Rockglacier Dynamics on Disko Island (RockDynDisko)
Universität Zürich
Lay summary
Arctic permafrost is currently undergoing rapid changes. While regions like Alaska, the Russian Arctic or Svalbard have several long-term monitoring sites, the knowledge on permafrost occurrence, thickness and change in general, and on rockglacier dynamics in particular, is limited for Greenland. Rockglaciers are distinct indicators for former and/or current permafrost occurrence, depending on their state of activity. In the project “Rockglacier Dynamics on Disko Island (RockDynDisko)” we compile the first detailed information on rockglacier kinematics and dynamics on Disko Island, Greenland. With this study, we provide initial data from a region with special topo-climatic characteristics and which is not yet covered in global rockglacier analyses. We contribute data for a profound process understanding and the analysis of landform sensitivities to climatic forcing on a local scale. Disko Island is the perfect location to investigate rockglaciers in Greenland: the access is good and with the Arctic Station in Qeqertarsuaq excellent research facilities are given and some basic data (meteorology, soils and vegetation) are already available. This allows for the analyses of temperature changes and its influence on rockglacier kinematics, as well as the investigation of rock weathering rates and its influence on the sediment transfer. A few ground surface temperature loggers were already installed and a first UAV-survey was performed in summer 2019. In the next two years, we will collect and analyse the following in-situ data for three rockglaciers: - continuous and high-resolution positioning data (2 measurement positions per landform), - annual high-resolution survey (UAV) of the entire landforms and their surrounding area, - continuous and high-resolution ground-surface temperatures (2-6 sites per landform), - basic meteorological information (air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation), and - geomorphological mapping of landforms and their surroundings, incl. vegetation. This project can be seen as an initial study with the aim to establish a long-term monitoring of rockglaciers on Disko Island.
Details
| Regional focus | Arctic |
| Location | Disko Island, Greenland |
| Funded amount | 31,000 CHF |
| Project dates | 1st March 2020 – 30th September 2022 |
| Category | SPI Exploratory Grants |