Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria
Permafrost distribution in rock walls surrounding receding glaciers is an important factor in rock stability and rock wall retreat. We investigated bedrock permafrost distribution in the Dachstein Massif, Austria, reaching up to 2995 m a.s.l. The occurrence, thickness and thermal regime of permafros...
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Copernicus Publications
2020
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:816f47b868804b27bd957e47f660710f 2023-05-15T13:03:13+02:00 Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria M. Rode O. Sass A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer H. Schnepfleitner C. Gitschthaler 2020-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1173-2020 https://doaj.org/article/816f47b868804b27bd957e47f660710f EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1173/2020/tc-14-1173-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-1173-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/816f47b868804b27bd957e47f660710f The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 1173-1186 (2020) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1173-2020 2022-12-31T03:57:45Z Permafrost distribution in rock walls surrounding receding glaciers is an important factor in rock stability and rock wall retreat. We investigated bedrock permafrost distribution in the Dachstein Massif, Austria, reaching up to 2995 m a.s.l. The occurrence, thickness and thermal regime of permafrost at this partly glaciated mountain massif are scarcely known. We applied a multi-method approach with continuous ground surface and near-surface temperature monitoring (GST), measurement of the bottom temperature of the winter snow cover (BTS), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), airborne photogrammetry, topographic maps, visual observations, and field mapping. Our research focused on several steep rock walls consisting of massive limestone above receding glaciers exposed to different slope aspects at elevations between ca. 2600 and 2700 m a.s.l. We aimed to quantify the distribution and conditions of bedrock permafrost particularly at the transition zone between the present glacier surface and the adjacent rock walls. According to our ground temperature data, permafrost is mainly found at north-facing rock walls. At south-east-facing rock walls, permafrost is probable only in very favourable cold conditions at radiation-sheltered higher elevations ( >2700 m a.s.l.). ERT measurements reveal high resistivities ( >30 000 Ω m) at ≥1.5 m depth at north-exposed slopes (highest values >100 k Ω m). Deducted from laboratory studies and additional small-scale ERT measurements, these values indicate permafrost existence. Permafrost bodies were found at several rock walls independent of investigated slope orientation; however, particularly large permafrost bodies were found at north-exposed sites. Furthermore, at vertical survey lines, a pronounced imprint of the former Little Ice Age (LIA) ice margin was detected. Resistivities above and below the LIA line are markedly different. At the LIA glacier surface, the highest resistivities and lowest active-layer thicknesses were observed. The active-layer thickness ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Active layer thickness Ice permafrost The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Dachstein ENVELOPE(14.417,14.417,79.633,79.633) The Cryosphere 14 4 1173 1186 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 M. Rode O. Sass A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer H. Schnepfleitner C. Gitschthaler Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Permafrost distribution in rock walls surrounding receding glaciers is an important factor in rock stability and rock wall retreat. We investigated bedrock permafrost distribution in the Dachstein Massif, Austria, reaching up to 2995 m a.s.l. The occurrence, thickness and thermal regime of permafrost at this partly glaciated mountain massif are scarcely known. We applied a multi-method approach with continuous ground surface and near-surface temperature monitoring (GST), measurement of the bottom temperature of the winter snow cover (BTS), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), airborne photogrammetry, topographic maps, visual observations, and field mapping. Our research focused on several steep rock walls consisting of massive limestone above receding glaciers exposed to different slope aspects at elevations between ca. 2600 and 2700 m a.s.l. We aimed to quantify the distribution and conditions of bedrock permafrost particularly at the transition zone between the present glacier surface and the adjacent rock walls. According to our ground temperature data, permafrost is mainly found at north-facing rock walls. At south-east-facing rock walls, permafrost is probable only in very favourable cold conditions at radiation-sheltered higher elevations ( >2700 m a.s.l.). ERT measurements reveal high resistivities ( >30 000 Ω m) at ≥1.5 m depth at north-exposed slopes (highest values >100 k Ω m). Deducted from laboratory studies and additional small-scale ERT measurements, these values indicate permafrost existence. Permafrost bodies were found at several rock walls independent of investigated slope orientation; however, particularly large permafrost bodies were found at north-exposed sites. Furthermore, at vertical survey lines, a pronounced imprint of the former Little Ice Age (LIA) ice margin was detected. Resistivities above and below the LIA line are markedly different. At the LIA glacier surface, the highest resistivities and lowest active-layer thicknesses were observed. The active-layer thickness ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
M. Rode O. Sass A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer H. Schnepfleitner C. Gitschthaler |
author_facet |
M. Rode O. Sass A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer H. Schnepfleitner C. Gitschthaler |
author_sort |
M. Rode |
title |
Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria |
title_short |
Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria |
title_full |
Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria |
title_fullStr |
Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria |
title_full_unstemmed |
Permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (Schladming and Hallstatt glaciers) in the Dachstein Massif, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria |
title_sort |
permafrost distribution and conditions at the headwalls of two receding glaciers (schladming and hallstatt glaciers) in the dachstein massif, northern calcareous alps, austria |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1173-2020 https://doaj.org/article/816f47b868804b27bd957e47f660710f |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(14.417,14.417,79.633,79.633) |
geographic |
Dachstein |
geographic_facet |
Dachstein |
genre |
Active layer thickness Ice permafrost The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Active layer thickness Ice permafrost The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 1173-1186 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1173/2020/tc-14-1173-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-1173-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/816f47b868804b27bd957e47f660710f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1173-2020 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
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14 |
container_issue |
4 |
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1173 |
op_container_end_page |
1186 |
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