Monitoring and process analysis of permafrost creep and failure in changing temperature regimes
Final Report Abstract
In the project (Monitoring and process analysis of permafrost creep and failure in changing temperature regimes) the systematic monitoring of characteristic permafrost landforms was established in different regions in the Swiss Alps and comprehensive data on kinematics (horizontal and vertical displacements) and their spatio-temporal variations were compiled. In addition, data on surface temperatures were collected and geophysical soundings were performed in cooperation with the partner projects. The aim was - and still is - the interpretation of the kinematic data in a rheological context (thermodynamic processes) as well as the determination of a reaction of the landforms to climatic fluctuations. So far it was shown that weather anomalies, such as the hot summer 2003, revealed distinct signals with increasing horizontal velocities of the landforms (with a reaction time of weeks to months). In this context, seasonal rhythms, interannual variations and multidecennial trends were analysed for a number of rockglaciers in the Valais and indicated the response to atmospheric forcings on a regional scale. In addition, distinct changes in geometry were described for destabilized landforms, indicating thermal and hydrological process changes. These findings allow for the description of landform sensitivities, based on observed responses to observed forcings.
Publications
- (2010): Mountain permafrost – development and challenges of a young research field. Journal of Glaciology 56, 200: 1043-1058
Haeberli, W., Nötzli, J., Arenson, L., Delaloye, R., Gärtner-Roer, I., Gruber, S., Isaksen, K., Kneisel, C., Krautblatter, M., & M. Phillips
- (2010): Overview of rock glacier kinematics research in the Swiss Alps. Seasonal rhythm, interannual variations and trends over several decades. Geographica Helvetica 65 (2): 135-145
Delaloye, R., Lambiel, C. & I. Gärtner-Roer
- (2010): Permafrost. In: Voigt, T., Gärtner-Roer, I., Huggel, C., Marty, C. and Zemp, M. (eds.): Impacts of climate change on snow, ice, and permafrost in Europe: Observed trends, future projections, and socio-economic relevance. European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change, Technical Paper, 2010 (13): p. 50-69
Gärtner-Roer, I., Christiansen, H.H., Etzelmüller, B., Farbrot, H., Gruber, S., Isaksen, K., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Krainer, K. & J. Nötzli
- (2010): Volume estimation, kinematics and sediment transfer rates of active rockglaciers in the Turtmann Valley, Switzerland. In: Otto, J.C. & R. Dikau (eds.) Landform – Structure, Evolution, Process Control. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences 115, Springer: 185-198
Gärtner-Roer, I. & M. Nyenhuis
- (2011): Creep. In: Singh, V.P., Singh, P. & U.K. Haritashya (eds.): Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers. Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series, Part 3: 163-165
Lambiel, C., Delaloye, R. & I. Gärtner-Roer
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2642-2_78) - (2011): On recent examples of rock glacier degradation and instabilities in the European Alps. Proceedings of the Second World Landslide Forum, Rome, Italy, 3.-7. October 2011
Springman, S.M., Yamamoto, Y., Buchli, T., Hertrich, M., Maurer, H., Merz, K., Kinzelbach, W., Gärtner-Roer, I., Stauffer, F. & L. Seward
- (2012): Sediment transfer rates of two active rockglaciers in the Swiss Alps. Geomorphology 167-168: 45-50
Gärtner-Roer, I.
