Ice-wedge polygons and solifluction in the Adventdalen area, Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Sørbel, Leif; Tolgensbakk, Jon

doi:10.1080/002919502760056369

Cited by 27 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The valley bottom is characterized by pingos (i.e., ice-cored mounds) and icewedge polygons. Studies of polygonal patterned ground in the Adventdalen range from geomorphological and sedimentological surveys (e.g., Matsuoka and Hirakawa, 1993;Sørbel and Tolgensbakk, 2002) to thermal contraction cracking monitoring (e.g., Matsuoka., 1999;Christiansen, 2005).…”

Section: Atmospheric and Ground Humiditymentioning

confidence: 99%

Polygon pattern geomorphometry on Svalbard (Norway) and western Utopia Planitia (Mars) using high-resolution stereo remote-sensing data

et al. 2011

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Polygonal systems formed by thermal contraction cracking are complex landscape features widespread in terrestrial periglacial regions. The manner in which cracking occurs is controlled by various environmental factors and determines dimension, shape, and orientation of polygons. Analogous small-scale features are ubiquitous in Martian mid-and high-latitudes, and they are also inferred to originate from thermal contraction cracking. We studied the geomorphometry of polygonally-patterned ground on Svalbard to draw a terrestrial analogy to small-scale polygonal structures in scalloped terrain in Martian mid-latitudes. We performed a comparative quantitative terrain analysis based on high-resolution stereo remote-sensing data (HRSC-AX and HiRISE) in combination with terrestrial field data and multivariate statistics to determine the relationship of polygon geomorphometry to local environmental conditions. Results show that polygonal structures on Svalbard and in Utopia Planitia on Mars are similar with respect to their size and shape. A comparable thermal contraction cracking genesis is likely. Polygon evolution, however, is strongly related to regional and local landscape dynamics. Individual polygon dimensions and orthogonality vary according to age, thermal contraction cracking activity, and local subsurface conditions. Based on these findings, the effects of specific past and current environmental conditions on polygon formation on Mars must be considered. On both Earth and Mars, the smallest polygons represent young, recently-active low-centered polygons that formed in fine-grained ice-rich material. Small, low-centered Martian polygons show the closest analogy to terrestrial low-centered ice-wedge polygons. The formation of composite wedges could have occurred as a result of local geomorphological conditions during past Martian orbital configurations. Larger polygons reflect past climate conditions on both Earth and Mars. The present degradation of these polygons depends on relief and topographical situation. On Svalbard the thawing of ice wedges degrades high-centered polygons; in contrast, the present appearance of polygons in Utopia Planitia is primarily the result of contemporary dry degradation processes.

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Section: Atmospheric and Ground Humiditymentioning

confidence: 99%

Polygon pattern geomorphometry on Svalbard (Norway) and western Utopia Planitia (Mars) using high-resolution stereo remote-sensing data

et al. 2011

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“…Aeolian sediments cover the lowest glaciofluvial terraces of Adventelva (Fig. 1), where ice-wedge polygonal networks are a highly common form of patterned ground (Sørbel and Tolgensbakk, 2002;Ulrich et al, 2011;Pina, 2014). Here, the thermalcontraction cracking of the ground is responsible for the formation of ice-wedge polygonal networks.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Sedimentological characteristics of ice-wedge polygon terrain in Adventdalen (Svalbard) – environmental and climatic implications for the late Holocene

et al. 2014

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Abstract. Ice wedges are widespread periglacial features in the landscape of Adventdalen, Svalbard. The networks of ice wedges have created areas with well-developed polygonal terrains in the lowest fluvial terraces in this valley. We have examined the sedimentological characteristics of the northern and southern banks of the Advent river for palaeoenvironmental purposes. The base of two sedimentary sections reported radiocarbon dates of 3.3 and 3.9 ka BP, respectively. The northern site is constituted by three very different lithostratigraphical units, which suggests that their formation should be related to different environmental and climate conditions. By contrast, the southern section shows a rather homogeneous composition, with no significant variations in grain size and organic matter content. In both cases the uppermost sediments are constituted by a thick aeolian deposit. According to our data, warmer climate conditions may have prevailed during the mid Holocene until 3.3 ka BP with widespread peat formation in the valley bottom. Subsequently, a period with alternating soil formation and aeolian sedimentation took place from 3 to 2.5 ka BP, probably due to increasing climatic severity. During the last millennium a long-term cooling trend has favoured aeolian deposition in the lowest part of Adventdalen.

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“…Isaksen et al, 2000;Kääb et al, 2002); frost heave and gelifluction (e.g. Åkerman, 1996;Matsuoka and Hirakawa, 2000;Sørbel and Tolgensbakk, 2002); frost sorting (e.g. Hallet et al, 1988;Hallet, 1998); ice-wedge cracking (Matsuoka, 1999;Christiansen, 2005); pingo growth (Yoshikawa and Harada, 1995;Matsuoka et al, 2004); and fluvial sediment transport (Bogen and Bønsnes, 2003).…”

Section: Strategy: Model Experimental Sitementioning

confidence: 98%

Monitoring periglacial processes: Towards construction of a global network

Matsuoka

2006

Geomorphology

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Ice-wedge polygons and solifluction in the Adventdalen area, Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Cited by 27 publications

References 4 publications

Polygon pattern geomorphometry on Svalbard (Norway) and western Utopia Planitia (Mars) using high-resolution stereo remote-sensing data

Polygon pattern geomorphometry on Svalbard (Norway) and western Utopia Planitia (Mars) using high-resolution stereo remote-sensing data

Sedimentological characteristics of ice-wedge polygon terrain in Adventdalen (Svalbard) – environmental and climatic implications for the late Holocene

Monitoring periglacial processes: Towards construction of a global network

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