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The relationship between rock glacier and contributing area parameters in the Front Range of Colorado
Author(s) -
Janke Jason,
Frauenfelder Regula
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of quaternary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.142
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-1417
pISSN - 0267-8179
DOI - 10.1002/jqs.1133
Subject(s) - geology , glacier , rock glacier , front (military) , geomorphology , debris , creep , glacier morphology , glacier ice accumulation , frost weathering , range (aeronautics) , accumulation zone , physical geography , climatology , soil science , oceanography , ice stream , geography , sea ice , cryosphere , materials science , composite material , soil water
Rock glaciers are an end unit of the coarse debris system that links frost weathering and rockfall to debris transport in mountainous environments. By examining topographic and climatic controls on creep, a better understanding of rock glacier formation and evolution could be obtained. A series of statistical tests were run comparing contributing area parameters (width, length, area, slope, headwall height, etc.) and rock glacier variables (width, length, area, thickness, slope, creep and temperature) in the Front Range of Colorado. Results showed that rock glacier width had the strongest correlation with contributing area width due to an abundance of lobate rock glaciers ( r = 0.78). Rock glacier area and contributing area size were also related ( r = 0.74), but are also a function of talus production factors. Mean surface velocity appears to be better correlated with thickness ( r = 0.58) and length ( r = 0.62), rather than slope ( r = 0.33). Mean annual air temperature had a stronger exponential relationship with maximum velocities ( r = 0.76) compared to mean annual velocity ( r = 0.60). Front Range rock glacier velocities tend to decrease with warming, suggesting that the volume of ice and debris, rates of shear in plastic layers, or melt water may have a greater influence on deformation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.