---
_id: '12581'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Topographic development via paraglacial slope failure (PSF) represents a complex
interplay between geological structure, climate, and glacial denudation. Southeastern
Tibet has experienced amongst the highest rates of ice mass loss in High Mountain
Asia in recent decades, but few studies have focused on the implications of this
mass loss on the stability of paraglacial slopes. We used repeat satellite- and
unpiloted aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived imagery between 1990 and 2020 as the basis
for mapping PSFs from slopes adjacent to Hailuogou Glacier (HLG), a 5 km long
monsoon temperate valley glacier in the Mt. Gongga region. We observed recent
lowering of the glacier tongue surface at rates of up to 0.88 m a−1 in the period
2000 to 2016, whilst overall paraglacial bare ground area (PBGA) on glacier-adjacent
slopes increased from 0.31 ± 0.27 km2 in 1990 to 1.38 ± 0.06 km2 in 2020. Decadal
PBGA expansion rates were ∼ 0.01 km2 a−1, 0.02 km2 a−1, and 0.08 km2 in the periods
1990–2000, 2000–2011, and 2011–2020 respectively, indicating an increasing rate
of expansion of PBGA. Three types of PSFs, including rockfalls, sediment-mantled
slope slides, and headward gully erosion, were mapped, with a total area of 0.75 ± 0.03 km2
in 2020. South-facing valley slopes (true left of the glacier) exhibited more
destabilization (56 % of the total PSF area) than north-facing (true right) valley
slopes (44 % of the total PSF area). Deformation of sediment-mantled moraine slopes
(mean 1.65–2.63 ± 0.04 cm d−1) and an increase in erosion activity in ice-marginal
tributary valleys caused by a drop in local base level (gully headward erosion
rates are 0.76–3.39 cm d−1) have occurred in tandem with recent glacier downwasting.
We also observe deformation of glacier ice, possibly driven by destabilization
of lateral moraine, as has been reported in other deglaciating mountain glacier
catchments. The formation, evolution, and future trajectory of PSFs at HLG (as
well as other monsoon-dominated deglaciating mountain areas) are related to glacial
history, including recent rapid downwasting leading to the exposure of steep,
unstable bedrock and moraine slopes, and climatic conditions that promote slope
instability, such as very high seasonal precipitation and seasonal temperature
fluctuations that are conducive to freeze–thaw and ice segregation processes.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Yan
full_name: Zhong, Yan
last_name: Zhong
- first_name: Qiao
full_name: Liu, Qiao
last_name: Liu
- first_name: Matthew
full_name: Westoby, Matthew
last_name: Westoby
- first_name: Yong
full_name: Nie, Yong
last_name: Nie
- first_name: Francesca
full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
last_name: Pellicciotti
- first_name: Bo
full_name: Zhang, Bo
last_name: Zhang
- first_name: Jialun
full_name: Cai, Jialun
last_name: Cai
- first_name: Guoxiang
full_name: Liu, Guoxiang
last_name: Liu
- first_name: Haijun
full_name: Liao, Haijun
last_name: Liao
- first_name: Xuyang
full_name: Lu, Xuyang
last_name: Lu
citation:
ama: Zhong Y, Liu Q, Westoby M, et al. Intensified paraglacial slope failures due
to accelerating downwasting of a temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, southeastern
Tibetan Plateau. Earth Surface Dynamics. 2022;10(1):23-42. doi:10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022
apa: Zhong, Y., Liu, Q., Westoby, M., Nie, Y., Pellicciotti, F., Zhang, B., … Lu,
X. (2022). Intensified paraglacial slope failures due to accelerating downwasting
of a temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Earth Surface
Dynamics. Copernicus Publications. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022
chicago: Zhong, Yan, Qiao Liu, Matthew Westoby, Yong Nie, Francesca Pellicciotti,
Bo Zhang, Jialun Cai, Guoxiang Liu, Haijun Liao, and Xuyang Lu. “Intensified Paraglacial
Slope Failures Due to Accelerating Downwasting of a Temperate Glacier in Mt. Gongga,
Southeastern Tibetan Plateau.” Earth Surface Dynamics. Copernicus Publications,
2022. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022.
ieee: Y. Zhong et al., “Intensified paraglacial slope failures due to accelerating
downwasting of a temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau,”
Earth Surface Dynamics, vol. 10, no. 1. Copernicus Publications, pp. 23–42,
2022.
ista: Zhong Y, Liu Q, Westoby M, Nie Y, Pellicciotti F, Zhang B, Cai J, Liu G, Liao
H, Lu X. 2022. Intensified paraglacial slope failures due to accelerating downwasting
of a temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Earth Surface
Dynamics. 10(1), 23–42.
mla: Zhong, Yan, et al. “Intensified Paraglacial Slope Failures Due to Accelerating
Downwasting of a Temperate Glacier in Mt. Gongga, Southeastern Tibetan Plateau.”
Earth Surface Dynamics, vol. 10, no. 1, Copernicus Publications, 2022,
pp. 23–42, doi:10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022.
short: Y. Zhong, Q. Liu, M. Westoby, Y. Nie, F. Pellicciotti, B. Zhang, J. Cai,
G. Liu, H. Liao, X. Lu, Earth Surface Dynamics 10 (2022) 23–42.
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:10:30Z
date_published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-28T13:38:27Z
day: '11'
doi: 10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 10'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Geophysics
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022
month: '01'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 23-42
publication: Earth Surface Dynamics
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 2196-632X
publication_status: published
publisher: Copernicus Publications
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Intensified paraglacial slope failures due to accelerating downwasting of a
temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 10
year: '2022'
...