Universität Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria

E. Ambach

W. Tributsch

Institut für Medizinische Physik, Universität Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria

24 November 1990