Authors: RIDEFELT, HANNA¹; ÅKERMAN, JONAS²; BEYLICH, ACHIM A³; BOELHOUWERS, JAN⁴; KOLSTRUP, ELSE⁵; NYBERG, ROLF⁶

Source: Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, Volume 91, Number 3, September 2009 , pp. 215-232(18)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

.

Solifluction movement rates from 1952 to 2008 for the Abisko region, northern Sweden, have been compiled and analysed through correlation tests and multiple regression. The temporal analysis is based on two datasets (Lobe11 & gridAB and Line B) from Kärkevagge. The dataset Lobe11 & gridAB show a strong correlation between movement rates and mean annual air temperature (MAAT) and MAAT is also identified as one of the significant contributing parameters in the multiple regression model. No significant correlations were found for the Line B dataset. 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 two parts: 1957 to 1980 and 1981 to 2008. The correlation analysis of the dataset 1957 to 1980 shows a significant negative correlation between 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 MAAT 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.

Keywords: long-term measurement; solifluction movement; Abisko

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2009.00365.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden 2: Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Lund University, Sweden 3: Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), Quaternary Geology and Climate Group, Trondhein, Norway 4: Department of Social and Economic Geography, Uppsala University, Sweden 5: Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 6: Department of Geography and Tourism, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.

Publication date: 2009-09-01

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