Meteorological Conditions that Initiate Slushflows in the Central Brooks Range, Alaska

Abstract

Over 30 individual slushflows were documented and observations were made of both high and low flow rates during 1979, 1980 and 1981 at Atigun Pass, central Brooks Range. Air temperature, precipitation and global radiation were recorded in 1980 and 1981 during the slushflow season. Meteorological conditions that exist in this arctic alpine environment at the time of break-up apparently are factors that encourage flow activity. Persistent low temperature prior to break-up allows the snowpack to remain intact until late spring. An influx of warm air from the interior of Alaska and long hours of radiation input produce an accelerated rate of snow-melt that plays a major role in slushflow occurrence.

Meteorological conditions during slush‐flow release and their geomorphological impact in northwestern iceland: a case study from the bíldudalur valley

“…From a geomorphic point of view, slush flows are responsible for erosion, entrainment, transportation and deposition of large amounts of material (Rapp 1960(Rapp , 1985Nyberg 1985Nyberg , 1989. They are usually reported in the springtime during the period of rapid snowmelt, though they also happen during winter, when the snow-covered area experiences warm-front intrusion and rainfall (Onesti 1985). This paper focuses on meteorological conditions associated with slush flows, and their geomorphologic impact in northwest Iceland.…”

Geomorphic and dendroecological impacts of slushflows in central gaspé peninsula (québec, canada)

“…The slope of Coulée des Mélèzes watershed is exposed to the southeast and receives a high rate of thermal energy, also pointed out elsewhere (Onesti 1985). It also accumulates large quantities of wind-drifted snow along the cirque slopes favourable to snow avalanches and snow creeping.…”

“…Their formation is associated with increased water content in the snowpack through rainfall, snowmelt or a combination of both until critical instability is reached and snow mass is released (Nyberg 1985;Onesti 1985;Hestnes and Sandersen 1986;Onesti and Hestnes 1989;Hestnes 1998). Slushflows are widespread in arctic and subarctic environments (Washburn and Goldthwait 1958;Rapp 1959Rapp , 1960Rapp , 1962Rapp , 1985Rapp , 1995Nyberg 1985Nyberg , 1989André 1993André , 1995, and also in alpine environments at lower latitudes (Caine 1969;Luckman 1977;Gardner 1983;Elder and Kattelmann 1993).…”

Slush-Flow Questionnaire

“…Rapp (1960) indicated that slush flows have the potential for acting as a significant geomorphic agent in Arctic areas. Nyberg (1985) described in detail several erosional and depositional forms produced by slush-flow activity in northern Swedish Lappland, and evidence of slush-flow erosion and deposition is extremely widespread in the Central Brook Range in Alaska (Onesti, 1985). Although literature relating to the consideration of the geomorphic function of slush flows is not very extensive, it is a phenomenon which has been documented .…”