Downslope Displacement Rates of Ploughing Boulders in A Mid-Alpine Environment: Finse, Southern Norway. |
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| Authors: | Ivar Berthling Trond Eiken Håkon Madsen & Johan Ludvig Sollid |
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| Institution: | Department of Physical Geography, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway,;Abildsøskole, Oslo, Norway |
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| Abstract: | Annual and seasonal displacements of ploughing boulders were investigated at Finse, southern Norway, by traditional surveying and differential carrier-phase global positioning system measurements. Annual displacement rates were mainly below 10 mm/year, although one particular season showed rates of 26 mm/year on average. There was a tendency for larger boulders to travel faster. Seasonal displacements were restricted to the annual freeze-thaw cycle. The frost heave seems to have a significant horizontal component, which does not necessarily point in the downslope direction. Thus, the concept of frost creep is not applicable to the investigated ploughing boulders. On the other hand, due to tilting of the boulders, a momentum may be gained during thaw consolidation that could induce downslope displacements. Such a process will work together with gelifluction. |
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