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Observations on the rock glaciers of Monte Emilius (valle d'Aosta, Italy)
Author(s) -
Smiraglia Claudio
Publication year - 1992
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/ppp.3430030215
Subject(s) - rock glacier , geology , permafrost , altitude (triangle) , geomorphology , massif , glacier , cirque , bedrock , physical geography , glacier morphology , ground penetrating radar , cryosphere , paleontology , ice stream , climatology , geometry , geography , oceanography , mathematics , sea ice , telecommunications , radar , computer science
Monte Emilius (3559 m a.s.l.) is a small mountain massif situated on the southern slope of Valle d'Aosta (Italy). Twenty‐six rock glaciers have been identified by use of aerial photographs. They are classified on the basis of their activity and subdivided into valley‐wall forms, cirque‐floor forms and valley‐floor forms. The mean altitude of the fronts of the active rock glaciers is 2849 m a.s.l., whereas that of the inactive rock glaciers is 2453 m a.s.l. Utilizing data from six meterological stations in Valle d'Aosta, the large‐scale climatological boundary conditions at the lower limits of the active rock glaciers were defined by calculating the thermal gradient (0.58 °C/100 m) and total annual precipitation. The MAAT at the mean altitude of the active rock glaciers fronts proved to be −2.1 °C. This altitude should represent therefore the lower boundary of discontinuous permafrost.