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Rock glaciers in the Central Tianshan Mountains, China
Author(s) -
Zhu Cheng,
Zhang Jianxin,
Cheng Peng
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
permafrost and periglacial processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-1530
pISSN - 1045-6740
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1530(199601)7:1<69::aid-ppp210>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - geology , rock glacier , glacier , lithology , elevation (ballistics) , permafrost , physical geography , geomorphology , glacier morphology , snow line , snow , geochemistry , ice stream , climatology , oceanography , cryosphere , geography , sea ice , snow cover , geometry , mathematics
There are hundreds of rock glaciers in the Central Tianshan Mountains (41°30′N–44°20′N, 82°10′E–88°40′E) of northwest China. West of longitude 86°E, they are mainly Alps‐type rock glaciers. To the east, Colorado‐type rock glaciers occur. The lobate rock glaciers which are ‘frozen throughout bottom’ can be divided into three layers in structure. By analysing the palaeo‐snowline, it is found that the eastern rock glaciers, whose ages are 1000‐180 a BP, develop gradually from lower elevation to higher elevation. The authors believe that the cold and relatively humid conditions in the west are the main reason for the differences in rock topography, lithology, glacier and geomorphological processes. The authors carried out field investigations between 1985 and 1989.