56 years of solifluction measurements in the Abisko Mountains, northern Sweden - Analysis of temporal and spatial varoiations of slow soil surface movement

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
Solifluction movement rates from 1952 to 2008 for the Abisko region have been compiled and analysed through correlation tests and multiple regression. The time series in this paper include several data-sets from Kärkevagge. The spatial analysis indicates generally higher movement rates in the western part of the region and at lower altitudes mainly between 700 and 900 m a.s.l., but the spatial variability is high. To reduce the influence of the temporal variation the data for the correlation tests of the spatial variations were divided into 2 parts : 1957 to 1980 and 1981 to 2008. The correlation analysis of the dataset 1957 to 1980 shows a significant negative correlation betwen annual average movement rates and permafrost probability and altitude. The dataset 1981 to 2008 shows a positive correlation between movement rates and wetness index. It is concluded that movement rates may increase with higher mean annual air temperature in the western part of the region (Kärkevagge), the spatial variability of movement rates within the region is very high and that altitude (and/or permafrost) together with wetness index are the main controls on the regional spatial variation. The study highlights the limitations in establishing statistical relationships between movement rates and climate using data from different field empirical studies.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Geografiska annaler. Series A. Physical geography, issn : 0435-3676, 2009, vol. 91, n°. 3, p. 215-232, nombre de pages : 18, Références bibliographiques : 1,5 p.

Date :
2009

Editeur :
Pays édition : Suede, Stockholm, Svenska sällskapet för antropologi och geografi