Geophysical analysis of transverse ridges and internal structure at Lone Peak Rock Glacier, Big Sky, Montana, USA

Florentine, Caitlyn; Skidmore, M. L.; Speece, Marvin A.; Link, Curtis A.; Shaw, Colin A.

doi:10.3189/2014jog13j160

Cited by 21 publications

(26 citation statements)

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“…The periglacial part of the ice‐debris complex can be separated into a few different sections (Figure ). Most characteristic are the sections with ridges‐and‐furrow structures which typically match upslanting GPR reflectors (Florentine et al, ) also measured in profile gg’ at Geologov (Figure (B)). These regular ridges are often seen as being characteristic for permafrost creep (Barsch, ; Degenhardt et al, ).…”

Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…Recent work has provided more insights into the hydrological importance (Azocar and Brenning, 2010;Geiger et al, 2014;Jones et al, 2018) and especially internal structure of rock glaciers (Maurer and Hauck, 2007;Ribolini et al, 2010;Hausmann et al, 2012;Florentine et al, 2014;Monnier and Kinnard, 2015), however, interactions between debris-covered glaciers and rock glaciers and the evolution of large ice-debris complexes are still poorly understood and opinions about the evolution of rock glaciers still diverge (Berthling, 2011;Dusik et al, 2015;Monnier and Kinnard, 2015;Bosson and Lambiel, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence, evolution and ice content of ice‐debris complexes in the Ak‐Shiirak, Central Tien Shan revealed by geophysical and remotely‐sensed investigations

Bolch

Rohrbach

Kutuzov

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Rock glaciers and large ice‐debris complexes are common in many mountain ranges and are especially prominent in semi‐arid mountains such as the Andes or the Tien Shan. These features contain a significant amount of ice but their occurrence and evolution are not well known. Here, we present an inventory of the ice‐debris complexes for the Ak‐Shiirak, Tien Shan's second largest glacierised massif, and a holistic methodology to investigate two characteristic and large ice‐debris complexes in detail based on field investigations and remote sensing analysis using Sentinel‐1 SAR data, 1964 Corona and recent high resolution stereo images. Overall, we found 74 rock glaciers and ice‐debris complexes covering an area of 11.2 km2 (3.2% of the glacier coverage) with a mean elevation of about 3950 m asl. Most of the complexes are located south‐east of the main ridge of Ak‐Shiirak. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements reveal high ice content with the occurrence of massif debris‐covered dead‐ice bodies in the parts within the Little Ice Age glacier extent. These parts showed significant surface lowering, in some places exceeding 20 m between 1964 and 2015. The periglacial parts are characterised by complex rock glaciers of different ages. These rock glaciers could be remnants of debris‐covered ice located in permafrost conditions. They show stable surface elevations with no or only very low surface movement. However, the characteristics of the fronts of most rock glacier parts indicate slight activity and elevation gains at the fronts slight advances. GPR data indicated less ice content and slanting layers which coincide with the ridges and furrows and could mainly be formed by glacier advances under permafrost conditions. Overall, the ice content is decreasing from the upper to the lower part of the ice‐debris complexes. Hence, these complexes, and especially the glacier‐affected parts, should be considered when assessing the hydrological impacts of climate change. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occurrence, evolution and ice content of ice‐debris complexes in the Ak‐Shiirak, Central Tien Shan revealed by geophysical and remotely‐sensed investigations

Bolch

Rohrbach

Kutuzov

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…The main reasons for the paucity of investigations are logistical: their mountainous settings, bouldery surfaces, rugged topographies, and steep frontal slopes (Figure ) make ground‐based geophysical surveying and drilling both challenging and expensive. Nevertheless, the internal structures of about 30 rock glaciers have been studied over the past 15 years using modern 2‐D geophysical techniques [ Maurer and Hauck , ], and the compositions of about a dozen have been directly examined in boreholes [ Arenson et al ., ; Guglielmin et al ., ; Haeberli et al ., ; Fukui et al ., ; Buchli et al ., ; Monnier and Kinnard , ; Florentine et al ., ; Krainer et al ., ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new 3‐D thin‐skinned rock glacier model based on helicopter GPR results from the Swiss Alps

Merz

Green

Buchli

et al. 2015

Geophysical Research Letters

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Mountainous locations and steep rugged surfaces covered by boulders and other loose debris are the main reasons why rock glaciers are among the most challenging geological features to investigate using ground‐based geophysical methods. Consequently, geophysical surveys of rock glaciers have only ever involved recording data along sparse lines. To address this issue, we acquired quasi‐3‐D ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) data across a rock glacier in the Swiss Alps using a helicopter‐mounted system. Our interpretation of the derived GPR images constrained by borehole information results in a novel “thin‐skinned” rock glacier model that explains a concentration of deformation across a principal shear zone (décollement) and faults across which rock glacier lobes are juxtaposed. The new model may be applicable to many rock glaciers worldwide. We suggest that the helicopter GPR method may be useful for 3‐D surveying numerous other difficult‐to‐access mountainous terrains.

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“…Florentine concluded that the largest proportion of rock glaciers in her southwest Montana study area occurs in areas of foliated rocks, in which topography conducive to the creation of rock glaciers is best developed. Strongly foliated rocks also provide abundant clastic material to developing rock glaciers.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…365–404) has not been carried out extensively, despite the widespread occurrence of periglacial features and recent technological advances that make such undertakings feasible. Although several localized rock‐glacier studies have been conducted in parts of the U.S. states of Montana and Wyoming, there have been very few exhaustive inventories over extensive areas of this region. Johnson et al produced an inventory in the Lemhi Range in the adjacent state of Idaho, Legg worked in Glacier National Park in Montana, and Florentine documented a series of rock glaciers in southwest Montana that partially overlaps Seligman's earlier study, albeit using highly divergent methods of data collection (cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock glaciers of the Beartooth and northern Absaroka ranges, Montana, USA

Seligman

Klene

Nelson

2019

Permafrost & Periglacial

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Six hundred sixty‐one rock glaciers in the northern Absaroka and Beartooth Ranges of south‐central Montana were digitized and evaluated using geographic information systems technology and an array of topographic and environmental parameters. Beartooth rock glaciers are larger, occur at higher elevations, receive more precipitation, and are subject to lower temperatures than northern Absaroka rock glaciers. Elevation is strongly correlated with rock glacier activity. Comparative analysis of these adjacent mountain ranges indicates that Beartooth geomorphic landscapes are shifting from predominantly glacial to periglacial regimes, and that the northern Absarokas have largely completed this transition. Because glaciers are declining in response to climate warming, rock glaciers could soon become the most important source of ice in the region.

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Geophysical analysis of transverse ridges and internal structure at Lone Peak Rock Glacier, Big Sky, Montana, USA

Cited by 21 publications

References 46 publications

Occurrence, evolution and ice content of ice‐debris complexes in the Ak‐Shiirak, Central Tien Shan revealed by geophysical and remotely‐sensed investigations

Occurrence, evolution and ice content of ice‐debris complexes in the Ak‐Shiirak, Central Tien Shan revealed by geophysical and remotely‐sensed investigations

A new 3‐D thin‐skinned rock glacier model based on helicopter GPR results from the Swiss Alps

Rock glaciers of the Beartooth and northern Absaroka ranges, Montana, USA

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