A snow-push mechanism for ridge formation in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland

Martin P. Kirkbride

doi:10.1080/14702541.2015.1068948

A snow-push mechanism for ridge formation in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland

Martin P. Kirkbride (Lead / Corresponding author)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

350 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Observations are presented of a newly deposited snow-push ridge superimposed on a Holocene moraine in Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorm Mountains. The ridge formed when a sliding snow slab was thrust up the proximal slope of the moraine, entraining till gravel and redepositing it on the moraine crest. The process was a late-stage event during the complex wastage of a large snowfield resting on a rock slab, involving basal sliding, avalanching and melting. Snow-push landforms appear to be rare in Scotland. Nevertheless, these observations suggest that fresh material may be added to relict moraine crests in the present-day climate, with implications for exposure-age dating of moraines. However, in this case the addition of debris by snow push to a late Holocene moraine crest does not affect the interpretation of moraine age.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	66-73
Number of pages	8
Journal	Scottish Geographical Journal
Volume	132
Issue number	1
Early online date	18 Aug 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14702541.2015.1068948
Publication status	Published - 2 Jan 2016

Keywords

snow push
moraine formation
Cairngorm Mountains

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geography, Planning and Development
Earth-Surface Processes

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10.1080/14702541.2015.1068948

Author Accepted Manuscript
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Scottish Geographical Journal on 18 August 2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14702541.2015.1068948
Accepted author manuscript, 5.8 MB

Cite this

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abstract = "Observations are presented of a newly deposited snow-push ridge superimposed on a Holocene moraine in Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorm Mountains. The ridge formed when a sliding snow slab was thrust up the proximal slope of the moraine, entraining till gravel and redepositing it on the moraine crest. The process was a late-stage event during the complex wastage of a large snowfield resting on a rock slab, involving basal sliding, avalanching and melting. Snow-push landforms appear to be rare in Scotland. Nevertheless, these observations suggest that fresh material may be added to relict moraine crests in the present-day climate, with implications for exposure-age dating of moraines. However, in this case the addition of debris by snow push to a late Holocene moraine crest does not affect the interpretation of moraine age.",

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AB - Observations are presented of a newly deposited snow-push ridge superimposed on a Holocene moraine in Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorm Mountains. The ridge formed when a sliding snow slab was thrust up the proximal slope of the moraine, entraining till gravel and redepositing it on the moraine crest. The process was a late-stage event during the complex wastage of a large snowfield resting on a rock slab, involving basal sliding, avalanching and melting. Snow-push landforms appear to be rare in Scotland. Nevertheless, these observations suggest that fresh material may be added to relict moraine crests in the present-day climate, with implications for exposure-age dating of moraines. However, in this case the addition of debris by snow push to a late Holocene moraine crest does not affect the interpretation of moraine age.

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A snow-push mechanism for ridge formation in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland

Abstract

Keywords

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