Alpine rockwall erosion patterns follow elevation-dependent climate trajectories

D Draebing, T Mayer, B Jacobs… - Communications Earth & …, 2022 - nature.com
D Draebing, T Mayer, B Jacobs, ST McColl
Communications Earth & Environment, 2022nature.com
Mountainous topography reflects an interplay between tectonic uplift, crustal strength, and
climate-conditioned erosion cycles. During glaciations, glacial erosion increases bedrock
relief, whereas during interglacials relief is lowered by rockwall erosion. Here, we show that
paraglacial, frost cracking and permafrost processes jointly drive postglacial rockwall
erosion in our research area. Field observations and modelling experiments demonstrate
that all three processes are strongly conditioned by elevation. Our findings on catchment …
Abstract
Mountainous topography reflects an interplay between tectonic uplift, crustal strength, and climate-conditioned erosion cycles. During glaciations, glacial erosion increases bedrock relief, whereas during interglacials relief is lowered by rockwall erosion. Here, we show that paraglacial, frost cracking and permafrost processes jointly drive postglacial rockwall erosion in our research area. Field observations and modelling experiments demonstrate that all three processes are strongly conditioned by elevation. Our findings on catchment scale provide a potential multi-process explanation for the increase of rockwall erosion rates with elevation across the European Alps. As alpine basins warm during deglaciation, changing intensities and elevation-dependent interactions between periglacial and paraglacial processes result in elevational shifts in rockwall erosion patterns. Future climate warming will shift the intensity and elevation distribution of these processes, resulting in overall lower erosion rates across the Alps, but with more intensified erosion at the highest topography most sensitive to climate change.
nature.com
以上显示的是最相近的搜索结果。 查看全部搜索结果