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Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie. R. von Klebelsberg Universifäts-Verlag Wagner, Innsbruck, Band 1, Heft 1, 1949, p. 1–148. 55 sch.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2017

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Abstract

Type
Reviews
Copyright
Copyright © International Glaciological Society 1950

The original Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde commefced publication in 1907 under the edito0ship of Eduard Bruckner. It is interesting to note that he had the assistance of such well-known authorities as Sebastian Finsterwalder, F-A. Forel, Sir James Geikie, F. Nansen and H. F. Reid of Baltimore, as well as glaciologists from France, Italy, Russia and Argentina.

Its purpose, as mentioned in the first editorial, was to deal uith every subjeat connected with the study of glaciers, including the physics of solid H2O, climatology and the geomorphological effects of glaciers and glacial streams. This aim was amply fulfilled in the years that followed and the Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde remained unchallenged as the sole glaciological journal.

Bruckner died in 1927 and Professor R. von Klebelsberg prerided in his stead, a worthy successor who continued the work until 1943, when publication ceased.

Now, overcoming many difficulties, von Klebelsberg has succeeded in reviving the journal and we suspect that it will differ little from its former self except in name, for it will be difficult to broaden its basis unless perhaps more emphasis than formeply is laid on glacial drifts and similar subjects. It would certainly be good if it could cover every aspect of Pleistocene research, for no such journal exists at present and there is an insistent demand for one both in this country and in America, and doubtless elsewhere.

The issue under review contains a noteworthy paper by H. Kinzl on the glaciers in the southern part of the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, one of the most important glacierized regions of the tropics and one which possesses the highest peak in the tropics, Huascarán, 6768 m. (22,205 ft.). This paper, which is accompanied by an excellent map to a scale of 1:100,000, is on somewhat similar lines to one which appeared in the Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde for 1942 with the same map; this, however, could not have received wide circulation at that time. There are papers by H. Pllewizer on seasonal glacier fluctuation, V. Paschinger on the Pasterzenkees, the largest glacier in the eastern Alps, and S. Morawetz on post-glacial climatology. Shorter communications include one from Kurt Wegener, written from Buenos Aires in 1942.

Several pages are devoted to glacier fluctuation, mostly recession, in the years 1940 to 1946 in the Austrian Alps, and a summary of Swiss glacier fluctuations from the writings of P. L. Mercanton in Die Alpen. There are reviews of some recently, and some distinctly less recently, published glaciological works. Finally nine pages are devoted to a bibliography of pollen analysis, which, as the editor remarks in an able review of V. Vareschi’s work of 1942, promises to be of great help in glaciological research.

The printing is in roman type and the illustrations are fairly well produced. The format is slightly smaller than that of the former publication.

It has been suggested that this journal would be a competitor of the Journal of Glaciology and as such would be unwelcome to us. We do not agree. The field is so large and the interest in glaciology is growing so fast that there is plenty of room for more than one journal, as Professor von Klebelsberg himself has written to the reviewer. Moreover the scope and aim of the two pu blications are not identical.

We congratulate Professor von Klebelsberg on this courageous revival of his work which is bound soon to recover its former high stature. Our attitude is an entirely friendly one—indeed we believe that, provided there is harmonious co-operation, two journals will the better contribute to advance the sciences they serve.