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Call for Papers for the semi-thematic N° 67: (Re)defining rural territories, between the global South and North: actors, processes, scales.

Full papers are invited to be submitted via the journal's official platform by 15 March 2024.

For more information, please check this link

Geomorfological characteristics of a system of rock glacier and their sustenance basin in semi-arid Chile

Authors

  • María Victoria Soto Bäuerle Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Chile
  • Francisco Ferrando Acuña Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Chile
  • Rosemary Vieira Núcleo de Pesquisas Antárticas e Climáticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Brasil

Abstract

A rock glacier system is studied in an Andean high valley of the semi-arid region of Chile, basin of the Límari River, in order to recognize the different constituent forms, their dynamics, and the relationships with the surroudings and with the different evolutive stadia. The studied landforms are both glacial and periglacial. Their features include some of the evolutionary phases of rock glaciers. The landforms correspond to a tongue shape inactive rock glacier and to active talus rock glaciers. They can be simple, wavy or lobated. The importance of slope periglacial processes is established in relation with the present dynamic of these rock glacier features. Rock glacier morphogenetic conditions are directly linked to original processes, but also to periglacial mechanisms in their evolution, giving account of a complex system in wich a geomorphological continuum is demostrated. The changes in the level of activity of the system is due to a clear seasonality associated to a brief and cool winter and a large and temperate summer, characteristic of the Andes high mountains of the semi-arid Chilean region.

Keywords:

rock glaciers, semi-arid Andes, glacial processes, periglacial processes, geomorphological continuum