Articles | Volume 18, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1669-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1669-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Invited perspective article
| 
09 Apr 2024
Invited perspective article |
| 09 Apr 2024
| 09 Apr 2024
Discriminating viscous-creep features (rock glaciers) in mountain permafrost from debris-covered glaciers – a commented test at the Gruben and Yerba Loca sites, Swiss Alps and Chilean Andes
Wilfried Haeberli
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Lukas U. Arenson
BGC Engineering, Suite 500 – 980 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 0C8, Canada
Julie Wee
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Christian Hauck
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Nico Mölg
ENVEO, Fürstenweg 176, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Cited
23 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Identification and Diagnosis of ‘Hidden Ice’ in the Mountain Domain B. Whalley https://doi.org/10.3390/glacies2030008
- Deciphering thaw-induced deformation signatures of ice-rich moraines and periglacial permafrost using MT-InSAR J. Han & P. Lu https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2026.110389
- Glacial to periglacial transition at the end of the last ice age in the subtropical semiarid Andes J. García et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109379
- Multisource Synthesized Inventory of CRitical Infrastructure and HUman-Impacted Areas in AlaSka (SIRIUS) S. Kaiser et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3719-2024
- Combining facts and physics-based concepts with objective treatment of landsystem relations for documenting viscous flow features (rock glaciers) in mountain permafrost: examples from Nuristan/Hindu Kush, Galena Creek (Absaroka Mountains) and Gruben (Swiss Alps) W. Haeberli et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353676.2025.2452760
- Seasonal ice storage changes and meltwater generation at Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): estimates from measurements and energy budgets in the coarse blocky active layer D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2219-2025
- Topo-climatic controls on rock glacier chronology since Lateglacial period in the northwestern part of Mattertal, Swiss Alps, reconstructed by TCN dating T. Kizuki et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2026.110502
- Characterizing ground ice content and origin to better understand the seasonal surface dynamics of the Gruben rock glacier and the adjacent Gruben debris-covered glacier (southern Swiss Alps) J. Wee et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5939-2024
- Derebaşı (Kaçkar Dağı) Kaya Buzulunun Jeomorfolojisi Ve Kinematik Özellikleri S. Yeşilyurt https://doi.org/10.46453/jader.1633480
- Unveiling the evolution of a glacier through geomorphological analysis and surface exposure dating: Nautárdalsjökull (Northern Iceland) L. Tanarro et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109981
- Inventorying rock glaciers in the Western Himalaya, India, and assessing their hydrological significance I. Bhat et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109514
- Divergent Responses of Alpine Rock Glaciers to Climate Change: A Review of Ecological and Abiotic Dynamics S. Piccinelli & N. Cannone https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2278
- Satellite-based hazard assessment of rock glacier lakes: examples from the European Alps M. Obwegs et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-026-08301-8
- Rock glacier velocity monitored by annual in-situ geodetic surveys: Long-term challenges, solutions and suggestions A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110117
- Evaluating Pléiades Neo capabilities for deriving rock glacier velocity S. Vivero et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2026.105207
- RGIK guidelines for compiling consistent rock glacier inventories F. Brardinoni et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110050
- Creeping permafrost in Mexico: environmental status of “Nevado” Rock Glacier, Nevado de Toluca volcano V. Soto et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-025-9767-0
- The last years of Infiernos Glacier and its transition to a new paraglacial stage J. Revuelto et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.22
- Sub-surface processes and heat fluxes at coarse blocky Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): seasonal ice and convective cooling render rock glaciers climate-robust D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-365-2025
- Preferential flow paths in active rock glaciers S. Seelig et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105373
- Rock Glacier Detection Using Satellite Embeddings and Machine Learning on Google Earth Engine V. Khajuria et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-026-01139-x
- Will landscape responses reduce glacier sensitivity to climate change in High Mountain Asia? S. Harrison et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4113-2025
- Current morphodynamics and subsurface structure of thrust moraines and rock glaciers connected to three Little Ice Age glacier forefields in the Swiss Alps J. Kunz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4255-2026
23 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Identification and Diagnosis of ‘Hidden Ice’ in the Mountain Domain B. Whalley https://doi.org/10.3390/glacies2030008
- Deciphering thaw-induced deformation signatures of ice-rich moraines and periglacial permafrost using MT-InSAR J. Han & P. Lu https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2026.110389
- Glacial to periglacial transition at the end of the last ice age in the subtropical semiarid Andes J. García et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109379
- Multisource Synthesized Inventory of CRitical Infrastructure and HUman-Impacted Areas in AlaSka (SIRIUS) S. Kaiser et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3719-2024
- Combining facts and physics-based concepts with objective treatment of landsystem relations for documenting viscous flow features (rock glaciers) in mountain permafrost: examples from Nuristan/Hindu Kush, Galena Creek (Absaroka Mountains) and Gruben (Swiss Alps) W. Haeberli et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353676.2025.2452760
- Seasonal ice storage changes and meltwater generation at Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): estimates from measurements and energy budgets in the coarse blocky active layer D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2219-2025
- Topo-climatic controls on rock glacier chronology since Lateglacial period in the northwestern part of Mattertal, Swiss Alps, reconstructed by TCN dating T. Kizuki et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2026.110502
- Characterizing ground ice content and origin to better understand the seasonal surface dynamics of the Gruben rock glacier and the adjacent Gruben debris-covered glacier (southern Swiss Alps) J. Wee et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5939-2024
- Derebaşı (Kaçkar Dağı) Kaya Buzulunun Jeomorfolojisi Ve Kinematik Özellikleri S. Yeşilyurt https://doi.org/10.46453/jader.1633480
- Unveiling the evolution of a glacier through geomorphological analysis and surface exposure dating: Nautárdalsjökull (Northern Iceland) L. Tanarro et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109981
- Inventorying rock glaciers in the Western Himalaya, India, and assessing their hydrological significance I. Bhat et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109514
- Divergent Responses of Alpine Rock Glaciers to Climate Change: A Review of Ecological and Abiotic Dynamics S. Piccinelli & N. Cannone https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2278
- Satellite-based hazard assessment of rock glacier lakes: examples from the European Alps M. Obwegs et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-026-08301-8
- Rock glacier velocity monitored by annual in-situ geodetic surveys: Long-term challenges, solutions and suggestions A. Kellerer-Pirklbauer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110117
- Evaluating Pléiades Neo capabilities for deriving rock glacier velocity S. Vivero et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2026.105207
- RGIK guidelines for compiling consistent rock glacier inventories F. Brardinoni et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110050
- Creeping permafrost in Mexico: environmental status of “Nevado” Rock Glacier, Nevado de Toluca volcano V. Soto et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-025-9767-0
- The last years of Infiernos Glacier and its transition to a new paraglacial stage J. Revuelto et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.22
- Sub-surface processes and heat fluxes at coarse blocky Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps): seasonal ice and convective cooling render rock glaciers climate-robust D. Amschwand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-365-2025
- Preferential flow paths in active rock glaciers S. Seelig et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105373
- Rock Glacier Detection Using Satellite Embeddings and Machine Learning on Google Earth Engine V. Khajuria et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-026-01139-x
- Will landscape responses reduce glacier sensitivity to climate change in High Mountain Asia? S. Harrison et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4113-2025
- Current morphodynamics and subsurface structure of thrust moraines and rock glaciers connected to three Little Ice Age glacier forefields in the Swiss Alps J. Kunz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4255-2026
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 02 Sep 2026
Short summary
Rock glaciers in ice-rich permafrost can be discriminated from debris-covered glaciers. The key physical phenomenon relates to the tight mechanical coupling between the moving frozen body at depth and the surface layer of debris in the case of rock glaciers, as opposed to the virtually inexistent coupling in the case of surface ice with a debris cover. Contact zones of surface ice with subsurface ice in permafrost constitute diffuse landforms beyond either–or-type landform classification.
Rock glaciers in ice-rich permafrost can be discriminated from debris-covered glaciers. The key...
