SEDIMENT BUDGETS AND RATES OF SEDIMENT TRANSFER ACROSS COLD ENVIRONMENTS IN EUROPE: A COMMENTARY

Author: WARBURTON, JEFF

Source: Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, Volume 89, Number 1, March 2007 , pp. 95-101(7)

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Abstract:

The sediment mass balance equation is the fundamental concept which underpins most sediment budget studies in cold climate environments. In these environments the interchange between water and ice plays a predominant geomorphological role. Such environments show a large variety of geomorphic processes which are conditioned by both contemporary environmental conditions but also the legacy of past events. In the northern Europe/Arctic fringe these cold regions are distributed in a fragmented fashion and are likely to be very sensitive to climate change scenarios. The significance of such changes for sediment transfer can only be established if we have good contemporary process understanding, the necessary tools to carefully monitor and model such changes, and can apply such methods at appropriate scales which integrate both sediment sources and sinks.

Keywords: sediment mass balance; cold climate environments; northern Europe; climate change

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2007.00310.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Geography, Durham University, Science Laboratories South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK, Email: jeff.warburton@durham.ac.uk

Publication date: 2007-03-01