On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments
Frost environments occur throughout the world, with associated processes occurring across climatic zones. Climatic geomorphology proposes that climatic zones, largely derived from annual average air temperature and precipitation values, have specific landforms and processes active within that zone....
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ftrhodesunivcory:vital:28169 2023-05-15T14:00:57+02:00 On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments Hansen, Christel Dorothee 2018 467 pages pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62383 https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28169 English eng Rhodes University Faculty of Science, Geography http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62383 vital:28169 https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28169 Hansen, Christel Dorothee Frost -- Drakensberg Mountains Frost -- Prince Edward Islands -- Marion Island Frost -- Antarctica -- Queen Maud Land Climatic geomorphology -- Southern Hemisphere Permafrost -- Southern Hemisphere Periglacial processes -- Southern Hemisphere Frost environments -- Southern Hemisphere text Thesis Doctoral PhD 2018 ftrhodesunivcory 2022-12-26T11:55:29Z Frost environments occur throughout the world, with associated processes occurring across climatic zones. Climatic geomorphology proposes that climatic zones, largely derived from annual average air temperature and precipitation values, have specific landforms and processes active within that zone. This study offers unique insights into the frost environments of three locations in the Southern Hemisphere, namely the Eastern Cape Drakensberg of South Africa, sub-Antarctic Marion Island, and Dronning Maud Land of Antarctica. The Drakensberg ranges from temperate to alpine, Marion Island is hyper-maritime, and Dronning Maud Land a polar desert. Drivers and forcings on the ground frost regime are identified, as are future climatic scenarios. Altitude and latitude were identified as the most important locational drivers, while air temperature showed highest correlation with freezing events. The initiation of a freeze event correlated strongly with maximum ground temperatures. Vegetation cover was found to ameliorate frost cycles, thereby increasing ground temperatures. Dronning Maud Land of Antarctica is characterised by annual frost (permafrost), with limited seasonal thaw in summer. Thawing cycles reflected the depth of the active layer, which ranged from just under 60 cm for Robertskollen (at lowest altitude) to less than 15 cm on Slettfjell (at greatest altitude). Marion Island had the most active frost environment, exhibiting both seasonal frost, and ubiquitous shallow diurnal frost cycles. The Drakensberg were largely frost-free, with limited seasonal frost and few diurnal freeze- thaw events. Diurnal frost processes were found to be azonal, and present at all three study locations. Evidence of landforms derived from diurnal frost processes were evident in each zone. Equifinality/convergence of form was present to a degree. The presence of patterned ground, which was not wholly derived from frost processes, suggests a measure of equifinality. Furthermore, openwork block deposits, of which not all are either ... Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Dronning Maud Land Marion Island permafrost polar desert Prince Edward Islands Queen Maud Land Rhodes University Cory: Repository Antarctic Dronning Maud Land Queen Maud Land ENVELOPE(12.000,12.000,-72.500,-72.500) Robertskollen ENVELOPE(-3.217,-3.217,-71.450,-71.450) Slettfjell ENVELOPE(-3.317,-3.317,-72.133,-72.133) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Rhodes University Cory: Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftrhodesunivcory |
language |
English |
topic |
Frost -- Drakensberg Mountains Frost -- Prince Edward Islands -- Marion Island Frost -- Antarctica -- Queen Maud Land Climatic geomorphology -- Southern Hemisphere Permafrost -- Southern Hemisphere Periglacial processes -- Southern Hemisphere Frost environments -- Southern Hemisphere |
spellingShingle |
Frost -- Drakensberg Mountains Frost -- Prince Edward Islands -- Marion Island Frost -- Antarctica -- Queen Maud Land Climatic geomorphology -- Southern Hemisphere Permafrost -- Southern Hemisphere Periglacial processes -- Southern Hemisphere Frost environments -- Southern Hemisphere Hansen, Christel Dorothee On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
topic_facet |
Frost -- Drakensberg Mountains Frost -- Prince Edward Islands -- Marion Island Frost -- Antarctica -- Queen Maud Land Climatic geomorphology -- Southern Hemisphere Permafrost -- Southern Hemisphere Periglacial processes -- Southern Hemisphere Frost environments -- Southern Hemisphere |
description |
Frost environments occur throughout the world, with associated processes occurring across climatic zones. Climatic geomorphology proposes that climatic zones, largely derived from annual average air temperature and precipitation values, have specific landforms and processes active within that zone. This study offers unique insights into the frost environments of three locations in the Southern Hemisphere, namely the Eastern Cape Drakensberg of South Africa, sub-Antarctic Marion Island, and Dronning Maud Land of Antarctica. The Drakensberg ranges from temperate to alpine, Marion Island is hyper-maritime, and Dronning Maud Land a polar desert. Drivers and forcings on the ground frost regime are identified, as are future climatic scenarios. Altitude and latitude were identified as the most important locational drivers, while air temperature showed highest correlation with freezing events. The initiation of a freeze event correlated strongly with maximum ground temperatures. Vegetation cover was found to ameliorate frost cycles, thereby increasing ground temperatures. Dronning Maud Land of Antarctica is characterised by annual frost (permafrost), with limited seasonal thaw in summer. Thawing cycles reflected the depth of the active layer, which ranged from just under 60 cm for Robertskollen (at lowest altitude) to less than 15 cm on Slettfjell (at greatest altitude). Marion Island had the most active frost environment, exhibiting both seasonal frost, and ubiquitous shallow diurnal frost cycles. The Drakensberg were largely frost-free, with limited seasonal frost and few diurnal freeze- thaw events. Diurnal frost processes were found to be azonal, and present at all three study locations. Evidence of landforms derived from diurnal frost processes were evident in each zone. Equifinality/convergence of form was present to a degree. The presence of patterned ground, which was not wholly derived from frost processes, suggests a measure of equifinality. Furthermore, openwork block deposits, of which not all are either ... |
format |
Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis |
author |
Hansen, Christel Dorothee |
author_facet |
Hansen, Christel Dorothee |
author_sort |
Hansen, Christel Dorothee |
title |
On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
title_short |
On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
title_full |
On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
title_fullStr |
On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
title_full_unstemmed |
On high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
title_sort |
on high-altitude and high- latitude frost environments |
publisher |
Rhodes University |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62383 https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28169 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(12.000,12.000,-72.500,-72.500) ENVELOPE(-3.217,-3.217,-71.450,-71.450) ENVELOPE(-3.317,-3.317,-72.133,-72.133) |
geographic |
Antarctic Dronning Maud Land Queen Maud Land Robertskollen Slettfjell |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Dronning Maud Land Queen Maud Land Robertskollen Slettfjell |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Dronning Maud Land Marion Island permafrost polar desert Prince Edward Islands Queen Maud Land |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Dronning Maud Land Marion Island permafrost polar desert Prince Edward Islands Queen Maud Land |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62383 vital:28169 https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28169 |
op_rights |
Hansen, Christel Dorothee |
_version_ |
1766270343690846208 |