The enigma of relict large sorted stone stripes in the tropical Ethiopian Highlands ...
Large forms of sorted patterned ground belong to the most prominent geomorphic features of periglacial and permafrost environments of the mid-latitudes and polar regions, but they were hitherto unknown in the tropics. Here, we report on relict large sorted stone stripes (up to 1000 m long, 15 m wide...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | unknown |
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Copernicus Publications
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.48350/153828 https://boris.unibe.ch/153828/ |
| Summary: | Large forms of sorted patterned ground belong to the most prominent geomorphic features of periglacial and permafrost environments of the mid-latitudes and polar regions, but they were hitherto unknown in the tropics. Here, we report on relict large sorted stone stripes (up to 1000 m long, 15 m wide, and 2 m deep) on the ca. 4000 m high central Sanetti Plateau of the tropical Bale Mountains in the southern Ethiopian Highlands. These geomorphic features are enigmatic since forms of patterned ground exceeding several metres are commonly associated with distinct seasonal ground temperatures, oscillating around 0 ◦ C. To systematically investigate present frost phenomena and relict periglacial landforms in the Bale Mountains, we conducted extensive geomorphological mapping. The sorted stone stripes were studied in more detail by applying aerial photogrammetry, ground-penetrating radar measurements, and 36 Cl surface exposure dating. In addition, we installed ground temperature data loggers between 3877 and 4377 ... |
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