This review paper examines thermal conditions (active layer and permafrost), internal composition (rock and ice components), kinematics and rheology of creeping perennially frozen slopes in cold mountain areas. The aim is to assemble current information about creep in permafrost and rock glaciers from diverse published sources into a single paper that will be useful in studies of the flow and deformation of subsurface ice and their surface manifestations not only on Earth, but also on Mars. Emphasis is placed on quantitative information from drilling, borehole measurements, geophysical soundings, photogrammetry, laboratory experiments, etc. It is evident that quantitative holistic treatment of permafrost creep and rock glaciers requires consideration of: (a) rock weathering, snow avalanches and rockfall, with grain-size sorting on scree slopes; (b) freezing processes and ice formation in scree at sub-zero temperatures containing abundant fine material as well as coarse-grained blocks; (c) coupled thermohydro-mechanical aspects of creep and failure processes in frozen rock debris; (d) kinematics of non-isotropic, heterogeneous and layered, ice-rich permafrost on slopes with long transport paths for coarse surface material from the headwall to the front and, in some cases, subsequent re-incorporation into an advancing rock glacier causing corresponding age inversion at PERMAFROST AND PERIGLACIAL PROCESSES

We present a review of the changing state of European permafrost within a spatial zone that includes the continuous high latitude arctic permafrost of Svalbard and the discontinuous high altitude mountain permafrost of Iceland, Fennoscandia and the Alps. The paper focuses on methodological developments and data collection over the last decade or so, including research associated with the continent-scale network of instrumented permafrost boreholes established between 1998 and 2001 under the European Union PACE project. Data indicate recent warming trends, with greatest warming at higher latitudes. Equally important are the impacts of shorter-term extreme climatic events, most immediately reflected in changes in active layer thickness. A large number of complex variables, including altitude, topography, insolation and snow distribution, determine permafrost temperatures. The development of regionally calibrated empiricalstatistical models, and physically based process-oriented models, is described, and it is shown that, though more complex and data dependent, process-oriented approaches are better suited to estimating transient effects of climate change in complex mountain topography. Mapping and characterisation of permafrost depth and distribution requires integrated multiple geophysical approaches and recent advances are discussed. We report on recent research into ground ice formation, including ice segregation within bedrock and vein ice formation within ice wedge systems. The potential impacts of climate change on rock weathering, permafrost creep, landslides, rock falls, debris flows and slow mass movements are also discussed. Recent engineering responses to the potentially damaging effects of climate warming are outlined, and risk assessment strategies to minimise geological hazards are described. We conclude that forecasting changes in hazard occurrence, magnitude and frequency is likely to depend on process-based modelling, demanding improved understanding of geomorphological process-response systems and their impacts on human activity. We present a review of the changing state of European permafrost within a spatial zone that includes the continuous high latitude arctic permafrost of Svalbard and the discontinuous high altitude mountain permafrost of Iceland, Fennoscandia and the Alps. The paper focuses on methodological developments and data collection over the last decade or so, including research associated with the continent-scale network of instrumented permafrost boreholes established between 1998 and 2001 under the European Union PACE project. Data indicate recent warming trends, with greatest warming at higher latitudes. Equally important are the impacts of shorter-term extreme climatic events, most immediately reflected in changes in active layer thickness. A large number of complex variables, including altitude, topography, insolation and snow distribution, determine permafrost temperatures. The development of regionally calibrated empiricalstatistical models, and physically based ...

[1] A combined geophysical and thermal monitoring approach for improved observation of mountain permafrost degradation is presented. Time-lapse inversion of repeated electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements allows both active layer dynamics and interannual permafrost conditions to be delineated. Analysis of a comprehensive ERT monitoring data set from a 7-year study at Schilthorn, Swiss Alps, confirmed the applicability of ERT monitoring to observations of freezing and thawing processes on short-term, seasonal, and long-term scales. Long-term resistivity changes were evaluated on the basis of seasonal resistivity variations showing an annual cycle with high resistivities in frozen and low resistivities in unfrozen state. One important result is the detection of a sustained impact of the extraordinarily hot European summer of 2003 on the permafrost regime, which is more severe than previously assumed from borehole temperatures. Combined analyses of ERT monitoring and borehole temperature data revealed substantial ground ice degradation as a consequence of the 2003 summer, which did not recover in the following years despite suitable subsurface temperature conditions. Resistivity changes that are nonconforming to long-term temperature evolution are attributed to the limited availability of liquid water and/or changes in material characteristics (e.g., pore volume changes as a result of subsidence).Citation: Hilbich, C., C. Hauck, M. Hoelzle, M. Scherler, L. Schudel, I. Völksch, D. Vonder Mühll, and R. Mäusbacher (2008), Monitoring mountain permafrost evolution using electrical resistivity tomography: A 7-year study of seasonal, annual, and long-term variations at Schilthorn, Swiss Alps,

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This paper introduces the structure and organization of permafrost monitoring within global climate‐related monitoring programmes. The five‐tiered principle proposed for the Global Hierarchical Observing Strategy (GHOST) is applied to the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN‐P) monitoring system, and the European network of mountain permafrost boreholes established by the PACE project is discussed in the context of GTN‐P. Borehole design and standard PACE instrumentation are described and some preliminary data from selected boreholes are presented. The broader research aims of the PACE programme include geophysical investigations, mapping and GIS strategies, numerical distribution modelling, physical modelling of thaw‐related slope processes and mountain permafrost hazard assessment. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.RÉSUMÉLe présent article décrit la structure et l'organisation du programme de surveillance du pergélisol et son intégration dans les programmes de surveillance du climat. Le principe à 5 niveaux proposé pour la stratégie d'observation hiérarchique (GHOST) est appliquée au réseau global de surveillance terrestre du pergélisol (GTN‐P). Le réseau européen de sondages dans le pergélisol établi par le projet PACE est discuté dans le contexte du GTN‐P. La localisation des sondages et l'instrumentation standard de PACE sont décrites et quelques données préliminaires de certains sondages sélectionnés sont présentées. Les recherches du programme PACE comprennent des recherches géophysiques, des stratégies de cartographie et de systèmes d'information géographique, des modèles de distribution numérique, des modèles physiques des processus de versants en relation avec le dégel et enfin des estimations des risques liés au pergélisol de montagne. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.