Impacts of Holocene climatic variations on alluvial fan activity below snowpatches in subarctic Québec

In the Lake Guillaume-Delisle area of subarctic Québec, storm-generated alluvial fans have been active sporadically throughout the Holocene. In this study, we propose that the persistence of late-lying snowpatches in fan catchments during Holocene cold episodes promoted alluvial fan activity by lowering the precipitation threshold required to trigger a torrential event. This hypothesis was tested by characterizing the depositional processes responsible for alluvial fan formation below snowpatches, and by reconstructing the Holocene alluvial fan activity. Stratigraphic and sedimentary analyses conducted on seven alluvial fans revealed that they were deposited by torrential activity leading to waterlaid, transient, or hyperconcentrated deposition. The chronology of the storm-generated alluvial fans — based on 22 radiocarbon dates — indicates that torrential activity was enhanced during the cooler Late Holocene (i.e., after ca. 3500 cal. yr BP). Snowier winters and cooler summers were beneficial to nival activity, allowing the persistence of larger snowpatches throughout the summer and fall seasons. Rainfall-induced thaw of such snowpatches during rainstorm events is inferred to have contributed to alluvial fan activity by increasing water availability. Three peaks of alluvial activity occurred during the Late Holocene (2950–2750, 1900–1400, and 800–300 cal. yr BP) and are indicative of increased storminess resulting in higher fan activity. Increased fan activity during cooler episodes was concurrent with increased runoff activity in the immediate pronival area. This stresses the importance of nivation below snowpatches and pinpoints the role of nivation in enhancing geomorphological activity during period of cooler and more humid climate in subarctic environments.     

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.     

昌马断裂带触冻泥石流的基本特征

根据详细的野外地质调查和地质探槽资料，本文讨论了昌马断裂带融冻泥石流的形态特征，内部结构特征以及雪蚀洼地的特征及其形成机理等问题。     

Enhanced boulder weathering under late-lying snowpatches

A Schmidt test hammer was employed to assess the aggregate surface hardness of samples of boulders dug out from under late-lying snowpatches at sites in Switzerland, Scotland and Norway. The results were compared with an equivalent set of readings made on boulders at nearby snow-free control sites. The results in every case reveal that the aggregate surface hardness of boulders buried by late-lying snow is significantly less (at the 0·001 level) than that of boulders at the corresponding control sites. This result indicates that late-lying snow significantly enhances rock weathering, probably because boulder and rock surfaces are exposed to prolonged wetting by percolating meltwater under late-lying snowbeds.     

Stone movement through snow creep, 1963–75 mount twynam,snowy mountains,Australia

On the backwall of Twynam East Cirque selected stones moving through snow creep were marked and their movements from 1963 to 1975 measured. Their annual movements varied markedly between 1963 and 1970 but thereafter little. The percentage of stones failing to move varied reciprocally with snow thickness over a snow course in a comparable site near Spencers Creek. The annual mean movement, ranging from 7·6 to 36·3 cm, correlated strongly with Spencers Creek snow thickness. Frequent occurrence of annual movements of intermediate value characterise the process. Snow surface maps with 2m contours for 1964, 1974 and 1975 permitted determination of snow slope at the stone positions and of snow thickness by subtraction of ground heights. A 2 m contour ground surface map was also the basis for hillslope angles at stone positions. Basal area and area transverse to snow movement were calculated from measurements of the three principal axes of the stones. The vertical angles and directions of their abrasion tracks were measured. Rank correlation of stone movements with hillslope and snow slope was usually not significant but with track angle was so in most years. Track angle and direction are controlled partly by hillslope and partly by local rock geometry. Movements correlated inversely with stone basal area on which frictional drag depends. Correlation with stone transverse area was weak and inverse; this may be due to snow tending to move round larger stones. In most years there was significant correlation with snow thickness and basal stress (calculated from snow thickness and snow slope). However, the amount of ‘explanation’ associated with all the independent variables was small and the experiments revealed an importance of surface roughness at various scales in controlling stone movement which was much greater than expected from direct observation.