The rock glacier Innere Ölgrube, located in a small side valley of the Kauner Valley (Ötztal Alps, Austria), consists of two separate, tongue-shaped rock glaciers lying next to each other. Investigations indicate that both rock glaciers contain a core of massive ice. During winter, the temperature at the base of the snow cover (BTS) is significantly lower at the active rock glacier than on permafrost-free ground adjacent to the rock glacier. Discharge is characterized by strong seasonal and diurnal variations, and is strongly controlled by the local weather conditions. Water temperature of the rock glacier springs remains constantly low, mostly below 1°C during the whole melt season. The morphology of the rock glaciers and the presence of meltwater lakes in their rooting zones as well as the high surface flow velocities of >1 m/yr point to a glacial origin. The northern rock glacier, which is bounded by lateral moraines, evolved from the debris-covered tongue of a small glacier of the Little Ice Age with its last highstand around A.D. 1850. Due to the global warming in the following decades, the upper parts of the steep and debris-free ice glacier melted, whereas the debris-covered glacier tongue transformed into an active rock glacier. Due to this evolution and due to the downslope movement, the northern rock glacier, although still active, at present is cut off from its ice and debris supply. The southern rock glacier has developed approximately during the same period from a debris-covered cirque glacier at the foot of the Wannetspitze massif. 相似文献
The active rock glacier “Innere Ölgrube” and its catchment area (Ötztal Alps, Austria) are assessed using various hydro(geo)logical tools to provide a thorough catchment characterization and to quantify temporal variations in recharge and discharge components. During the period from June 2014 to July 2018, an average contribution derived from snowmelt, ice melt and rainfall of 35.8%, 27.6% and 36.6%, respectively, is modelled for the catchment using a rainfall-runoff model. Discharge components of the rock glacier springs are distinguished using isotopic data as well as other natural and artificial tracer data, when considering the potential sources rainfall, snowmelt, ice melt and longer stored groundwater. Seasonal as well as diurnal variations in runoff are quantified and the importance of shallow groundwater within this rock glacier-influenced catchment is emphasized. Water derived from ice melt is suggested to be provided mainly by melting of two small cirque glaciers within the catchment and subordinately by melting of permafrost ice of the rock glacier. The active rock glacier is characterized by a layered internal structure with an unfrozen base layer responsible for groundwater storage and retarded runoff, a main permafrost body contributing little to the discharge (at the moment) by permafrost thaw and an active layer responsible for fast lateral flow on top of the permafrost body. Snowmelt contributes at least 1/3rd of the annual recharge. During droughts, meltwater derived from two cirque glaciers provides runoff with diurnal runoff variations; however, this discharge pattern will change as these cirque glaciers will ultimately disappear in the future. The storage-discharge characteristics of the investigated active rock glacier catchment are an example of a shallow groundwater aquifer in alpine catchments that ought to be considered when analysing (future) river runoff characteristics in alpine catchments as these provide retarded runoff during periods with little or no recharge. 相似文献
High surface flow velocities of up to 3 m a–1 were measured near the front of three active rock glaciers in the western Stubai Alps (Rei‐chenkar) and Ötztal Alps (Kaiserberg and Ölgrube) in Tyrol (Austria) using differential GPS technology. Flow velocities have increased since about 1990. The highest velocities were recorded in 2003 and 2004, but showed a slight decrease in 2005. At the Reichenkar rock glacier, flow rates are constant throughout the year, indicating that meltwater has no significant influence on the flow mechanism. At Ölgrube rock glacier, flow velocities vary seasonally with considerably higher velocities during the melt season. Meltwater is likely to influence the flow of Ölgrube rock glacier as evident by several springs near the base of the steep front. Because the high surface velocities cannot be explained by internal deformation alone on Reichenkar rock glacier, we assume that horizontal deformation must also occur along a well defined shear zone within a water‐saturated, fine‐grained layer at the base of the frozen body. The increased surface flow velocities since about 1990 are probably caused by slightly increased ice temperature and greater amounts of meltwater discharge during the summer, a product of global warming. 相似文献
Garber Schlag (Q-GS) is one of the major springs of the Karwendel Mountains, Tyrol, Austria. This spring has a unique runoff pattern that is mainly controlled by the tectonic setting. The main aquifer is a moderately karstified and jointed limestone of the Wetterstein Formation that is underlain by nonkarstified limestone of the Reifling Formation, which acts as an aquitard. The aquifer and aquitard of the catchment of spring Q-GS form a large anticline that is bound by a major fault (aquitard) to the north. Discharge of this spring shows strong seasonal variations with three recharge origins, based on δ18O and electrical conductivity values. A clear seasonal trend is observed, caused by the continuously changing portions of water derived from snowmelt, rainfall and groundwater. At the onset of the snowmelt period in May, the discharge is composed mainly of groundwater. During the maximum snowmelt period, the water is dominantly composed of water derived from snowmelt and subordinately from rainfall. During July and August, water derived from snowmelt continuously decreases and water derived from rainfall increases. During September and October, the water released at the spring is mainly derived from groundwater and subordinately from rainfall. The distinct discharge plateau from August to December and the following recession until March is likely related to the large regional groundwater body in the fissured and moderately karstified aquifer of the Wetterstein Formation and the tectonic structures (anticline, major fault). Only a small portion of the water released at spring Q-GS is derived from permafrost.