Cirques, peaks, and precipitation patterns in the Swiss Alps: Connections among climate, glacial erosion, and topography

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2010 Cirques, peaks, and precipitation patterns in the Swiss Alps: Connections among climate, glacial erosion, and topography Alison M. Anders; Alison M. Anders 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sara Gran Mitchell; Sara Gran Mitchell 2Biology Department, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jonathan H. Tomkin Jonathan H. Tomkin 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Alison M. Anders 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Sara Gran Mitchell 2Biology Department, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, USA Jonathan H. Tomkin 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 12 Sep 2009 Revision Received: 02 Oct 2009 Accepted: 08 Oct 2009 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2010 Geological Society of America Geology (2010) 38 (3): 239–242. https://doi.org/10.1130/G30691.1 Article history Received: 12 Sep 2009 Revision Received: 02 Oct 2009 Accepted: 08 Oct 2009 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Alison M. Anders, Sara Gran Mitchell, Jonathan H. Tomkin; Cirques, peaks, and precipitation patterns in the Swiss Alps: Connections among climate, glacial erosion, and topography. Geology 2010;; 38 (3): 239–242. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G30691.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Glacial erosion, a process influenced by climate, has been implicated in limiting the relief of mountain ranges. However, climate itself is sensitive to large-scale topography, suggesting that climate, topography, and glacial processes form a coupled system. Large spatial gradients in precipitation exist in the southern Swiss Alps, allowing us to study this coupling in a region of climate variability. More than 500 cirques were identified, and neighboring peaks were found to co-vary in elevation with cirque floors (R2 0.64). Cirque headwall relief does not vary with precipitation or cirque floor altitude. These relationships confirm the hypothesis that cirque formation restricts peak altitudes via slope processes that limit the relief of cirque headwalls. We compared the position of the regional equilibrium line altitude (ELA) estimated from modern climate to a surface defined by the cirque floors. The modern ELA and cirque floor surfaces are similar in shape, illustrating the impact of spatial variability in precipitation on glacial processes and topography. Precipitation variability in this region is partially dictated by large-scale topography. Therefore, precipitation patterns, glacial process domains, and topography must evolve together. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.