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| Titel |
Quantification of rock fall processes on recently deglaciated rock slopes, Gepatsch glacier, Tyrol (Austria) |
| VerfasserIn |
Lucas Vehling, Joachim Rohn, Michael Moser |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2014
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 16 (2014) |
| Datensatznummer |
250091202
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2014-5478.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The recently deglaciated area in alpine glacier forefields is characterized by intensified mass
movement processes in particular debris flows, shallow landslides and rockfalls. Due to
enhanced geomorphic activity, rock slopes adjacent to shrinking glaciers contribute in a
substantial way to the sediment budget. In this study, direct measurements of rock fall
intensity are conducted by rock fall collector nets and natural sediment traps. The study area
is a high mountain (1750-3520m a.s.l) catchment, which is recently about 30% glaciated. The
extension of the Gepatsch glacier has been reducing since the little ice age maximum in the
mid of the 19th century with an average annual shrinking rate of a few decameters at its
tongue. The first results of the direct measurements demonstrate that on the recently
deglaciated rock slopes, rock fall intensity is at least one order of magnitude higher
(2,38-6,64 g/m2/d - corresponding backweathering rate: 0,3-0,9 mm/a) than on rock slopes
which had has ice free since the last Pleistocene deglaciation (0,04-0,38 g/m2/d -
backweathering rate: 0,005-0,05 mm/a). The highest rock fall intensity is attributed to the
recent deglaciated rock slopes which are located close to larger fault systems (>60 g/m2/d –
backweathering rate: >8 mm/a). Rock fall intensity shows also considerable intra-annual
variations which are related to cold climate weathering processes and rainstorm activity. |
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