Translation of two Swiss articles on permafrost in the Alps
The first paper "Permafrost in the upper subnival step of the Alps" discusses two examples of recent permafrost in the Swiss Alps, and the thermal conditions necessary for its formation. The relationship of permafrost occurrence to elevation and climate is discussed. The second paper, &quo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National Research Council of Canada
1973
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4224/20358470 https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/ft/?id=8517cb0b-0e48-4825-9dec-cec76675468a https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=8517cb0b-0e48-4825-9dec-cec76675468a https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=8517cb0b-0e48-4825-9dec-cec76675468a |
| Summary: | The first paper "Permafrost in the upper subnival step of the Alps" discusses two examples of recent permafrost in the Swiss Alps, and the thermal conditions necessary for its formation. The relationship of permafrost occurrence to elevation and climate is discussed. The second paper, " Treatise on the permafrost problem in the Alps" is also devoted to alpine permafrost. The existence of permafrost in the Swiss Alps has been reported several times, at various altitudes. Above 2500 metres there is a high probability of permafrost wherever local factors are favourable, but at around 2300 metres only isolated occurrences are found. Little is known yet about the existence of Ice Age perennially frozen soils on the Swiss Midlands, but there are Ice Age hanging valleys with concave cross-sections which can be readily explained by assuming intensive solifluction over permafrost. Soil forms of climatic origin testify to the existence of perennial frost such as fossil ice wedges and patterned ground on young pleiticine gravelly surfaces. Le premier document intitulé "Pergélisol dans le niveau supé rieur de l'étage subnival des Alpes" traite de deux exemples de pergélisol récent observé dans les Alpes suisses et des conditions thermiques nécessaires à sa formation. Il y est question de la relation entre la présence de pergélisol d' une part et l'altitude et le climat d'autre part. Le second document intitulé "Traité sur le problème du pergélisol dans les Alpes" porte aussi sur le pergélisol alpin. L'existence de pergélisol dans les Alpes suisses a été observée à plusieurs endroits à des altitudes différentes. Au-dessus de 2500 mètres, la probabilité de trouver du pergélisol est três élevée là oû les facteurs locaux sont favorables; cependant, à 2300 mètres environ, on ne trouve plus que quelques zones de pergélisol. On connaît encore peu de choses sur le pergélisol qui aurait existé à l'époque glaciaire dans les régions centrales de la Suisse, mais il existe des vallées suspendues datant de cette époque et dont les ... |
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