Buried glacier ice in southern Iceland and its wider significance

Geo-electrical resistivity surveys have been carried out at recently deglaciated sites in front of three glaciers in southern Iceland: Skeiðarájökull, Hrútárjökull, and Virkisjökull. The results show the presence of old glacier ice beneath debris mantles of various thickness. We conclude that buried glacier ice has survived for at least 50 years at Virkisjökull and Hrútárjökull, and probably for over 200 years at Skeiðarájökull. Additional data from a further site have identified a discontinuous ice core within 18th-century jökulhlaup deposits. Photographic and lichenometric evidence show that the overlying debris has been relatively stable, and hence melting of the ice at all four sites is proceeding slowly due to the heat-shielding properties of the overburden. The geomorphic implications are pertinent when considering the potential longevity of buried ice. The possible implications for dating techniques, such as lichenometry, radiocarbon dating and cosmogenic surface-exposure dating are also important, as long-term readjustments of surface forms may lead to dating inaccuracy. Finally, it is recognised that landscape development in areas of stagnant ice topography may post-date initial deglaciation by a considerable degree.     

Wood-mediated geomorphic effects of a jökulhlaup in the Wind River Mountains, Wyoming

A jökulhlaup burst from the head of Grasshopper Glacier in Wyoming's Wind River Mountains during early September 2003. Five reaches with distinct sedimentation patterns were delineated along the Dinwoody Creek drainage. This paper focuses on a portion of the jökulhlaup route where erosion of the forested banks created 16 large logjams spaced at longitudinal intervals of tens to hundreds of meters. Aggradation within the main channel upstream from each logjam created local sediment wedges, and the jams facilitated overbank deposition during the jökulhlaup. Field surveys during 2004 and 2006 documented logjam characteristics and associated erosional and depositional features, as well as initial modification of the logjams and flood deposits within the normal seasonal high-flow channel. Overbank deposits have not been altered by flows occurring since 2003. Field measurements supported three hypotheses that (i) logjams present along the forested portions of the jökulhlaup route are larger and more closely spaced than those along adjacent, otherwise comparable stream channels that have not recently experienced a jökulhlaup; (ii) logjams are not randomly located along the jökulhlaup route, but instead reflect specific conditions of channel and valley geometry and flood hydraulics; and (iii) the presence of logjams facilitated significant erosional and depositional effects. This paper documents a sequence of events in which outburst floodwaters enhance bank erosion and recruitment of wood into the channel, and thus the formation of large logjams. These logjams sufficiently deflect flow to create substantial overbank deposition in areas of the valley bottom not commonly accessed by normal snowmelt peak discharges, and through this process promote valley-bottom aggradation and sediment storage. Changes in the occurrence of glacier outburst floods thus have the potential to alter the rate and magnitude of valley-bottom dynamics in these environments, which is particularly relevant given predictions of worldwide global warming and glacial retreat. Processes observed at this field site likely occur in other forested catchments with headwater glaciers.     

Origin of glacial–fluvial landforms in the Azas Plateau volcanic field, the Tuva Republic, Russia: Role of ice–magma interaction

The basaltic Azas Plateau volcanic field is located in the Tuva Republic of the Russian Federation. The area was glaciated multiple times, and the field is characterized by the formation of subglacial volcanoes called tuyas, but subaerial volcanoes and lava fields also exist. A combined study of remote sensing and field observations in the vicinity of the tuyas in the southeastern Azas Plateau volcanic field identified landforms that are best explained by the jökulhlaup hypothesis. The landforms include elongated hills, paleochannels, and butte and basin topography. These landforms are hypothesized to have formed by both erosion and deposition caused by high-energy water streams. The triggering for the hypothesized jökulhlaups was either melting of ice by subglacial volcanism and/or destabilization of ice-dammed/subglacial reservoirs. The age estimation of the flood events is difficult, but they probably occurred during the ice ages of the Quaternary, as late as in the Middle-Late Pleistocene.     

Distribution and effectiveness of nivation in Mediterranean mountains: Peñalara (Spain)

Snow accumulation is responsible for geomorphic and biogeographic processes taking place in the southern sector of the Peñalara massif in central Spain (40°51′N, 3°57′W; max. altitude 2428 m at Pico de Peñalara). This work compares the intensity of nivation on the eastern slope, leeward of the prevailing westerly winds and heavily eroded by glacial activity during the Pleistocene, to that of the western slope on the windward side, unaffected by glacial erosion and completely covered by a thick weathering mantle. On the eastern slope, nivation is effective only where the weathering mantle is exposed or on morainic formations. It does not occur on the landforms derived from glacial erosion. In contrast, the western side shows almost no evidence of snow action except where catastrophic mass movements have altered the regularity of the slope. During the post-glacial epoch, nivation cirques formed in the scars left by mass wasting. In the last 30 years, spring temperatures have increased and this activity has diminished. The pattern of evolution observed at Peñalara can be extrapolated to other Mediterranean mountains with similar characteristics such as marginal glacial activity during the Pleistocene, unconsolidated formations on the summits caused by chemical weathering, and dry, hot summers that can increase the effectiveness of nivation.     

Changes in glacial lakes and glaciers of post-1986 in the Poiqu River basin, Nyalam, Xizang (Tibet)

Glacial lakes and glaciers are sensitive indicators of recent climate change. In the Poiqu River basin of southern Tibet, 60–100 km NW of Mt. Everest, Landsat imagery defines post-1986 changes in the size and distribution of both glacial lakes and glaciers. Total area of glaciers in the 229-km² drainage area has decreased by 20%. The number of glacial lakes with areas in excess of 0.020 km² has increased by 11%, and the total area of glacial lakes has increased by 47%. The areas of typical large glacial lakes of the area (Galongco, Gangxico, and Cirenmaco) have increased by 104, 118, and 156%, respectively, and these increases are confirmed by field investigations.Comparing the 1986 data, the area of glaciers in the basin headwaters has decreased by 46.18 km² to a present total area of 183.12 km², an annual rate of change of 3.30 km²/year. Trends indicate that the total area of glaciers will continue to decrease and that both the numbers and areas of glacial lakes will continue to increase. Accompanying these trends will be an increased risk of debris flows, formed by entrainment of sediment in glacial-outburst floods and in surges from both failure and avalanche- and landslide-induced overtopping of moraine dams. Based on both the local and world-wide history of catastrophes from flows of these origins, disaster mitigation must be planned and appropriate engineering countermeasures put in place as soon as possible.     

Landslides in the Central Coalfield (Cantabrian Mountains, NW Spain): Geomorphological features, conditioning factors and methodological implications in susceptibility assessment

A geomorphological study focussing on slope instability and landslide susceptibility modelling was performed on a 278 km² area in the Nalón River Basin (Central Coalfield, NW Spain). The methodology of the study includes: 1) geomorphological mapping at both 1:5000 and 1:25,000 scales based on air-photo interpretation and field work; 2) Digital Terrain Model (DTM) creation and overlay of geomorphological and DTM layers in a Geographical Information System (GIS); and 3) statistical treatment of variables using SPSS and development of a logistic regression model. A total of 603 mass movements including earth flow and debris flow were inventoried and were classified into two groups according to their size. This study focuses on the first group with small mass movements (10⁰ to 10¹ m in size), which often cause damage to infrastructures and even victims. The detected conditioning factors of these landslides are lithology (soils and colluviums), vegetation (pasture) and topography. DTM analyses show that high instabilities are linked to slopes with NE and SW orientations, curvature values between − 6 and − 0.7, and slope values from 16° to 30°. Bedrock lithology (Carboniferous sandstone and siltstone), presence of Quaternary soils and sediments, vegetation, and the topographical factors were used to develop a landslide susceptibility model using the logistic regression method. Application of “zoom method” allows us to accurately detect small mass movements using a 5-m grid cell data even if geomorphological mapping is done at a 1:25,000 scale.     

Rock varnish microlamination dating of late Quaternary geomorphic features in the drylands of western USA

Varnish microlamination (VML) dating is a correlative age determination technique that can be used to date and correlate various geomorphic features in deserts. In this study, we establish a generalized late Quaternary (i.e., 0–300 ka) varnish layering sequence for the drylands of western USA and tentatively correlate it with the SPECMAP oxygen isotope record. We then use this climatically correlated varnish layering sequence as a correlative dating tool to determine surface exposure ages for late Quaternary geomorphic features in the study region. VML dating of alluvial fan deposits in Death Valley of eastern California indicates that, during the mid to late Pleistocene, 5–15 ky long aggradation events occurred during either wet or dry climatic periods and that major climate shifts between glacial and interglacial conditions may be the pacemaker for alteration of major episodes of fan aggradation. During the Holocene interglacial time, however, 0.5–1 ky long brief episodes of fan deposition may be linked to short periods of relatively wet climate. VML dating of alluvial desert pavements in Death Valley and the Mojave Desert reveals that pavements can be developed rapidly (< 10 ky) during the Holocene (and probably late Pleistocene) in the arid lowlands (< 800 m msl) of these regions; but once formed, they may survive for 74–85 ky or even longer without being significantly disturbed by geomorphic processes operative at the pavement surface. Data from this study also support the currently accepted, “being born at the surface” model of desert pavement formation. VML dating of colluvial boulder deposits on the west slope of Yucca Mountain, southern Nevada, yields a minimum age of 46 ka for the emplacement of these deposits on the slope, suggesting that they were probably formed during the early phase of the last glaciation or before. These results, combined with those from our previous studies, demonstrate that VML dating has great potential to yield numerical age estimates for various late Quaternary geomorphic features in the western USA drylands.     

Quaternary alluvial-fan development, climate and morphologic dating of fault scarps in Laguna Salada, Baja California, Mexico

Late Quaternary slip across the Cañada David detachment has produced an extensive array of Quaternary scarps cutting alluvial-fans along nearly the entire length (~ 60 km) of the range-bounding detachment. Eight regional alluvial-fan surfaces (Q₁ [youngest] to Q₈ [oldest]) are defined and mapped along the entire Sierra el Mayor range-front. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ¹⁰Be concentrations from individual boulders on alluvial-fan surfaces Q₄ and Q₇ yield surface exposure ages of 15.5 ± 2.2 ka and 204 ± 11 ka, respectively. Formation of the fans is probably tectonic, but their evolution is strongly moderated by climate, with surfaces developing as the hydrological conditions have changed in response to climate change on Milankovitch timescales. Systematic mapping reveals that the fault scarp array along active range-bounding faults in Sierras Cucapa and El Mayor can be divided into individual rupture zones, based on cross-cutting relationships with alluvial-fans. Quantitative morphological ages of the Laguna Salada fault-scarps, derived from linear diffusive degradation modeling, are consistent with the age of the scarps based on cross-cutting relationships. The weighted means of the maximum mass diffusivity constant for all scarps with offsets < 4 m is 0.051 and 0.066 m²/ka for the infinite and finite-slope solutions of the diffusion equation, respectively. This estimate is approximately an order of magnitude smaller than the lowest diffusivity constants documented in other regions and it probably reflects the extreme aridity and other microclimatic conditions that characterize the eastern margin of Laguna Salada.     

Bajada del Diablo impact crater-strewn field: The largest crater field in the Southern Hemisphere

Recent remote sensing analyses and field studies have shown that Bajada del Diablo, in Argentina, is a new crater-strewn field. Bajada del Diablo is located in a remote area of Chubut Province, Patagonia. This amazing strewn field contains more than 100 almost circular, crater-type structures with diameters ranging from 100 to 500 m in width and 30 to 50 m in depth. It is composed of three separated impact crater fields, which formed simultaneously. The impact was upon a Miocene basaltic plateau and Pliocene–Early Pleistocene pediments. The original crater field (60 km²) was later eroded by Late Pleistocene fluvial processes; thus, three major, separate areas were defined. Due to the erosional processes that have affected the area, it is difficult to determine yet if the crater field has a classic elliptical distribution. Crater structures are similar in target rocks, although showing different response and morphology in relation to rock type. They are simple rings, bowl-shaped with raised rimrock. Basaltic boulders have been deposited as a ring-shaped pile and the ejecta are found toward the NE flanks. The craters present a hummocky bottom, with dry ponds and lakes in the center, but they do not show raised central peaks. The rocks within the craters have strong and stable magnetic signature. No meteorite fragments or other diagnostic landmarks have been found yet. The craters have been partially filled in by debris flows from the rim and windblown sands in recent times. The origin of these crater fields may be related to multiple fragmentation of one asteroid that broke up before impact, perhaps traveling across the space as a rubble pile. Alternatively, multiple collisions of comet fragments could explain the formation of these crater fields. Based on field geological and geomorphological data, the age of this event is estimated to be bracketed between Early Pleistocene and Late Pleistocene (i.e., 0.78–0.13 Ma ago).     

Using fluvial terraces to determine Holocene coastal erosion and Late Pleistocene uplift rates: An example from northwestern Hawke Bay, New Zealand

In order to make robust predictions of future coastal processes and hazards, historical rates of coastal processes such as coastal erosion need to be put into a long-term (Holocene) context. In this study a methodology is proposed that uses fluvial terraces to construct longitudinal profiles which can be projected offshore to infer paleo-coastline positions. From these positions, an average Holocene coastal erosion rate can be calculated. This study also shows how constraints can be placed on sea level changes and Late Pleistocene uplift rates using fluvial terraces, and by assuming the latter has been constant since  55–37 ka, these constraints feedback into the coastal erosion rate calculations. For the northwestern Hawke Bay (North Island, New Zealand) coastline, Late Pleistocene uplift rates of 0.6 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.2, and − 0.1 ± 0.1 (i.e., stable or subsiding) mm/yr have been determined for the Waikari, Mohaka, and Waihua River mouths, respectively. These rates are consistent with previous interpretations of subsidence to the northeast and uplift being the result of regional, subduction-related processes. A Holocene coastal erosion rate of 0.5 ± 0.1 m/yr was determined for the Waikari River mouth, which is at the higher end of the calculated historical ( 1880–1980) rates (0.02–0.5 m/yr). If this difference is significant, then two possible reasons for this difference are: (i) the historical rate is affected by events such as the 1931 Napier earthquake, and (ii) the Holocene rate is the average of a steadily declining rate over the last 7.3 ka.     

Geomorphology and tectonics of uplifted coasts: New chronostratigraphical constraints for the Quaternary evolution of Tyrrhenian North Calabria (southern Italy)

The Tyrrhenian coastal sector of North Calabria, stretching between Torre S. Nicola and the Lao river, belongs to the inner extensional sector of the Neogene Apennines thrust belt. It is characterised by a stair of Quaternary marine and fluvial terraces representing the geomorphic response to the interaction between the Quaternary sea level fluctuations and the regional trend of tectonic uplift experienced by the margins of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin. Since the last century, several authors studied the North Calabria coasts, where the flight of terraces preserves significant marine and continental successions, and proposed several paleo-geomorphological and tectonic reconstructions. In this paper we present a new stratigraphic and morphostructural setting of the North Calabria coasts based on both chronostratigraphical constraints obtained from marine deposits and detailed geomorphological analysis. A ten order stair of marine terraces, stepping between 240 and 0 m a.s.l., was recognized and time-constrained by the age of the Fornaci S. Nicola marine succession which was ascribed by integrated paleoecological, biostratigraphical and paleomagentic analyses to the early Middle Pleistocene (MIS 19–15). In particular, the 240, 200 and 160 m a.s.l. high strandlines were ascribed to the Early Pleistocene and the ones between 100 and 15 m a.s.l. to the Middle Pleistocene. The total amount of the vertical motion experienced by the studied area was estimated, and evaluation of the average rates of uplift for the Middle and Late Pleistocene times were also given. Considering the elevation a.s.l. of the oldest terraces, a tectonic uplift of at least 240 m was calculated for the North Calabria coasts since the Early Pleistocene times, 100 m of which gained from the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene. On the other hand, the 8-m high Late Pleistocene strandlines display a negligible vertical displacement affecting the area during the last 130 ka. The entire staircase of terraces preserves a record of slowing down in the rate of uplift, which attained an average value of 0.15 mm/year during the Middle Pleistocene.     

Quantifying the slip rates, spatial distribution and evolution of active normal faults from geomorphic analysis: Field examples from an oblique-extensional graben, southern Turkey

Quantifying the extent to which geomorphic features can be used to extract tectonic signals is a key challenge in the Earth Sciences. Here we analyse the drainage patterns, geomorphic impact, and long profiles of bedrock rivers that drain across and around normal faults in a regionally significant oblique-extensional graben (Hatay Graben) in southern Turkey that has been mapped geologically, but for which there are poor constraints on the activity, slip rates and Plio–Pleistocene evolution of basin-bounding faults. We show that drainage in the Hatay Graben is strongly asymmetric, and by mapping the distribution of wind gaps, we are able to evaluate how the drainage network has evolved through time. By comparing the presence, size, and distribution of long profile convexities, we demonstrate that the northern margin of the graben is tectonically quiescent, whereas the southern margin is bounded by active faults. Our analysis suggests that rivers crossing these latter faults are undergoing a transient response to ongoing tectonic uplift, and this interpretation is supported by classic signals of transience such as gorge formation and hill slope rejuvenation within the convex reach. Additionally, we show that the height of long profile convexities varies systematically along the strike of the southern margin faults, and we argue that this effect is best explained if fault linkage has led to an increase in slip rate on the faults through time from  0.1 to 0.45 mm/yr. By measuring the average length of the original fault segments, we estimate the slip rate enhancement along the faults, and thus calculate the range of times for which fault acceleration could have occurred, given geological estimates of fault throw. These values are compared with the times and slip rates required to grow the documented long-profile convexities enabling us to quantify both the present-day slip rate on the fault (0.45 ± 0.05 mm/yr) and the timing of fault acceleration (1.4 ± 0.2 Ma). Our results have substantial implications for predicting earthquake hazard in this densely populated area (calculated potential M_w = 6.0–6.6), enable us to constrain the tectonic evolution of the graben through time, and more widely, demonstrate that geomorphic analysis can be used as an effective tool for estimating fault slip rates over time periods > 10⁶ years, even in the absence of direct geodetic constraints.     

Initiation conditions for debris flows generated by runoff at Chalk Cliffs, central Colorado

We have monitored initiation conditions for six debris flows between May 2004 and July 2006 in a 0.3 km² drainage basin at Chalk Cliffs; a band of hydrothermally-altered quartz monzonite in central Colorado. Debris flows were initiated by water runoff from colluvium and bedrock that entrained sediment from rills and channels with slopes ranging from about 14° to 45°. The availability of channel material is essentially unlimited because of thick channel fill and refilling following debris flows by rock fall and dry ravel processes. Rainfall exceeding I = 6.61(D)^− 0.77, where I is rainfall intensity (mm/h), and D is duration (h), was required for the initiation of debris flows in the drainage basin. The approximate minimum runoff discharge from the surface of bedrock required to initiate debris flows in the channels was 0.15 m³/s. Colluvium in the basin was unsaturated immediately prior to (antecedent) and during debris flows. Antecedent, volumetric moisture levels in colluvium at depths of 1 cm and 29 cm ranged from 4–9%, and 4–7%, respectively. During debris flows, peak moisture levels in colluvium at depths of 1 cm and 29 cm ranged from 10–20%, and 4–12%, respectively. Channel sediment at a depth of 45 cm was unsaturated before and during debris flows; antecedent moisture ranged from 20–22%, and peak moisture ranged from 24–38%. Although we have no measurements from shallow rill or channel sediment, we infer that it was unsaturated before debris flows, and saturated by surface-water runoff during debris flows.Our results allow us to make the following general statements with regard to debris flows generated by runoff in semi-arid to arid mountainous regions: 1) high antecedent moisture levels in hillslope and channel sediment are not required for the initiation of debris flows by runoff, 2) locations of entrainment of sediment by successive runoff events can vary within a basin as a function of variations in the thickness of existing channel fill and the rate of replenishment of channel fill by rock fall and dry ravel processes following debris flows, and 3) rainfall and simulated surface-water discharge thresholds can be useful in understanding and predicting debris flows generated by runoff and sediment entrainment.     

Landscape evolution and origin of Lake Fúquene (Colombia): Tectonics, erosion and sedimentation processes during the Pleistocene

The Basin of Ubaté–Chichinquirá (5°28′N, 73°45′ W, c. 2580 m altitude) includes the Fúquene Valley and is located in the central part of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. Rocks and sediments were folded and faulted during the Miocene, uplifted during the (late) Pliocene, and affected by glaciers during the Pleistocene. Successive glacial and interglacial periods left significant marks in the landscape which were used to reconstruct six stages in the development of the landscape along a relative chronology. During early Pleistocene episode 1 glaciers formed U-shape valleys. Evidence of the impact of ice sheets has been found as far downslope as ca. 2900 m elevation. During episode 2 moraines developed which were cut by the present San José River. During episode 3 abundant sediment was produced by glacial erosion. It accentuated the sculpturing of hard rock and deepening of the drainage basin. The ancestral Ubaté–Suarez River constituted a dynamic erosive system that gave rise to deep V-shaped valleys and progressively formed a set of intricate valleys with a high sediment production. Finally, intense glacial and fluvio-glacial erosion led to a geomorphological system with high energy levels and intensive sediment transport leading to wide valleys. During episode 4 the Ubaté–Suarez River eroded and deepened its valley until it captured the old El Hato–San José Valley. It caused intense erosion of the moraine and the fluvio-glacial gravels. Deep V-shaped valleys stabilized in the high areas of the main drainage system and these valleys form the present-day fluvial sub-basins. During episode 5 the deep valley in the northern part of the Basin of Ubaté–Chichinquirá developed. During middle Pleistocene episode 6 colluvial sediments formed the Saboya dam and a lake was formed in the river valley of which the present Lake Fúquene is only a small remnant. Lithological changes indicate fluctuating water levels and Lake Fúquene must have expanded periodically up to an area 5 to 10 times the present-day surface.     

Catastrophic detachment and high-velocity long-runout flow of Kolka Glacier, Caucasus Mountains, Russia in 2002

In September 2002, a catastrophic geomorphic event occurred in the Caucasus Mountains, southern Russia, in which almost the entire mass of Kolka Glacier detached from its bed, accelerated to a very high velocity (max. 65–80 m/s), and traveled a total distance of 19 km downstream as a glacier-debris flow. Based on the interpretation of satellite imagery obtained only 8.5 h before the event occurred, the analysis of seismograms from nearby seismic stations, and subsequent detailed field observations and measurements, we suggest that this remarkable event was not a response to impulse loading from a rock avalanche in the mountainside above the glacier, or to glacier surging, but due entirely to the static and delayed catastrophic response of the Kolka glacier to ice and debris loading over a period of months prior to the September 20 detachment. We reconstruct the glacier-debris flow using field observations in conjunction with the interpretation of seismographs from nearby seismic stations and successfully simulate the behaviour (runout, velocity, and deposition) of the post-detachment glacier-debris flow using a three-dimensional analytical model. Our demonstration of a standing-start hypothesis in the 2002 Kolka Glacier detachment has substantial implications for glacier hazard assessment and risk management strategies in valleys downstream from unstable debris-covered glaciers in the mountain regions of the world.     

Holocene debris-flow deposits and their implications on the climate in the upper Jinsha River valley, China

Major debris-flow deposits occur along the xerothermic valley of the upper Jinsha River. The debris-flow deposits, ranging in thickness from 1 to 20 m, invariably occupy gently inclined piedmont slopes. The sediments are presently deeply dissected by gullies, and the process of mass movement has almost ceased. Detailed textural, stratigraphical, and geochemical studies reveal the formation processes of the debris flows. Seven debris-flow incidents are noted based on the unit combination characteristics of debris-flow deposits. The age estimates of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) show that the occurrence of debris flows started at around 10.6 kyr BP and weakened until 4.5 kyr BP, corresponding to the obvious strengthened phase of the summer monsoons in the region. The ages of the debris-flow deposits indicate that the occurrence of a mass of debris flows was a response to the intensified summer monsoon in the SE fringe of the Tibetan Plateau since the early Holocene.     

Chronology of relict lake deposits in the Spiti River, NW Trans Himalaya: Implications to Late Pleistocene–Holocene climate-tectonic perturbations

The Spiti River that drains through the arid Trans-Himalayan region is studied here. The relict deposits exposed along the river provide an opportunity to understand the interaction between the phases of intense monsoon and surface processes occurring in the cold and semi arid to-arid Trans-Himalayan region. Based on geomorphological observation the valley is broadly divided into the upper and lower Spiti Valley. The braided channel and the relict fluvio-lacustrine deposits rising from the present riverbed characterize the upper valley. The deposits in the lower valley occur on the uplifted bedrock strath and where the channel characteristics are mainly of meandering nature. Conspicuous is the occurrence of significantly thick lacustrine units within the relict sedimentary sequences of Spiti throughout the valley. The broad sedimentary architecture suggests the formation of these palaeolakes due landslide-driven river damming. The Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating of quartz derived from the bounding units of the lacustrine deposits suggests that the upper valley preserves the phase of deposition around 14–6 ka and in the lower valley around 50–30 ka. The review of published palaeoclimatic palaeolake chronology of Spiti Valley indicates that the lakes were probably formed during the wetter conditions related to Marine Isotope Stage III and II. The increased precipitation during these phases induced excessive landsliding and formation of dammed lakes along the Spiti River. The older lacustrine phase being preserved on the uplifted bedrock strath in the lower valley indicates late Pleistocene tectonic activity along the Kaurick Chango normal fault.     

Post-glacial fluvial response and landform development in the upper Muskegon River valley in North-Central Lower Michigan, U.S.A.

This study focuses on the upper part of the Muskegon River system in north-central Lower Michigan and is the first to reconstruct the post-glacial history of fluvial landform development in the core of North America's Great Lakes region. Results indicate that the upper Muskegon River valley contains four alluvial terraces and numerous paleomeanders. Radiocarbon dating of peats within these old channels provides a good chronology for stream behavior and landform development. The T-4 terrace is a paired Pleistocene outwash/lacustrine surface that probably formed about 12,500 years ago. The T-3 terrace is a fill-strath surface that was cut between about 12,000 and perhaps 9500 years ago. The geometry of macromeanders on this surface suggests that stream discharge was  8 times greater than during the Holocene.The Pleistocene/Holocene transition is marked by a major period of downcutting that likely began as the climate warmed/dried and sediment yield diminished. This period of downcutting potentially lasted through the drier middle Holocene, creating a 6-m-high escarpment in the valley. The Muskegon River then began to aggrade when the climate became wetter. Subsequently the river again incised, creating the paired T-2 terrace, about 3400 years ago when the climate became still wetter. T-2 paleomeanders indicate that stream discharge at this time was consistent with the modern river. In the past 2500 years, the stream has constructed a poorly defined complex of T-1 terraces. These surfaces likely formed due to complex response associated with more variable climate. This study demonstrates that the upper Muskegon River has a similar post-glacial history as streams on deglacial and periglacial landscapes elsewhere in the world.     

High-frequency rock temperature data from hyper-arid desert environments in the Atacama and the Antarctic Dry Valleys and implications for rock weathering

In desert environments with low water and salt contents, rapid thermal variations may be an important source of rock weathering. We have obtained temperature measurements of the surface of rocks in hyper-arid hot and cold desert environments at a rate of 1/s over several days. The values of temperature change over 1-second intervals were similar in hot and cold deserts despite a 30 °C difference in absolute rock surface temperature. The average percentage of the time dT/dt > 2 °C/min was ~ 8 ± 3%, > 4 °C/min was 1 ± 0.9%, and > 8 °C/min was 0.02 ± 0.03%. The maximum change over a 1-second interval was ~ 10 °C/min. When sampled to simulate data taken over intervals longer than 1 s, we found a reduction in time spent above the 2 °C/min temperature gradient threshold. For 1-minute samples, the time spent above any given threshold was about two orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding value for 1-second sampling. We suggest that a rough measure of efficacy of weathering as a function of frequency is the product of the percentage of time spent above a given threshold value multiplied by the damping depth for the corresponding frequency. This product has a broad maximum for periods between 3 and 10 s.     

Sedimentary impacts from landslides in the Tachia River Basin, Taiwan

A case study of coseismic landslides and post-seismic sedimentary impacts of landslides due to rainfall events was conducted in the Tachia River basin, Taichung County, central Taiwan. About 3000 coseismic landslides occurred in the basin during the M_L 7.3 Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999. The deposits from these landslides provided material for numerous debris flows induced by subsequent rainfall events. The estimated 4.1 × 10⁷ m³ of landslide debris produced in the upland area caused sediment deposition in riverbeds, and flash floods inundated downstream areas with sediment during torrential rains. The landslide frequency-size distributions for the coseismic landslides and the subsequent rainfall-induced landslides were analyzed to determine the sediment budgets of the post-seismic geomorphic response in the landslide-dominated basin. Both the coseismic and the rainfall-induced landslides show a power–law frequency-size distribution with a rollover. It was found that the rainfall-induced landslide magnitude was smaller than the coseismic one, and that both have comparable negative scaling exponents in cumulative form, of about − 2.0 for larger landslides (> 10^− 2 km²). This may be attributed to ongoing movement or reactivation of old landslides, and a natural stabilisation of small landslides between 10^− 4 and 10^− 2 km². It is proposed that the characteristics of geological formations and rainfall as well as changes in landslide area are reflected in the power–law distribution.