The Periglacial Environment

3. Auflage 2007
ISBN: 978-0-470-86588-0
Verlag: John Wiley & Sons

Buch, Englisch, 478 Seiten, Format (B × H): 168 mm x 244 mm, Gewicht: 1032 g

The Periglacial Environment, Third Edition, provides an authoritative overview of the world's cold, non-glacial environments. Emphasis is placed upon the North American and Eurasian polar lowlands, but examples are also drawn from Antarctica, the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, and the northern mid-latitudes. First published in 1976 and subsequently revised in 1996, the text has been the international standard for nearly 30 years.
The Third Edition continues to be a personal interpretation of the frost-induced conditions, geomorphic processes, and landforms that typify periglacial environments. The text is divided into four parts. Part One discusses the periglacial concept and its interactions with geomorphology, geocryology and Quaternary science. It also outlines the range and variability of periglacial climates and the degree to which landscapes are in geomorphic equilibrium with prevailing periglacial conditions. Part Two describes present-day terrain that is either underlain by permafrost or experiencing intense frost action. The roles played by cryogenic weathering, ground ice, mass wasting, running water, wind action, snow and ice, and coastal processes are systematically analysed. Part Three summarizes evidence for the existence of periglacial conditions during the cold periods of the Pleistocene, with special reference to the mid-latitudes of Europe and North America. Part Four illustrates the geotechnical problems associated with human activity and resource development in periglacial environments, and discusses the potential impact of global climate change in the northern high latitudes.

Autoren/Hrsg.

French, Hugh M.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

PART ONE: THE PERIGLACIAL DOMAIN
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. The periglacial concept
1.2. Disciplinary considerations
1.3. The growth of periglacial knowledge
1.4. The periglacial domain
1.5. The scope of periglacial geomorphology
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
2. PERIGLACIAL LANDSCAPES?
2. 1 Introduction
2. 2 Proglacial, paraglacial or periglacial?
2. 3 Unglaciated periglacial terrain
2. 4 Relict periglacial landscapes
2. 5. Conclusions
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
3. PERIGLACIAL CLIMATES
3.1 Boundary conditions
3.2 Regional climates
3.3 Ground climates
3.4. Periglacial climates and the cryosphere.
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
PART TWO: PRESENT-DAY PERIGLACIAL ENVIRONMENTS
4. COLD-CLIMATE WEATHERING
4. 1 Introduction
4. 2 Ground freezing
4. 3 Freezing and thawing
4. 4. The ground temperature regime
4. 5. Rock (frost?) shattering
4. 6. Chemical weathering
4. 7. Cryogenic weathering
4. 8. Cryobiological weathering
4. 9. Cryopedology
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
5. PERMAFROST
5. 1. Introduction
5. 2. Thermal and physical properties
5. 3. How does permafrost aggrade?
5. 4. Distribution of permafrost
5. 5. Relict permafrost
5. 6. Permafrost hydrology
5. 7 Permafrost and terrain conditions
5. 8. The active layer
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
6. SURFACE FEATURES OF PERMAFROST
6. 1. Introduction
6. 2. Thermal-contraction-crack polygons
6. 3. Organic terrain
6. 4. Rock glaciers and permafrost creep
6. 5. Frost mounds
6. 6. Active-layer phenomena
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
7. GROUND ICE
7. 1. Definition and description
7. 2. Classification
7. 3. Ice distribution
7. 4. Cryolithology and cryostratigraphy
7.5 Ice wedges
7. 6. Massive ice and massive-icy bodies
8. THERMOKARST
8. 1 Introduction
8. 2. Causes of thermokarst
8. 3. Thaw-related processes
8. 4. Thermokarst sediments and structures
8.5. Ice-wedge thermokarst relief
8. 6. Thaw lakes and depressions
8. 7. Thermokarst-affected terrain
8. 8. Man-Induced thermokarst
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
9. HILLSLOPE PROCESSES AND SLOPE EVOLUTION
9. 1. Introduction
9. 2. Slope morphology
9. 3. Mass wasting
9. 4. Slow mass-wasting
9. 5. Rapid mass-wasting
9.6 Slopewash
9.7. Frozen and thawing slopes
9. 8. Cold-climate slope evolution
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
10. AZONAL PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
10. 1. Introduction
10. 2. Fluvial processes and landforms
10.3. Aeolian processes and sediments
10.4 Coastal processes and landforms
PART THREE: WUATERNARY AND LATE-PLEISTOCENE PERIGLACIAL ENVIRONMENTS
11. QUATERNARY PERIGLACIAL CONDITIONS
11. 1. Introduction
11. 2. The time scale and climatic fluctuations
11. 3. Global (eustatic) considerations
11. 4. Pleistocene periglacial environments of high latitude
11. 5. Pleistocene periglacial environments of mid-latitude
11. 6. Conclusions
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
12. EVIDENCE FOR PAST PERMAFROST
12. 1. Introduction
12. 2. Past permafrost aggradation
12. 3. Past permafrost degradation
12. 4. Summary
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
13. PERIGLACIAL LANDSCAPE MODIFICATION
13. 1. Introduction
13. 2. Intense frost action
13. 3. Intense wind action
13. 4. Fluvial activity
13. 5. Slope modification
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
PART FOUR: APPLIED PERIGLACIAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
14. GEOTECHNICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
14. 1. Introduction
14. 2. Cold-regions engineering
14. 3. Provision of municipal services and urban infrastructure
14. 4. Construction of buildings and houses
14. 5. Problems of water supply
14. 6. Roads, bridges, railways and airstrips
14. 7. Oil and gas development
14. 8. Mining activities
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
15. CLIMATE CHANGE AND PERIGLACIAL ENVIRONMENTS
15. 1. Global change and cold regions
15. 2. Climate change and permafrost
15. 3. Future responses
15. 4. The urban infrastructure
15. 5. Conclusions
Advanced reading
Discussion topics
References
Index.

Über Autor(innen)

Hugh French has taught at The University of Ottawa, Canada, in the Departments of Geography (1967-2003), Geology (1980-1992) and Earth Sciences (1998-2003). He has been Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa (1992-1997), President of the International Permafrost Association (1998-2003), and Editor-in-Chief of Permafrost and Periglacial Processes (1990-2005). He is now Professor Emeritus, University of Ottawa.