NSF Award
1346687
Rock glaciers are the most important form of high mountain permafrost, making the investigation of rock glacier dynamics a key factor in understanding the evolution and movement of permafrost-related formations under changing climate conditions. Monitoring terrain change is necessary to understand rock glacier mass-transport processes, to detect their response to environmental variability, and to assess associated natural hazards. <br/><br/>This project will support a new international research collaboration between Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) and West University of Timisoara (WUT), Romania, to quantify rock glacier dynamics using a state-of-art method based on complementary analysis of high resolution optical and radar satellite imagery. The project will set up a "benchmark" study where we will test the applicability of these methods in measuring movements of several rock glaciers located in Retezat National Park, Southern Carpathian Mountains, Romania. It promotes interdisciplinary research, bringing together principles and specific methods of geomorphology, climatology, mountain ecology, remote sensing, and geoinformatics. <br/><br/>Results from this proposed work will create a baseline for future studies on rock glacier movements in Central and Eastern European alpine regions where information on glacier rock dynamics is scarce or completely missing. In parallel with this work, we will initiate similar research activities in the United States (e.g., Front Range, Colorado or La Sal Mountains, Utah). Future research will advance our broader understanding of climate trends and permafrost evolution in mountainous areas and the potential for remote sensing techniques to detect and monitor a variety of rock glacier movements.
