Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces
The thermal condition of high-alpine mountain flanks can be an important determinant of climate change impact on slope stability and correspondingly down-slope hazard regimes. In this study we analyze time-series from 17 shallow temperature-depth profiles at two field sites in steep bedrock and ice....
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ftcarletonunivir:oai:carleton.ca:19142 2023-05-15T16:37:36+02:00 Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces Hasler, A. (A.) Gruber, S. (Stephan) Haeberli, W. (W.) 2011-11-17 https://ir.library.carleton.ca/pub/19142 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-977-2011 en eng https://ir.library.carleton.ca/pub/19142 doi:10.5194/tc-5-977-2011 Cryosphere vol. 5 no. 4, pp. 977-988 info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2011 ftcarletonunivir https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-977-2011 2022-02-06T21:52:02Z The thermal condition of high-alpine mountain flanks can be an important determinant of climate change impact on slope stability and correspondingly down-slope hazard regimes. In this study we analyze time-series from 17 shallow temperature-depth profiles at two field sites in steep bedrock and ice. Extending earlier studies that revealed the topographic variations in temperatures, we demonstrate considerable differences of annual mean temperatures for variable surface characteristics and depths within the measured profiles. This implies that measurements and model related to compact and near-vertical bedrock temperatures may deviate considerably from conditions in the majority of bedrock slopes in mountain ranges that are usually non-vertical and fractured. For radiation-exposed faces mean annual temperatures at depth are up to 3 °C lower and permafrost is likely to exist at lower elevations than reflected by estimates based on near-vertical homogeneous cases. Retention of a thin snow cover and ventilation effects in open clefts are most likely responsible for this cooling. The measurements presented or similar data could be used in the future to support the development and testing of models related to the thermal effect of snow-cover and fractures in steep bedrock. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice permafrost Carleton University's Institutional Repository The Cryosphere 5 4 977 988 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Carleton University's Institutional Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftcarletonunivir |
language |
English |
description |
The thermal condition of high-alpine mountain flanks can be an important determinant of climate change impact on slope stability and correspondingly down-slope hazard regimes. In this study we analyze time-series from 17 shallow temperature-depth profiles at two field sites in steep bedrock and ice. Extending earlier studies that revealed the topographic variations in temperatures, we demonstrate considerable differences of annual mean temperatures for variable surface characteristics and depths within the measured profiles. This implies that measurements and model related to compact and near-vertical bedrock temperatures may deviate considerably from conditions in the majority of bedrock slopes in mountain ranges that are usually non-vertical and fractured. For radiation-exposed faces mean annual temperatures at depth are up to 3 °C lower and permafrost is likely to exist at lower elevations than reflected by estimates based on near-vertical homogeneous cases. Retention of a thin snow cover and ventilation effects in open clefts are most likely responsible for this cooling. The measurements presented or similar data could be used in the future to support the development and testing of models related to the thermal effect of snow-cover and fractures in steep bedrock. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hasler, A. (A.) Gruber, S. (Stephan) Haeberli, W. (W.) |
spellingShingle |
Hasler, A. (A.) Gruber, S. (Stephan) Haeberli, W. (W.) Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
author_facet |
Hasler, A. (A.) Gruber, S. (Stephan) Haeberli, W. (W.) |
author_sort |
Hasler, A. (A.) |
title |
Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
title_short |
Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
title_full |
Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
title_fullStr |
Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
title_full_unstemmed |
Temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
title_sort |
temperature variability and offset in steep alpine rock and ice faces |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://ir.library.carleton.ca/pub/19142 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-977-2011 |
genre |
Ice permafrost |
genre_facet |
Ice permafrost |
op_source |
Cryosphere vol. 5 no. 4, pp. 977-988 |
op_relation |
https://ir.library.carleton.ca/pub/19142 doi:10.5194/tc-5-977-2011 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-977-2011 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
977 |
op_container_end_page |
988 |
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1766027905908867072 |