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Spatial Distribution and Main Characteristics of Alpine Permafrost from Southern Carpathians, Romania

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Landform Dynamics and Evolution in Romania

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Abstract

The sporadic permafrost specific to the Southern Carpathians is accommodated in three main features at sites with commonly low solar radiation—(i) rock glaciers (>1950 m altitude), (ii) talus slopes, and (iii) shaded rock walls (>2400 m)—with a net prevalence of the former category. Due to its marginal character, the alpine permafrost in Southern Carpathians develops only in the most favorable conditions which consist in cold microclimates imposed by topography (low solar radiation, high altitude), but also in specific ground surface characteristics which promote ground overcooling. Among all, coarse openwork debris is the most favorable land cover type for permafrost development because of the cooling effect it exerts on the underground, especially via air ventilation during cold snow free interval (fall and early winter) and air stratification (low conductivity) under thick snow cover. Because of the large surfaces covered by coarse debris at high altitudes, the granitic massifs of Retezat and Parâng present the most extensive areas with probable permafrost from the Southern Carpathians. Instead, the fine debris specific to crystalline ranges of Făgăraş and Iezer—Păpușa or the small and thin conglomeratic debris of Bucegi massif inhibit nowadays the permafrost formation with very few exceptions. Although most rock glaciers prove to be relict, the present-day climate supports the existence of permafrost into thick and coarse debris (intact rock glaciers and lower sectors of the talus slopes) especially at altitudes higher than 2000 m. The geophysical surveys from granitic rock glaciers situated at 1950–2100 m indicate a thin (<10 m) undersaturated permafrost layer located under a thick (8–10 m) active layer. At altitudes higher than 2100 m, permafrost seems to be thicker (>10–20 m) and sometime supersaturated in ice.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a postdoctoral scholarship offered by the University of Bucharest Research Institute (ICUB) to RP in 2015. The contribution of colleagues from both University of Bucharest and West University of Timișoara is greatly appreciated. Many thanks go to Mirela Vasile and Nicolae Cruceru for their valuable scientific assistance, data processing and long-term fieldwork involvement. The effort of Loredana Bîzgan and Monica Voinea in thermal and grain size data processing and also in fieldwork assistance was of great help. The colleagues Florin Tătui, Luminița Preoteasa, Alexandru Manoliu, Sabin Rotaru and Florin Zăinescu had an important contribution in fieldwork campaigns. Adrian Ardelean, Flavius Sîrbu, Raul Șerban and Patrick Chiroiu from the West University of Timișoara had a major role in obtaining and processing of the GPR and ERT data presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, M. Kogălniceanu Bd. 36-46, 050107, Bucharest, 5th District, Romania

    Răzvan Popescu

  2. West University of Timișoara, V. Pârvan 4, 300223, Timișoara, Timiș, Romania

    Alexandru Onaca & Petru Urdea

  3. Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, N. Bălcescu 1, 010041, Bucharest, Sector 1, Romania

    Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe

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  1. Răzvan Popescu
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  2. Alexandru Onaca
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  3. Petru Urdea
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  4. Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe
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Correspondence to Răzvan Popescu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geography, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania

    Maria Radoane

  2. Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest Faculty of Geography, Bucharest, Romania

    Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe

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Popescu, R., Onaca, A., Urdea, P., Vespremeanu-Stroe, A. (2017). Spatial Distribution and Main Characteristics of Alpine Permafrost from Southern Carpathians, Romania. In: Radoane, M., Vespremeanu-Stroe, A. (eds) Landform Dynamics and Evolution in Romania. Springer Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32589-7_6

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