The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world.
peer reviewed This paper summarizes all the available information about the “viviers” of the Hautes Fagnes, i.e., closed and ramparted depressions which are numerous above 500 m a.s.l. on the highest Belgian plateau. These features and cross-sections in the ramparts are described. The ramparts are t...
Published in: | Geomorphology |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2003
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Online Access: | https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/250456 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/250456/1/The%20remnants%20of%20Younger%20Dryas%20lithalsas%20on%20the%20Hautes%20Fagnes%20Plateau%20in%20Belgium%20and%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20world.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 |
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ftorbi:oai:orbi.ulg.ac.be:2268/250456 2024-04-21T08:10:00+00:00 The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. Pissart, Albert 2003 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/250456 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/250456/1/The%20remnants%20of%20Younger%20Dryas%20lithalsas%20on%20the%20Hautes%20Fagnes%20Plateau%20in%20Belgium%20and%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20world.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 en eng Elsevier urn:issn:0169-555X urn:issn:1872-695X https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/250456 info:hdl:2268/250456 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/250456/1/The%20remnants%20of%20Younger%20Dryas%20lithalsas%20on%20the%20Hautes%20Fagnes%20Plateau%20in%20Belgium%20and%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20world.pdf doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 scopus-id:2-s2.0-0037671342 open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Geomorphology, 52 (1/2), 5-38 (2003) Periglacial mounds Palaeoclimatic reconstructions Lithalsas Belgium Wales Ireland Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique journal article http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 info:eu-repo/semantics/article peer reviewed 2003 ftorbi https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 2024-03-27T14:59:27Z peer reviewed This paper summarizes all the available information about the “viviers” of the Hautes Fagnes, i.e., closed and ramparted depressions which are numerous above 500 m a.s.l. on the highest Belgian plateau. These features and cross-sections in the ramparts are described. The ramparts are the result of both mass wasting on the slopes of the mounds and toppling of inside material. 14C dating of a peat layer preserved under a rampart, Alleröd volcanic ashes and palynological studies have proved that the “viviers” formed their origin during the Younger Dryas. In the first place, the depressions were interpreted as excavations by prehistoric men; from 1956 on, they were interpreted as pingo remnants. The pingo hypothesis is now abandoned. The “viviers” are remnants of mineral palsas (lithalsas), features which nowadays exist in Hudsony (Canada). Present-day lithalsas are solely known in subarctic Quebec and in Lapland. They form in the discontinuous permafrost zone, close to the tree line, i.e., in zones where mean annual temperature (MAT) ranges from −4 to −6 °C and where the average temperature of the warmest month is between +9 and +11.5 °C. Such climatic conditions are rarely encountered nowadays in periglacial regions. Remnants of lithalsas are very infrequent, too. They appear like ramparted depressions forming clusters. Such traces, dating from the Younger Dryas, have been described only at elevation above 500 m a.s.l. on the Belgian Hautes Fagnes Plateau, around 250 m a.s.l. in Wales and at sea level in Ireland. In these few places, according to R. Isarin's palaeoclimatic results, climatic conditions during the Younger Dryas were similar to present-day conditions in subarctic Quebec, where lithalsas are numerous. Article in Journal/Newspaper palsas Peat permafrost Subarctic Lapland University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) Geomorphology 52 1-2 5 38 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) |
op_collection_id |
ftorbi |
language |
English |
topic |
Periglacial mounds Palaeoclimatic reconstructions Lithalsas Belgium Wales Ireland Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique |
spellingShingle |
Periglacial mounds Palaeoclimatic reconstructions Lithalsas Belgium Wales Ireland Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique Pissart, Albert The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
topic_facet |
Periglacial mounds Palaeoclimatic reconstructions Lithalsas Belgium Wales Ireland Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique |
description |
peer reviewed This paper summarizes all the available information about the “viviers” of the Hautes Fagnes, i.e., closed and ramparted depressions which are numerous above 500 m a.s.l. on the highest Belgian plateau. These features and cross-sections in the ramparts are described. The ramparts are the result of both mass wasting on the slopes of the mounds and toppling of inside material. 14C dating of a peat layer preserved under a rampart, Alleröd volcanic ashes and palynological studies have proved that the “viviers” formed their origin during the Younger Dryas. In the first place, the depressions were interpreted as excavations by prehistoric men; from 1956 on, they were interpreted as pingo remnants. The pingo hypothesis is now abandoned. The “viviers” are remnants of mineral palsas (lithalsas), features which nowadays exist in Hudsony (Canada). Present-day lithalsas are solely known in subarctic Quebec and in Lapland. They form in the discontinuous permafrost zone, close to the tree line, i.e., in zones where mean annual temperature (MAT) ranges from −4 to −6 °C and where the average temperature of the warmest month is between +9 and +11.5 °C. Such climatic conditions are rarely encountered nowadays in periglacial regions. Remnants of lithalsas are very infrequent, too. They appear like ramparted depressions forming clusters. Such traces, dating from the Younger Dryas, have been described only at elevation above 500 m a.s.l. on the Belgian Hautes Fagnes Plateau, around 250 m a.s.l. in Wales and at sea level in Ireland. In these few places, according to R. Isarin's palaeoclimatic results, climatic conditions during the Younger Dryas were similar to present-day conditions in subarctic Quebec, where lithalsas are numerous. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pissart, Albert |
author_facet |
Pissart, Albert |
author_sort |
Pissart, Albert |
title |
The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
title_short |
The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
title_full |
The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
title_fullStr |
The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
title_full_unstemmed |
The remnants of Younger Dryas lithalsas on the Hautes Fagnes Plateau in Belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
title_sort |
remnants of younger dryas lithalsas on the hautes fagnes plateau in belgium and elsewhere in the world. |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/250456 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/250456/1/The%20remnants%20of%20Younger%20Dryas%20lithalsas%20on%20the%20Hautes%20Fagnes%20Plateau%20in%20Belgium%20and%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20world.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 |
genre |
palsas Peat permafrost Subarctic Lapland |
genre_facet |
palsas Peat permafrost Subarctic Lapland |
op_source |
Geomorphology, 52 (1/2), 5-38 (2003) |
op_relation |
urn:issn:0169-555X urn:issn:1872-695X https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/250456 info:hdl:2268/250456 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/250456/1/The%20remnants%20of%20Younger%20Dryas%20lithalsas%20on%20the%20Hautes%20Fagnes%20Plateau%20in%20Belgium%20and%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20world.pdf doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 scopus-id:2-s2.0-0037671342 |
op_rights |
open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00246-5 |
container_title |
Geomorphology |
container_volume |
52 |
container_issue |
1-2 |
container_start_page |
5 |
op_container_end_page |
38 |
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1796951295124307968 |