Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment
Permafrost in high alpine catchments is expected to disappear in future warmer climates, but the hydrological impact of such changes is poorly understood. This paper investigates the flow paths and the hydrological response in a 5 km2 high alpine catchment in the Ötztal Alps, Austria, and their cha...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11588/666242 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019341 |
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ftunivnapoliiris:oai:www.iris.unina.it:11588/666242 2024-06-23T07:53:38+00:00 Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment Rogger, M. Hausmann, H. Krainer, K. Brückl, E. Stadler, P. Blöschl, G. CHIRICO, GIOVANNI BATTISTA Rogger, M. Chirico, GIOVANNI BATTISTA Hausmann, H. Krainer, K. Brückl, E. Stadler, P. Blöschl, G. 2017 http://hdl.handle.net/11588/666242 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019341 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000398568800016 journal:WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH http://hdl.handle.net/11588/666242 doi:10.1002/2016WR019341 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85012880298 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2017 ftunivnapoliiris https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019341 2024-06-10T14:58:50Z Permafrost in high alpine catchments is expected to disappear in future warmer climates, but the hydrological impact of such changes is poorly understood. This paper investigates the flow paths and the hydrological response in a 5 km2 high alpine catchment in the Ötztal Alps, Austria, and their changes resulting from a loss of permafrost. Spatial permafrost distribution, depth to the permafrost table, and depth to the bedrock were mapped by geophysical methods. Catchment runoff and meteorological variables were monitored from June 2008 to December 2011. These data were used along with field experience to infer conceptual schemes of the dominant flow paths in four types of hillslopes that differ in terms of their unconsolidated sediment characteristics and the presence of permafrost. The four types are: talus fans, rock glaciers, Little Ice Age (LIA) till, and pre-LIA till. Permafrost tends to occur in the first three types, but is absent from pre-LIA till. Based on these flow path concepts, runoff was simulated for present conditions and for future conditions when permafrost has completely disappeared. The simulations indicate that complete disappearance of permafrost will reduce flood peaks by up to 17% and increase runoff during recession by up to 19%. It is argued that change modeling needs to account for flow path types and their changes based on geophysical surveys and field investigations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice permafrost IRIS Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Water Resources Research 53 2 1288 1308 |
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Open Polar |
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IRIS Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnapoliiris |
language |
English |
description |
Permafrost in high alpine catchments is expected to disappear in future warmer climates, but the hydrological impact of such changes is poorly understood. This paper investigates the flow paths and the hydrological response in a 5 km2 high alpine catchment in the Ötztal Alps, Austria, and their changes resulting from a loss of permafrost. Spatial permafrost distribution, depth to the permafrost table, and depth to the bedrock were mapped by geophysical methods. Catchment runoff and meteorological variables were monitored from June 2008 to December 2011. These data were used along with field experience to infer conceptual schemes of the dominant flow paths in four types of hillslopes that differ in terms of their unconsolidated sediment characteristics and the presence of permafrost. The four types are: talus fans, rock glaciers, Little Ice Age (LIA) till, and pre-LIA till. Permafrost tends to occur in the first three types, but is absent from pre-LIA till. Based on these flow path concepts, runoff was simulated for present conditions and for future conditions when permafrost has completely disappeared. The simulations indicate that complete disappearance of permafrost will reduce flood peaks by up to 17% and increase runoff during recession by up to 19%. It is argued that change modeling needs to account for flow path types and their changes based on geophysical surveys and field investigations. |
author2 |
Rogger, M. Chirico, GIOVANNI BATTISTA Hausmann, H. Krainer, K. Brückl, E. Stadler, P. Blöschl, G. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rogger, M. Hausmann, H. Krainer, K. Brückl, E. Stadler, P. Blöschl, G. CHIRICO, GIOVANNI BATTISTA |
spellingShingle |
Rogger, M. Hausmann, H. Krainer, K. Brückl, E. Stadler, P. Blöschl, G. CHIRICO, GIOVANNI BATTISTA Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
author_facet |
Rogger, M. Hausmann, H. Krainer, K. Brückl, E. Stadler, P. Blöschl, G. CHIRICO, GIOVANNI BATTISTA |
author_sort |
Rogger, M. |
title |
Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
title_short |
Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
title_full |
Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
title_fullStr |
Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
title_sort |
impact of mountain permafrost on flow path and runoff response in a high alpine catchment |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11588/666242 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019341 |
genre |
Ice permafrost |
genre_facet |
Ice permafrost |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000398568800016 journal:WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH http://hdl.handle.net/11588/666242 doi:10.1002/2016WR019341 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85012880298 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019341 |
container_title |
Water Resources Research |
container_volume |
53 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
1288 |
op_container_end_page |
1308 |
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1802645378810511360 |