Active-layer Detachment Slides Research Articles

Recent rapid initiation and growth of retrogressive thaw slumps in the Hoh Xil region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

With persistent climate warming, a rapid increase in retrogressive thaw slump (RTS) activity has been observed in the permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). However, the initiation and growth dynamics of these RTSs have not yet been fully investigated. In this study, annual RTS observations from 2013 to 2021 within the Hoh Xil region (HXR), based on field investigations and satellite imagery interpretations, are presented. The total number and affected areas of RTSs in the HXR significantly increased during the last 8 years, and such an increase mainly occurred in 2016 when an anomalously high air temperature appeared during the thawing season, which induced the massive occurrence of active layer detachment slides. The mean headwall retreat rate of RTSs in the HXR ranged from 2.4–3.2 m/y from 2013, or their initialization, to 2021, and the highest headwall retreat occurred in the first 2–3 years after RTS initiation. In addition, the headwall retreat rate of RTSs in the study region was significantly affected by the climatic factors, including average daily air temperature, thawing degree days, and cumulative precipitation and also controlled by the ratio of slump floor slope to undisturbed terrain slope, the headwall height, and permafrost conditions. The study’s findings can serve as a reference for hazard mitigation and regional carbon cycle assessment of the QTP.

Periglacial landforms and landscape development in southern England

The south-central and south-east England Geological Conservation Review region is unique in Britain in lying completely outside the margins of Quaternary ice sheets. In view of this, the area has been described as a ‘relict periglacial landscape’. This implies that the region has evolved its current form substantially under the influence of seasonal and/or perennial frost. In fact, modern research has demonstrated that permafrost, either continuous or discontinuous, likely existed across probably the whole of the region at different times during the Quaternary. This has important implications for ground permeability and the strength of sediments and soils and this has, without doubt, influenced landscape development. Whilst the whole region appears to have experienced cold environmental conditions, the landforms, structures and sediments of some sites are particularly associated with periglacial processes. Allington Quarry, Spot Lane Quarry, Oaken Wood, Chiddingly Wood (known locally as Chiddinglye Wood), High Rocks and Rusthall Common have exhibited typical cambering structures with open or closed gulls. The latter three sites also display a fine range of surface weathering features. Hubbard's Hill is characterised by solifluction and active-layer detachment slides and associated subsurface shear structures, whilst the sarsen trains at Fyfield Down and Valley of Stones are also attributed to solifluction processes. Birling Gap and Pegwell Bay exhibit spectacular sediment brecciation and involutions. Pegwell Bay is also known for its thick layer of periglacial loess, a sediment that is also a feature of North Cliff, Broadstairs. Unfortunately, the dating of these landscape features has, so far, proved possible only at Hubbard's Hill and Pegwell Bay. Nevertheless, the sites reviewed here provide exceptional, and in some cases internationally important, indications of landscape development in cold, often permafrost, environments which justifies their status as GCR sites.

The first hillslope thermokarst inventory for the permafrost region of the Qilian Mountains

Abstract. Climate warming and anthropogenic disturbances result in permafrost degradation in cold regions, including in the Qilian Mountains. These changes lead to extensive hillslope thermokarst (HT) formation, such as retrogressive thaw slumps, active-layer detachment slides, and thermal erosion gullies. These in turn cause, e.g., degradation of local vegetation, economic losses, infrastructure damages, and threats to human safety. However, despite its importance, there is currently no thermokarst inventory for the Qilian Mountains. Through manual visual interpretation and field validation, we therefore produce the first quantification of HT features. We count a total of 1064 HT features, with 67 % located in the upper reaches of the Heihe River basin, which encompasses ∼ 13 % of the Qilian Mountains region. We further identified that 187 HT features (18 %) existed before 2010, while the remaining 874 (82 %) were initiated in the recent period. More specifically, 392 sites (37 %) were initiated during 2010–2015 and 482 (45 %) after 2015. Thermokarst terrain is observed primarily in areas with shallow active-layer depths (average thickness 2.98 m) on northern shaded slopes of 3–25°, with low solar radiation and moderate elevations ranging from 3200 to 4000 m. This first inventory of HT features is an important and missing piece in documenting changes on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, and this new dataset also provides an important basis for further studies, such as automated extraction of HT features, susceptibility analysis of HT, and estimation of losses caused by HT. The datasets are available from the National Tibetan Plateau/Third Pole Environment Data Center and can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.11888/Cryos.tpdc.300805 (Peng and Yang, 2023).

Classification of cryogenic-landslide landforms for mapping and prediction

A classification of cryogenic-landslide landforms is developed for mapping their distribution and dynamics. It is based on the previously suggested classification subdividing cryogenic landsliding into two main types: cryogenic translational landslides (or active-layer detachment slides), and cryogenic earth flows (or retrogressive thaw slumps). The increased proportion of retrogressive thaw slumps compared to active layer detachments in the North of West Siberia in the last decade creates the need for an expanded classification of cryogenic earth flows. One of the important issues is separating the process of landsliding and resulting landforms, which in English are covered by one term ‘retrogressive thaw slump’. In dealing with the landforms, we distinguish (1) open and (2) closed ones. Open cryogenic-landslide landforms are those formed by the retreating of the coast bluff due to the thaw of ice or ice-rich deposits with an additional impact from wave or stream action. Closed cryogenic-landslide landforms are those initiated on a slope landward, and thawed material is delivered to the coast or stream through an erosional channel. Morphologically we distinguish thermocirques and thermoterraces depending on the shape of the retreating headwall, crescent or linear, respectively. An important issue is the type of ground ice subjected to thaw: tabular, ice-wedge or constitutional ground ice are distinguished. Landforms can be active, stabilized or ancient. One can find both single landforms and their combination. The classification is based on a significant amount of field studies and interpretation of remote sensing data. Mapping of the cryogenic-landslide landforms is suggested using the proposed classification and indication features. The classification is based on the experience obtained mainly in the north of West Siberia. Applying it to other regions may require additional studies.

Hydrological instability and archaeological impact in Northwest Greenland: Sudden mass movement events signal new concerns for circumpolar archaeology

In the High Arctic, recent acceleration of geomorphological processes is having extreme impact on archaeological landscapes. In this paper, we consider implication for circumpolar archaeology, and focus analysis on a study area of critical importance to the local Inughuit community at Siorapaluk – a small settlement in Northwest Greenland. Using a combination of ground survey, historical satellite images, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we analyze damage zones to understand the character, timing, and extent of destruction. Three types of geomorphological processes are identified as causing significant damage, including: 1) debris flows, 2) active-layer detachment slides, and 3) alluvial deposition. These processes, we demonstrate, were amplified by extraordinary rainfall events that took place in the summers of 2016 and 2017 against a backdrop of broader climate change induced shifts in arctic precipitation. Further instability in the amount and seasonality of precipitation can be expected, and archaeological consequences will expand to areas that have so far been unaffected. The scale of mass movement that we document may be unprecedented in terms of the landscape’s post-glacial development, and likely represents the onset of a new state in erosional maturity. We use our results to suggest criteria that can help predict and identify areas most at risk, which will be a critical component of prioritizing response measures. The suddenness through which mass movement went from background threat to primary destructive process makes the case of Siorapaluk relevant to archaeologists working in periglacial landscapes worldwide.

Landslide susceptibility modelling using the quantitative random forest method along the northern portion of the Yukon Alaska Highway Corridor, Canada

The random forest method was used to generate susceptibility maps for debris flows, rock slides, and active layer detachment slides in the Donjek River area within the Yukon Alaska Highway Corridor, based on an inventory of landslides compiled by the Geological Survey of Canada in collaboration with the Yukon Geological Survey. The aim of this study is to develop data-driven landslide susceptibility models which can provide information on risk assessment to existing and planned infrastructure. The factors contributing to slope failure used in the models include slope angle, slope aspect, plan and profile curvatures, bedrock geology, surficial geology, proximity to faults, permafrost distribution, vegetation distribution, wetness index, and proximity to drainage system. A total of 83 debris flow deposits, 181 active layer detachment slides, and 104 rock slides were compiled in the landslide inventory. The samples representing the landslide free zones were randomly selected. The ratio of landslide/landslide free zones was set to 1:1 and 1:2 to examine the results of different sample ratios on the classification. Two-thirds of the samples for each landslide type were used in the classification, and the remaining 1/3 were used to evaluate the results. In addition to the classification maps, probability maps were also created, which served as the susceptibility maps for debris flows, rock slides, and active layer detachment slides. Success and prediction rate curves created to evaluate the performance of the resulting models indicate a high performance of the random forest in landslide susceptibility modelling.

Permafrost collapse alters soil carbon stocks, respiration, CH4 , and N2O in upland tundra.

Release of greenhouse gases from thawing permafrost is potentially the largest terrestrial feedback to climate change and one of the most likely to occur; however, estimates of its strength vary by a factor of thirty. Some of this uncertainty stems from abrupt thaw processes known as thermokarst (permafrost collapse due to ground ice melt), which alter controls on carbon and nitrogen cycling and expose organic matter from meters below the surface. Thermokarst may affect 20-50% of tundra uplands by the end of the century; however, little is known about the effect of different thermokarst morphologies on carbon and nitrogen release. We measured soil organic matter displacement, ecosystem respiration, and soil gas concentrations at 26 upland thermokarst features on the North Slope of Alaska. Features included the three most common upland thermokarst morphologies: active-layer detachment slides, thermo-erosion gullies, and retrogressive thaw slumps. We found that thermokarst morphology interacted with landscape parameters to determine both the initial displacement of organic matter and subsequent carbon and nitrogen cycling. The large proportion of ecosystem carbon exported off-site by slumps and slides resulted in decreased ecosystem respiration postfailure, while gullies removed a smaller portion of ecosystem carbon but strongly increased respiration and N2 O concentration. Elevated N2 O in gully soils persisted through most of the growing season, indicating sustained nitrification and denitrification in disturbed soils, representing a potential noncarbon permafrost climate feedback. While upland thermokarst formation did not substantially alter redox conditions within features, it redistributed organic matter into both oxic and anoxic environments. Across morphologies, residual organic matter cover, and predisturbance respiration explained 83% of the variation in respiration response. Consistent differences between upland thermokarst types may contribute to the incorporation of this nonlinear process into projections of carbon and nitrogen release from degrading permafrost.

Climate warming and permafrost dynamics in the Antarctic Peninsula region

Dramatic warming of the climate over the last several decades has influenced the properties and distribution of permafrost in the Antarctic Peninsula region. Five approaches were used to estimate the distribution of permafrost in the region: (1) correlation of permafrost distribution with mean annual air temperature isotherms, (2) mapping the distribution of periglacial features indicative of permafrost, (3) summarizing data from shallow excavations and boreholes, (4) detection of permafrost from geophysical techniques, and (5) application of models to predict the occurrence of permafrost. Whereas permafrost is continuous in the South Orkney Islands (60–61°S) and along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula (63–65°S), it is discontinuous in the South Shetland Islands (62–63°S), and occurs only sporadically in the Palmer Archipelago and Biscoe Islands along the western Antarctic Peninsula (64–66°S). Permafrost then becomes continuous on Alexander Island (71–74°S) along the western Antarctic Peninsula as the maritime climate shifts to a more continental climate. Reports prior to 1980 mention the presence of permafrost at depths of 25 to 35cm in ice-free areas near Palmer Station (64°46′S; 64°04′W), where the mean annual air temperature from extrapolation of data from the nearby Vernadsky Station has increased 3.4°C and the mean winter temperature has increased 6°C since 1950. Recent measurements suggest that permafrost is absent or close to 0°C in the upper 14m of the highest ice-free areas (67ma.s.l.) near Palmer Station. Permafrost temperatures elsewhere along the western Antarctic Peninsula region range from −0.4 to −1.8°C in the South Shetland Islands (62–63°S) to −3.1°C at Adelaide Island (67°34′S). Permafrost at this temperature is susceptible to thawing, which has resulted in historic increases in active-layer thicknesses and in thermokarst features such as debris flows, and active-layer detachment slides.

An analysis of the stability of thawing slopes, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada

Active-layer detachment slides are locally common on Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, where permafrost is continuous, the active layer is 0.5-0.75 m thick, and summer temperatures are unusually high in comparison with much of the Canadian High Arctic. In this paper we report pore-water pressures at the base of the active layer, recorded in situ on two slopes in late July and early August 1995. These data form the basis for slope stability analyses based on effective stress conditions. During fieldwork, the factor of safety within an old detachment slide on a slope at Hot Weather Creek was slightly greater than unity. At "Big Slide Creek," on a slope showing no evidence of earlier detachment failures, the factor of safety was less than unity on a steep basal slope section but greater than unity elsewhere. In the upper slope, pore-water pressures were only just subcritical. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate that the stability of the shallow active layer is strongly influenced by changes in soil shear strength. Possible mechanisms for reduction in shear strength through time include weathering of soils and gradual increases in basal active layer ice content. However, we suggest here that soil shearing during annual gelifluction movements is most likely to progressively reduce shear strengths at the base of the active layer from peak values to close to residual, facilitating the triggering of active-layer detachment failures.Key words: detachment slides, Ellesmere Island, pore-water pressures, gelifluction.

Surficial materials and related ground ice conditions, Slave Province, N.W.T., Canada

Surficial mapping and geologic information on the nature and evolution of surficial materials in the Slave geologic province indicate that the geotechnical properties and potential ground ice contents associated with these materials depend largely upon their provenance, depositional conditions, and the postglacial climatic history. This information may be used to provide a regional-scale view of the distribution of ground ice conditions and terrain sensitivities associated with various surficial materials. In till veneers and blankets, ground ice content is generally low, as suggested by lack of thermokarst and other permafrost features. However, distinctive surface relief in hummocky till including kettle depressions, rim-ridges, and shallow thaw flowslides may be attributed to massive ice, resulting in sensitive till terrain. Although many outwash sediments have low ice contents near the surface, massive ice ranging from 5 to 10 m thick is present in some eskers and ice-contact outwash sediments. These are associated with thermokarst, slope movement, and collapse features, indicative of meltout or creep of large bodies of massive ice. The terrain sensitivity associated with these deposits is typically low to moderate, due to the coarse-grained nature of the sediments. In contrast, terrain sensitivity is high, and active-layer detachment slides are common along the Coronation Gulf coast where frozen silty clay marine sediments contain a wide range of ice contents. Results from this study may be applied to a much more extensive area of the glaciated western Arctic mainland and adjacent Arctic coastal plain in which materials with a similar glacial history are found.

Form and internal structure of active-layer detachment slides, Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Northwest Territories, Canada

Three recent shallow landslides over permafrost are described. Slides occur in low- to medium-plasticity clays containing some bands of silts and fine sands. Slope failure results from rapid thaw at the base of the active layer of soil that is ice-rich due to antecedent two-sided freezing. Displaced slide blocks retain their integrity because of hardening of the active layer by cryodesiccation and summer evaporation. Blocks move over a soft basal shear zone a few millimetres to several centimetres thick. Compression in the toe zone of slides is low at sites where runout is possible, but in other locations causes emergent shears and complex folding. Failure histories are varied and range from simple unitary slides to complex sequential failures in which active-layer segments are mobilized progressively higher up the slope. This study demonstrates the importance of active-layer thermal and hydrological regimes, in addition to material properties, in determining the mode of slope failure.