Shallow ground temperatures and periglacial processes on Iztaccíhuatl volcano, Mexico

• Published in: Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
• Main Authors: Nuria Andrés, David Palacios, José Juan Zamorano, Lorenzo Vázquez‐Selem
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: permafrost
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.713

Shallow ground temperatures and the extent of periglacial processes were examined and modelled on Iztaccíhuatl volcano (19°10′20″N, 98°38′30″W, 5230 m asl). Air and ground temperatures (to 0.6 m depth) were measured at five sites from 4137 m to 5020 m asl on the southwest slope of the volcano between 2001 and 2007. Snow lies on the ground for only a few days each year and has almost no effect on periglacial process distribution. Daily freeze‐thaw cycles at the ground surface are numerous at the summit (around 212 days annually), but cycles cease only a few centimetres below the surface, so that frost action does not occur below 60 cm depth. Permafrost is present at 4900 m asl on north‐facing slopes with a 60 cm thick active layer. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.