Gravimetrical investigation of ice‐rich permafrost within the rock glacier Murtèl‐Corvatsch (upper Engadin, swiss alps)

Mühll, Daniel Vonder; Klingelé, E.

doi:10.1002/ppp.3430050103

Cited by 41 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…and with a mean slope of 10°. It is about 400 m long and 200 m wide (total area of 0.08 km 2 as of 1994) with marked furrows and ridges on its surface . Temperature data from two boreholes are available, one drilled in 1987 (labeled 2/87) and a second one drilled in 2000 (labeled 2/00).…”

Section: Site Descriptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Near‐surface ventilation as a key for modeling the thermal regime of coarse blocky rock glaciers

Pruessner

Phillips

Farinotti

et al. 2018

Permafrost & Periglacial

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In a changing climate, ice‐rich permafrost features such as rock glaciers will experience drastic changes. Modeling the heat transport through the blocky surface layer with its large interstitial pore spaces poses some challenges as various modes of non‐conductive heat transport—advective forms in particular—can occur. Here, we show that the 1D physics‐based model SNOWPACK can be used with a suitably adapted parameterization of ventilation to represent heat transport with reasonable accuracy. To do so, only one site‐specific parameter, which is linked to the size of the pores in the blocky layer, is used. Inclusion of this ventilation parameterization is shown to be important for modeling the thermal regime at three experimental sites in the Swiss Alps. Furthermore, it could be shown that (i) snow depth dynamics exert a strong control on the thermal regime, (ii) the ice‐content stratigraphy needs to be known precisely and (iii) the augmented heat flux through the blocky layer caused by ventilation in both snow and blocks is important.

show abstract

Section: Site Descriptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Near‐surface ventilation as a key for modeling the thermal regime of coarse blocky rock glaciers

Pruessner

Phillips

Farinotti

et al. 2018

Permafrost & Periglacial

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Geophysical investigations have been rather scant until the last few years when seismic, resistivity and GPR methods have been used, although some gravimetric measurements have been made by Vonder Mühll and Klingelé [1993]. Contact georesistivity has been used to distinguish between glacier and permafrost ice sources, the actual values of apparent resistivity being used; glacier ice (ρ a > 1MΩ m) and ground (permafrost) ice (ρ a < 1 MΩ m).…”

Section: Development Of Ice Masses In Permafrost and Glacier‐derived mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock glaciers and protalus landforms: Analogous forms and ice sources on Earth and Mars

2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] The basic features and terminology of terrestrial ''rock glaciers'' are reviewed together with associated forms termed ''protalus lobes'' and ''protalus ramparts.'' Two basic models of rock glacier formation and flow invoke either the creep of ice derived from permafrost or glacial/former glacial activity; a third possible mechanism invokes landslide emplacement. Observations on terrestrial rock glaciers and similar forms suggest that the ice component can be produced via ground ice or from a glacier system. Finite element modeling of simple slope systems containing (1) a continuous ice layer buried by debris and (2) a mixture of ice and rigid blocks can both show creep but with very low rates, especially at low temperatures. Possible Martian examples of rock glacier and protalus lobe features are identified from Candor Chasma by wide-angle Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) imagery, although the topography does not allow unambiguous interpretation. Some possible ways in which MOC and Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and other Mars orbiter data could help future interpretation of rock glaciers, related protalus landforms, and ice presence are discussed.

show abstract

“…Recent gravimetry applications at the much‐studied Murtèl‐Corvatsch rock glacier were successful, but required an intense modeling effort to correct for surrounding topography. Existing data were also extensively used to develop the model [ Vonder Müehll and Klingelé , 1994].…”

Section: Convergence Of Investigative Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subsurface investigation of a rock glacier using ground‐penetrating radar: Implications for locating stored water on Mars

Degenhardt

Giardino

2003

J. Geophys. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] The discovery of rock glacier-like features on Mars suggests the presence of flowing, or once-flowing, ice-rock mixtures. These landforms, which include lobate debris aprons, concentric crater fill, and lineated valley fill, hold significant promise as reservoirs of stored water ice that could be used as fuel sources for human exploration of Mars and provide a frozen record of the climatic history of the planet. To understand the deformation and distribution of ice within these landforms, fundamental descriptions of their internal structure and development are required. To this end, a ground-penetrating radar investigation was initiated using rock glaciers in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado as surrogates for similar Martian landforms. Results obtained from one of these rock glaciers show that the interior of the landform is composed of a layered permafrost matrix of ice, sediment, and ice lenses that comprise thicker depositional units formed through highmagnitude debris falls. Folds in the uppermost layers correspond to the surface expression of ridges and furrows, suggesting that compressive stresses originating in the accumulation zone are transmitted downslope through the rock glacier. Rock glacier features on Mars may also consist of layered permafrost, which would suggest a history of development involving seasonal frost accumulation and/or water influx from below. In terms of water storage within Martian analogs, consideration must include the possibility that some water ice may be stored in relatively pure form within lenses and vein networks such as observed in the surrogate rock glacier of this study.

show abstract

Gravimetrical investigation of ice‐rich permafrost within the rock glacier Murtèl‐Corvatsch (upper Engadin, swiss alps)

Cited by 41 publications

References 13 publications

Near‐surface ventilation as a key for modeling the thermal regime of coarse blocky rock glaciers

Near‐surface ventilation as a key for modeling the thermal regime of coarse blocky rock glaciers

Rock glaciers and protalus landforms: Analogous forms and ice sources on Earth and Mars

Subsurface investigation of a rock glacier using ground‐penetrating radar: Implications for locating stored water on Mars

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About