ID number is assigned to the glacier as defined by the WGMS convention The WGI code (or ID) is a 12-character unique glacier identifier. The ID number is assigned to the glacier as defined by the WGMS convention that forms the glacier ID number by combining the five following elements: i) 2-character political unit; ii) 1-digit continent code; iii) 4-character drainage code; iv) 2-digit free position code; v) 3-digit local glacier code. Source: http://nsidc.org/data/docs/noaa/g01130_glacier_inventory/

The geographic location of glacial bodies in the Alpine Chain is described according to the International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps-ISMSA (SOIUSA CLASSIFICATION). The SOIUSA introduces the bipartition of the Alpine System (Western Alps and Eastern Alps) replacing the old tripartite division (Western Alps, Central Alps and Eastern Alps) by a multilevel pyramidal hierarchy according to identical scales and rules. We considered mountain groups higher level (part, sector, section, subsection,) as well as lower level (supergroup, group).

Maximum length of the glacier in kilometers measured along the main flowline in a horizontal projection.

The code of the glaciers following the Inventory of the Italian Glaciers edited by Italian Glaciological Commettee (CGI) and National Research Council (CNR) and published in four volumes between 1959 and 1962. To the few glaciers not inventoried in this work, a new code has been attributedaccording to the CGI's rules for glacier classification.

Field containes the acquisition date (ddmmyyyy) of the orthophoto or satelite images from which the glaciers outlines and parameters are extracted. Dates related to 2014-2015 step are not yet available (images were taken during the summer, between june and september), while for 1957-1958 is not expresed in CGI-CNG Inventory of Italian glaciers.

The field contains the description of glacier form, according to the lineguide of WGI (WGMS, 1989; source: http://nsidc.org/data/docs/noaa/g01130_glacier_inventory/).

Field contains the mean orientation of the glacier, centered on cardinal points (N, NW, W, SW, S, SE, E, and NE).). The information related to the '50s time step comes from the Inventory of the Italian glaciers edited by CNR-CGI (1959-1962), while for the other time steps (1988-1989, 2006-2007, 2015) is defined through GIS techniques.

Minimum elevation indicate of the lowest point of the glacier in meters above sea level

Field contains the mean orientation of the ablation area of the glacier, centered on cardinal points (N, NW, W, SW, S, SE, E, and NE). Data is facultative for 1988-1989, 2006-2007 and 2015 time steps while is not reported for 1956-1957. techniques.

This archive includes non polar ice cores information from Vernagtferner glaciers available in the DISAT GEOMATIC LAB repository. A total of 3 ice cores were taken in 1979.