Aeolian deposits on a Scottish mountain summit: characteristics,provenance, history and significance

The summit plateau of The Storr (719 m) in northern Skye is mantled by a sheet of aeolian sediment up to 2·9 m thick, covering an area of 33 000 m² with a volume of 41 000 m³. The deposits are of massive, poorly sorted sand with significant components of silt and fine gravel, and contain clasts up to 109 mm in length. The thickness and coarseness of the deposits decline westwards and northwards away from the highest cliffs, implying that the sediment comprises particles dislodged from rockwalls and blown upwards in an accelerating vertical or near-vertical airflow, settling through a lower-velocity flow onto the plateau surface where they are trapped by vegetation. Radiocarbon dating of soils buried under and within the deposits suggests that accumulation began after 7·2–6·9 calendar ka BP but before 5·6–5·3 calendar ka BP , and was probably initiated by exposure of the present rockwall by a massive landslide at c. 6·5 ± 0·5 calendar ka BP . Pollen analyses of buried organic horizons suggest that a vegetation mat dominated by grasses and sedges was present throughout the period of sediment deposition. Sediment accumulation over much of the plateau averaged 10–20 mm per century throughout the late Holocene, but reached c. 60 mm per century in the area of the thickest deposits. The volume of the deposits implies the removal of 420–480 mm of rock (averaged over the face) during the late Holocene, and suggests that small-scale granular disaggregation and release of small clasts constitute a major component of rockwall retreat under present conditions. The origin of the Storr deposits suggests that plateau-top aeolian sediments on other Scottish mountains accumulated in a similar way, but have been eroded and redeposited on lee slopes following breakage of vegetation cover. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rates of rockwall slope erosion in the upper Bhagirathi catchment,Garhwal Himalaya

Rockwall slope erosion is defined for the upper Bhagirathi catchment using cosmogenic Beryllium-10 (¹⁰Be) concentrations in sediment from medial moraines on Gangotri glacier. Beryllium-10 concentrations range from 1.1 ± 0.2 to 2.7 ± 0.3 × 10⁴ at/g SiO₂, yielding rockwall slope erosion rates from 2.4 ± 0.4 to 6.9 ± 1.9 mm/a. Slope erosion rates are likely to have varied over space and time and responded to shifts in climate, geomorphic and/or tectonic regime throughout the late Quaternary. Geomorphic and sedimentological analyses confirm that the moraines are predominately composed of rockfall and avalanche debris mobilized from steep relief rockwall slopes via periglacial weathering processes. The glacial rockwall slope erosion affects sediment flux and storage of snow and ice at the catchment head on diurnal to millennial timescales, and more broadly influences catchment configuration and relief, glacier dynamics and microclimates. The slope erosion rates exceed the averaged catchment-wide and exhumation rates of Bhagirathi and the Garhwal region on geomorphic timescales (10³−10⁵ years), supporting the view that erosion at the headwaters can outpace the wider catchment. The ¹⁰Be concentrations of medial moraine sediment for the upper Bhagirathi catchment and the catchments of Chhota Shigri in Lahul, northern India and Baltoro glacier in Central Karakoram, Pakistan show a tentative relationship between ¹⁰Be concentration and precipitation. As such there is more rapid glacial rockwall slope erosion in the monsoon-influenced Lesser and Greater Himalaya compared to the semi-arid interior of the orogen. Rockwall slope erosion in the three study areas, and more broadly across the northwest Himalaya is likely governed by individual catchment dynamics that vary across space and time. © 2019 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Arctic rockwall retreat rates estimated using laboratory‐calibrated ERT measurements of talus cones in Longyeardalen,Svalbard

Holocene rockwall retreat rates quantify integral values of rock slope erosion and talus cone evolution. Here we investigate Holocene rockwall retreat of exposed arctic sandstone cliffs in Longyeardalen, central Svalbard and apply laboratory‐calibrated electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to determine talus sediment thickness. Temperature–resistivity functions of two sandstone samples are measured in the laboratory and compared with borehole temperatures from the talus slope. The resistivity of the higher and lower‐porosity sandstone at relevant borehole permafrost temperatures defines a threshold range that accounts for the lithological variability of the dominant bedrock and debris material. This helps to estimate the depth of the transition from higher resistivities of ice‐rich debris to lower resistivities of frozen bedrock in the six ERT transects. The depth of the debris–bedrock transition in ERT profiles is confirmed by a pronounced apparent resistivity gradient in the raw data plotted versus depth of investigation. High‐resolution LiDAR‐scanning and ERT subsurface information were collated in a GIS to interpolate the bedrock surface and to calculate the sediment volume of the talus cones. The resulting volumes were referenced to source areas to calculate rockwall retreat rates. The rock mass strength was estimated for the source areas. The integral rockwall retreat rates range from 0.33 to 1.96 mm yr^–1, and are among the highest rockwall retreat rates measured in arctic environments, presumably modulated by harsh environmental forcing on a porous sandstone rock cliff with a comparatively low rock mass strength. Here, we show the potential of laboratory‐calibrated ERT to provide accurate estimates of rockwall retreat rates even in ice‐rich permafrost talus slopes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural and thermal controls of rockfall frequency and magnitude within rockwall–talus systems (Swiss Alps)

Both from a systemic and natural hazard perspective, it is essential to understand the causes and frequency of rockfalls in mountain terrain and to predict the block sizes deposited at specific locations. Commonly, rockfalls are studied either retrospectively, using talus slopes, or directly by rockwall surveys. Nevertheless, our understanding of rockfall activity, particularly at the lower magnitude spectrum, is still incomplete. Moreover, the explanatory framework is rarely addressed explicitly. In this study, we investigate two rockwall–talus systems in the Swiss Alps to estimate the rockfall frequency–magnitude pattern and their key controls. We present a holistic approach that integrates deductive geotechnical and thermal investigations of the source rockwalls with abductive talus‐based explanations of rockfall volume and frequency. The rockwalls' three‐dimensional (3D) joint pattern indicates that 75% of the blocks may be released as debris fall (< 14 m³) and boulder falls (14–61 m³), which is mirrored in the corresponding talus material. Using two‐year records of near‐surface rockwall temperatures as input for a 1D heat conduction model underlines the destabilizing role of seasonal ice segregation. Deepest frost cracking of 300 cm may occur on the north‐northeast (NNE)‐exposed, snow‐rich rockwall, with peaks at the outermost surface. The synthesis of all data suggests that infrequent, large planar slides (approximately every 250 years) overlain by smaller, more frequent wedge and toppling failures (approximately every 17–50 years) as well as high‐frequency flake‐like clasts (3–6 events/year) characterize the rockfall frequency–magnitude pattern at Hungerli Peak. Here, we argue that small‐size rockfalls need more scientific attention, particularly in discontinuous permafrost zones. Our study emphasizes that future frequency–magnitude research should ideally incorporate site‐specific structural and thermal properties, rather than just focusing on climatic or meteorological triggers. We discuss how holistic rockwall–talus approaches, as proposed here, could help to increase our process understanding of rockfalls in mountain environments. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigations regarding Alpine talus slopes using ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) in the Bavarian Alps,Germany

The applicability of ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) for the investigation of loose debris was tested at two sites (Viererkar and Zugspitzplatt). A pulseEKKO 100 GPR system equipped with 25 MHz antennae was utilized. The aim of the investigation was to record the base of the debris layer, and thereby acquire an estimation of the backweathering rates of the adjacent rockwalls. The study areas are situated in the Northern Alps near the German–Austrian border. The sites are characterized by steep limestone rockwalls and extensive talus accumulations. A total of six profiles was surveyed. The method is suitable and effective for a quick survey in this dry, high‐ohmic substrate. The GPR system was able to deliver information about the subsurface stratigraphy to c. 70 m depth. The boundary line to the bedrock was discovered – depending upon the profile surveyed ?5 to 25 m below the surface. The base of the debris material sometimes shows no distinct reflection. Buried features (V‐shaped furrows, zones overdeepened by ice action, geological structures) could be detected. Arched structures well below the talus–bedrock interface can be interpreted as drainage systems in the karstic bedrock. A thick scree layer of Late Glacial age was separated from a thinner layer on the talus surface, which was related to the Holocene. The backweathering rates were fixed by a calculation of talus volume to c. 100 mm/10³ a during the Holocene (Viererkar) and 150–300 mm/10³ a (Zugspitzplatt). The detrital formation in north‐exposed sites is twice as intense as in south‐exposed sites. These results match the rates of recent rockfall in the same area of investigation. The calculated backweathering for the late glacial period is 150–730 mm/10³ a. The magnitude of the calculated rockwall retreat lies well within the range of previous measurements. The discrepancy between some weathering rates highlights the fact that recent and past relief formation must be differentiated. Otherwise recent removal rates may be overestimated. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of rock mass strength on the erosion rate of alpine cliffs

Collapse of cliff faces by rockfall is a primary mode of bedrock erosion in alpine environments and exerts a first‐order control on the morphologic development of these landscapes. In this work we investigate the influence of rock mass strength on the retreat rate of alpine cliffs. To quantify rockwall competence we employed the Slope Mass Rating (SMR) geomechanical strength index, a metric that combines numerous factors contributing to the strength of a rock mass. The magnitude of cliff retreat was calculated by estimating the volume of talus at the toe of each rockwall and projecting that material back on to the cliff face, while accounting for the loss of production area as talus buries the base of the wall. Selecting sites within basins swept clean by advancing Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glaciers allowed us to estimate the time period over which talus accumulation occurred (i.e. the production time). Dividing the magnitude of normal cliff retreat by the production time, we calculated recession rates for each site. Our study area included a portion of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. Rockwall recession rates determined for 40 alpine cliffs in this region range from 0·02 to 1·22 mm/year, with an average value of 0·28 mm/year. We found good correlation between rockwall recession rate and SMR which is best characterized by an exponential decrease in erosion rate with increasing rock mass strength. Analysis of the individual components of the SMR reveals that joint orientation (with respect to the cliff face) is the most important parameter affecting the rockwall erosion rate. The complete SMR score, however, best synthesizes the lithologic variables that contribute to the strength and erodibility of these rock slopes. Our data reveal no strong independent correlations between rockwall retreat rate and topographic attributes such as elevation, aspect, or slope angle. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Clast size variations on talus: Some observations from northwest Ireland

Clast size variations are reported for a relict talus slope in northwest Ireland. Alternating longitudinal zones of coarse debris below buttresses and less coarse debris below gullies give the talus pronounced lateral variations in clast size that are related to joint spacing variations in the talus source area. Longitudinal variations in clast size are also present. The talus accumulated predominantly by the process of rockfall. Other processes frequently associated with lateral size variations were not significantly effective during talus development. Talus sliding may have modified some patterns of rockfall size grading.     

Distribution of glaciofluvial sediment within and on the surface of a high arctic valley glacier: Marthabreen,Svalbard

Marthabreen is a 7·8 km long valley glacier in SW Spitsbergen. The glacier is partially covered by a layer of angular debris derived from rockfall in its accumulation area, pierced in places by pinnacles and ridges of glaciofluvial sediment. These concentrations of glaciofluvial sediment fall into three categories: (1) debris pinnacles; (2) longitudinal sediment dykes; (3) longitudinal ridge accumulations. Debris pinnacles are slabs of sediment (predominantly sands, gravels and cobbles) elevated to the glacier surface along thrusts. Longitudinal sediment dykes are low (<0·5 m high) ridges of debris melting out of vertical sediment dykes within the body of the glacier. They are composed of a range of facies including sands, granule gravels, pebble gravels and diamiction. These dykes are sub-parallel to the longitudinal foliation on the glacier and form during folding of the stratification. Longitudinal ridge accumulations are higher (>1 m high) ridges of sorted sand and gravels which are not associated with penetrative ice structures. Their occurrence downglacier of sediment dykes and debris pinnacles suggests that they originate as supraglacial or englacial channels or tunnels filled by sediment derived from the dykes or thrusts. The presence of large quantities of glaciofluvial sediment on the surface of Marthabreen does not imply englacial water flow at high levels within the glacier, but is related to ice deformational processes such as thrusting and folding of debris-rich stratification. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The use of ablation‐dominated medial moraines as samplers for 10Be‐derived erosion rates of glacier valley walls,Kichatna Mountains,AK

We use cosmogenic ¹⁰Be concentrations in amalgamated rock samples from active, ice‐cored medial moraines to constrain glacial valley sidewall backwearing rates in the Kichatna Mountains, Alaska Range, Alaska. This dramatic landscape is carved into a small ～65 Ma granitic pluton about 100 km west of Denali, where kilometer‐tall rock walls and ‘cathedral’ spires tower over a radial array of over a dozen valley glaciers. These supraglacial landforms erode primarily by rockfall, but erosion rates are difficult to determine. We use cosmogenic ¹⁰Be to measure rockwall backwearing rates on timescales of 10³–10⁴ years, with a straightforward sampling strategy that exploits ablation‐dominated medial moraines. A medial moraine and its associated englacial debris serve as a conveyor system, bringing supraglacial rockfall debris from accumulation‐zone valley walls to the moraine crest in the ablation zone. We discuss quantitatively several factors that complicate interpretation of cosmogenic concentrations in this material, including the complex scaling of production rates in very steep terrain, the stochastic nature of the rockfall erosion process, the unmixed nature of the moraine sediment, and additional cosmogenic accumulation during transport of the sediment. We sampled medial moraines on each of three glaciers of different sizes and topographic aspects. All three moraines are sourced in areas with identical rock and similar sidewall relief of ～1 km. Each sample was amalgamated from 25 to 35 clasts collected over a 1‐km longitudinal transect of each moraine. Two of the glaciers yield similar ¹⁰Be concentrations (～1·6–2·2 × 10⁴ at/g) and minimum sidewall slope‐normal erosion rates (～0·5–0·7 mm/yr). The lowest ¹⁰Be concentrations (8 × 10³ at/g) and the highest erosion rates (1·3 mm/yr) come from the largest glacier in the range with the lowest late‐summer snowline. These rates are reasonable in an alpine glacial setting, and are much faster than long‐term exhumation rates of the western Alaska Range as determined by thermochronometric studies. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coarse cliff-top aeolian sedimentation in northern Gaspésie,Québec (Canada)

This paper deals with the effects of wind on rockwall dynamics. On 5 and 6 January, 1988 very strong northwest winds (blizzard) were blowing onto the rockwall of Mount Saint-Pierre (alt.: 424 m), Gaspésie, Québec (Canada). The most violent recorded squall reached 99·4 km h^?1. During this event, the summit plateau received a large amount of aeolian sediments originating from the shale rockwall that forms the mountain's northwest side. In the 15 to 20 m wide by 75 m long belt located along the top of the rockwall, over a 1200 m² area, a continuous layer of debris completely covered the snow. This layer of debris had a mean thickness of 11·4 mm, which represents an accumulated volume in the order of 13 m³. Largely dominated by sand and granules (2–4 mm), the 28 samples collected for grain-size analysis also contained numerous thin shale flakes, many of which were longer than 10 mm. The largest flake measured had a width of 134 mm and a weight of 164·3 g. Six available ¹⁴C dates provide information concerning mean cliff-top aeolian sedimentation rate for the last thousand years (c. 1·8 mmyr^?1).     

Weathering,erosion and sediment composition in a high‐gradient river,Calabria, Italy

Source rock lithology and immediate modifying processes, such as chemical weathering and mechanical erosion, are primary controls on fluvial sediment supply. Sand composition and Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) of parent rocks, soil and fluvial sand of the Savuto River watershed, Calabria (Italy), were used to evaluate the modifications of source rocks through different sections of the basin, characterized by different geomorphic processes, in a sub‐humid Mediterranean climate. The headwaters, with gentle topography, produce a coarse‐grained sediment load derived from deeply weathered gneiss, having sand of quartzofeldspathic composition, compositionally very different from in situ degraded bedrock. Maximum estimated CIA values suggest that source rock has been affected significantly by weathering, and it testifies to a climatic threshold on the destruction of the bedrock. The mid‐course has steeper slopes and a deeply incised valley; bedrock consists of mica‐schist and phyllite with a very thin regolith, which provides large cobble to very coarse sand sediments to the main channel. Slope instability, with an areal incidence of over 40 per cent, largely supplies detritus to the main channel. Sand‐sized detritus of soil and fluvial sand is lithic. Estimated CIA value testifies to a significant weathering of the bedrock too, even if in this part of the drainage basin steeper slopes allow erosion to exceed chemical weathering. The lower course has a braided pattern and sediment load is coarse to medium–fine grained. The river cuts across Palaeozoic crystalline rocks and Miocene siliciclastic deposits. Sand‐sized detritus, contributed from these rocks and homogenized by transport processes, has been found in the quartzolithic distal samples. Field and laboratory evidence indicates that landscape development was the result of extensive weathering during the last postglacial temperature maximum in the headwaters, and of mass‐failure and fluvial erosional processes in the mid‐ and low course. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentation in arctic proglacial lakes: Mittivakkat Glacier,south‐east Greenland

Several sediment cores were collected from two proglacial lakes in the vicinity of Mittivakkat Glacier, south‐east Greenland, in order to determine sedimentation rates, estimate sediment yields and identify the dominant sources of the lacustrine sediment. The presence of varves in the ice‐dammed Icefall Lake enabled sedimentation rates to be estimated using a combination of X‐ray photography and down‐core variations in ¹³⁷Cs activity. Sedimentation rates for individual cores ranged between 0·52 and 1·06 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, and the average sedimentation rate was estimated to be 0·79 g cm⁻² year⁻¹. Despite considerable down‐core variability in annual sedimentation rates, there is no significant trend over the period 1970 to 1994. After correcting for autochthonous organic matter content and trap efficiency, the mean fine‐grained minerogenic sediment yield from the 3·8 km² basin contributing to the lake was estimated to be 327 t km⁻² year⁻¹. Cores were also collected from the topset beds of two small deltas in Icefall Lake. The deposition of coarse‐grained sediment on the delta surface was estimated to total in excess of 15 cm over the last c. 40 years. In the larger Lake Kuutuaq, which is located about 5 km from the glacier front and for which the glacier represents a smaller proportion of the contributing catchment, sedimentation rates determined for six cores collected from the centre of the lake, based on their ¹³⁷Cs depth profiles, were estimated to range between 0·05 and 0·11 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, and the average was 0·08 g cm⁻² year⁻¹. The longer‐term (c. 100–150 years) average sedimentation rate for one of the cores, estimated from its unsupported ²¹⁰Pb profile, was 0·10–0·13 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, suggesting that sedimentation rates in this lake have been essentially constant over the last c. 100–150 years. The average fine‐grained sediment yield from the 32·4 km² catchment contributing to the lake was estimated to be 13 t km⁻² year⁻¹. The ¹³⁷Cs depth profiles for cores collected from the topset beds of the delta of Lake Kuutuaq indicate that in excess of 27 cm of coarse‐grained sediment had accumulated on the delta surface over the last approximately 40 years. Caesium‐137 concentrations associated with the most recently deposited (uppermost) fine‐grained sediment in both Icefall Lake and Lake Kuutuaq were similar to those measured in fine‐grained sediment collected from steep slopes in the immediate proglacial zone, suggesting that this material, rather than contemporary glacial debris, is the most likely source of the sediment deposited in the lakes. This finding is confirmed by the ¹³⁷Cs concentrations associated with suspended sediment collected from the Mittivakkat stream, which are very similar to those for proglacial material. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Controls on slope‐to‐channel fine sediment connectivity in a largely ice‐free valley,Hoophorn Stream,Southern Alps,New Zealand

There has been little work to date into the controls on slope‐to‐channel fine sediment connectivity in alpine environments largely ice‐free for most of the Holocene. Characterization of these controls can be expected to result in better understanding of how landscapes “relax” from such perturbations as climate shock. We monitored fine sediment mobilization on a slope segment hydrologically connected to a stream in the largely ice‐free 8·3 km² Hoophorn Valley, New Zealand. Gerlach traps were installed in ephemeral slope channels to trap surficial material mobilized during rainfall events. Channel sediment flux was measured using turbidimeters above and below the connected slope, and hysteresis patterns in discharge‐suspended sediment concentrations were used to determine sediment sources. Over the 96 day measurement period, sediment mobilization from the slope segment was limited to rainfall events, with increasingly larger particles trapped as event magnitude increased. Less than 1% of the mass of particles collected during these events was fine sediment. During this period, 714 t of suspended sediment was transported through the lower gauging station, 60% of it during rainfall events. Channel sediment transfer patterns during these events were dominated by clockwise hysteresis, interpreted as remobilization of nearby in‐channel sources, further suggesting limited input of fine sediment from slopes in the lower valley. Strong counterclockwise hysteresis, representing input of fine sediment from slope segments, was restricted to the largest storm event (JD2 2009) when surfaces in the upper basin were activated. The results indicate that the slopes of the lower Hoophorn catchment are no longer functioning as sources of fine sediment, but rather as sources of coarse material, with flux rates controlled by the intensity and duration of rainfall events. Although speculative, these findings suggest a shift to a coarse sediment dominated slope‐to‐channel transfer system as the influence of pre‐Holocene glacial erosion declines. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Paraglacial modification of slope form

The morphological consequences of paraglacial modification of valley-side drift slopes are investigated at six sites in Norway. Here, paraglacial slope adjustment operates primarily through the development of gully systems, whereby glacigenic sediment is stripped from the upper drift slope and redeposited in debris cones downslope. This results in an overall lowering of average gradient by up to 4·5° along gully axes. In general, slope profile adjustment appears to be characterized by a convergence of slope profiles towards an ‘equilibrium form’ with an upper rectilinear slope gradient at 29°± 4° and a range of concavities of approximately 0·0 to 0·4. After initial rapid incision, further gully deepening is limited, but gullies become progressively wider as sidewall gradients decline to c. 25°, after which parallel retreat appears to predominate. The final form of mature paraglacial gully systems consists of an upper bedrock-floored source area, a mid-slope area of broad gullies whose sidewalls rest at stable, moderate gradients, and a lower slope zone where gullies discharge onto the surfaces of debris cones and fans. Some gullies appear to have attained this final form and have stabilized following exhaustion of readily entrainable sediment within decades of gully initiation. At most sites, paraglacial activity has transformed steep drift-mantled valley sides into gullied slopes where an average of c. 2–3 m of surface lowering has taken place. At the most active sites, these average amounts imply minimum erosion rates averaging c. 90 mm a⁻¹ since gully initiation, which highlights the extreme rapidity of paraglacial erosion of deglaciated drift-mantled slopes. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Talus slope geomorphology investigated at multiple time scales from high-resolution topographic surveys and historical aerial photographs (Sanetsch Pass,Switzerland)

Talus slopes are common places for debris storage in high-mountain environments and form an important step in the alpine sediment cascade. To understand slope instabilities and sediment transfers, detailed investigations of talus slope geomorphology are needed. Therefore, this study presents a detailed analysis of a talus slope on Col du Sanetsch (Swiss Alps), which is investigated at multiple time scales using high-resolution topographic (HRT) surveys and historical aerial photographs. HRT surveys were collected during three consecutive summers (2017–2019), using uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) measurements. To date, very few studies exist that use HRT methods on talus slopes, especially to the extent of our study area (2 km²). Data acquisition from ground control and in situ field observations is challenging on a talus slope due to the steep terrain (30–37°) and high surface roughness. This results in a poor spatial distribution of ground control points (GCPs), causing unwanted deformation of up to 2 m in the gathered UAV-derived HRT data. The co-alignment of UAV imagery from different survey dates improved this deformation significantly, as validated by the TLS data. Sediment transfer is dominated by small-scale but widespread snow push processes. Pre-existing debris flow channels are prone to erosion and redeposition of material within the channel. A debris flow event of high magnitude occurred in the summer of 2019, as a result of several convective thunderstorms. While low-magnitude (<5,000 m³) debris flow events are frequent throughout the historical record with a return period of 10–20 years, this 2019 event exceeded all historical debris flow events since 1946 in both extent and volume. Future climate predictions show an increase of such intense precipitation events in the region, potentially altering the frequency of debris flows in the study area and changing the dominant geomorphic process which are active on such talus slopes. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of basin physical characteristics on solute fluxes in nine alpine/subalpine basins,Colorado, USA

Alpine/subalpine basins may exhibit substantial variability in solute fluxes despite many apparent similarities in basin characteristics. An evaluation of controls on spatial patterns in solute fluxes may allow development of predictive tools for assessing basin sensitivity to outside perturbations such as climate change or deposition of atmospheric pollutants. Relationships between basin physical characteristics, determined from geographical information system (GIS) tools, and solute fluxes and mineral weathering rates were explored for nine alpine/subalpine basins in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, using correlation analyses for 1993 and 1994 data. Stream‐water nitrate fluxes were correlated positively with basin characteristics associated with the talus environment; i.e., the fractional amounts of steep slopes (≥ 30°), unvegetated terrain and young debris (primarily Holocene till) in the basins, and were correlated negatively with fractional amounts of subalpine meadow terrain. Correlations with nitrate indicate the importance of the talus environment in promoting nitrate flux and the mitigating effect of areas with established vegetation, such as subalpine meadows. Total mineral weathering rates for the basins ranged from about 300 to 600 mol ha^?1 year^?1. Oligoclase weathering accounted for 30 to 73% of the total mineral weathering flux, and was positively correlated with the amount of old debris (primarily Pleistocene glacial till) in the basins. Although calcite is found in trace amounts in bedrock, calcite weathering accounted for up to 44% of the total mineral weathering flux. Calcite was strongly correlated with steep slope, unvegetated terrain, and young debris—probably because physical weathering in steep‐gradient areas exposes fresh mineral surfaces that contain calcite for chemical weathering. Oligoclase and calcite weathering are the dominant sources of alkalinity in the basins. However, atmospherically deposited acids consume much of the alkalinity generated by weathering of calcite and other minerals in the talus environment. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chronology and paleoenvironmental interpretation of talus flatiron sequences in a sub‐humid mountainous area: Tremp Depression,Spanish Pyrenees

Talus flatirons are debris‐covered relict slopes, disconnected from the source area, which are relatively common in arid and semi‐arid areas. Talus flatiron sequences record the alternation of accumulation and incision phases. These chronosequences may be used for infer temporal changes in the morphogenetic processes acting on the slopes as well as information on the local paleoclimatic history. Talus flatiron sequences developed in the Tremp Depression, eastern Spanish Pyrenees, are analysed from the geomorphological, chronological and paleoenvironmental perspective. The two groups of relict slopes differentiated by means of detailed geomorphological mapping have been dated by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon dating at 25–20 kyr (S3) and 5·4–1·7 cal kyr (S2). The talus flatiron group S3 is correlated with a fluvial terrace of the Noguera Pallaresa River (c. 23 kyr bp ). The comparison of the ages obtained in the Tremp Depression with chronologies published for talus flatiron sequences in semi‐arid areas and other paleoclimatic proxies suggests that the aggradation phases in the slopes occurred during periods with higher humidity and vegetation cover. The chronological differences observed between semi‐arid Spain and the Tremp Depression may be partly related to the more humid climate of the latter mountain area. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geomorphic effects of large debris flows on channel morphology at North Fork Mountain,eastern West Virginia,USA

Extreme rainfall in June 1949 and November 1985 triggered numerous large debris flows on the steep slopes of North Fork Mountain, eastern West Virginia. Detailed mapping at four sites and field observations of several others indicate that the debris flows began in steep hillslope hollows, propagated downslope through the channel system, eroded channel sediment, produced complex distributions of deposits in lower gradient channels, and delivered sediment to floodwaters beyond the debris-flow termini. Based on the distribution of deposits and eroded surfaces, up to four zones were identified with each debris flow: an upper failure zone, a middle transport/erosion zone, a lower deposition zone, and a sediment-laden floodwater zone immediately downstream from the debris-flow terminus. Geomorphic effects of the debris flows in these zones are spatially variable. The initiation of debris flows in the failure zones and passage through the transport/erosion zones are characterized by degradation; 2300 to 17 000 m³ of sediment was eroded from these zones. The total volume of channel erosion in the transport/erosion zones was 1·3 to 1·5 times greater than the total volume of sediment that initially failed, indicating that the debris flows were effective erosion agents as they travelled through the transport/erosion zones. The overall response in the deposition zones was aggradation. However, up to 43 per cent of the sediment delivered to these zones was eroded by floodwaters from joining tributaries immediately after debris-flow deposition. This sediment was incorporated into floodwaters downstream from the debris-flow termini causing considerable erosion and deposition in these channels. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grain size-dependent 10Be concentrations in alluvial stream sediment of the Huasco Valley,a semi-arid Andes region

Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide concentrations in sediment are used to quantify mean denudation rates in catchments. This article explores the differences between the ¹⁰Be concentration in fine (sand) and in coarse (1–3 or 5–10 cm pebbles) river sediment. Sand and pebbles were sampled at four locations in the Huasco Valley, in the arid Chilean Andes. Sand has ¹⁰Be concentrations between 4.8 and 8.3·10⁵ at g⁻¹, while pebbles have smaller concentrations between 2.2 and 3.3·10⁵ at g⁻¹. It appears that the different concentrations, systematically measured between sand and pebbles, are the result of different denudation rates, linked with the geomorphologic processes that originated them. We propose that the ¹⁰Be concentrations in sand are determined by the mean denudation rate of all of the geomorphologic processes taking place in the catchment, including debris flow processes as well as slower processes such as hill slope diffusion. In contrast, the concentrations in pebbles are probably related to debris flows occurring in steep slopes. The mean denudation rates calculated in the catchment are between 30 and 50 m/Myr, while the denudation rates associated with debris flow are between 59 and 81 m/Myr. These denudation rates are consistent with those calculated using different methods, such as measuring eroded volumes.