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Contemporary Sorted Patterned Ground in Low Altitude Areas of T asmania
Author(s) -
SLEE ADRIAN,
KIERNAN KEVIN,
SHULMEISTER JAMES
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geographical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.695
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-5871
pISSN - 1745-5863
DOI - 10.1111/1745-5871.12110
Subject(s) - low altitude , ground level , altitude (triangle) , vegetation (pathology) , disturbance (geology) , alluvium , geology , glacial period , physical geography , geography , geomorphology , hydrology (agriculture) , geotechnical engineering , ground floor , engineering , geometry , architectural engineering , medicine , mathematics , pathology
This paper summarises the distribution of patterned ground phenomena in T asmania. It presents observations of low altitude sorted stone circles forming on glacial and alluvial deposits in the vicinity of Q ueenstown, W estern T asmania. Evidence suggests that freeze‐thaw derived patterned ground could develop in most inland valleys in Tasmania where cold air drainage causes sub‐zero ground temperatures in winter and permits the formation of ground and segregation ice to low elevations. Field observations suggest that patterned ground can only develop where freeze‐thaw processes are not inhibited by vegetation. The occurrence of patterned ground below altitudes of 900 m asl in T asmania is largely a result of anthropogenic disturbance.