Chapter 9
Some aspects on applied geomorphology
in periglacial regions
I. Introduction
The thermal equilibrium of the permafrost is highly sensitive in both alpine and highlatitude zones and it may be easily disturbed by human activity (Ritter, 1978). Permafrost
terrains poses many problems, not only to cartographers but also to engineers and builders,
miners, oil and gas producers, climatologists, archaeologists, and everyone with an interest
in polar and alpine regions (Heginbottom, 2002). A significant part of the mountain
environments are suffering a harmful anthropogenic pressure. Activities such as deforestation or overgrazing contribute to alter the development of some morphogenetic
processes increasing the potential hazard of avalanches, soil erosion, slope movements,
and floods (Gerrard, 1990) in an environment with a greater amount of potential victims.
This situation is largely due to the spectacular increase experienced by the influx of
tourists into the mountain zones in developed countries during the last decades. In some
sectors of developing countries, the lack of space in the low areas leads to the development
of marginal and unstable areas. On the other hand, in some mountain regions of these
countries the human impact on the environment is becoming a worrisome problem.
In the arctic and subarctic regions, the limitations that the geomorphological environment poses to economic development are mainly related to processes caused by the
freezing of the ground surface (gelifraction and frost-heaving) and the thawing of the
permafrost. These circumstances have contributed to restrain the development of these
areas and society has been obliged to respond to these problems with new technical
solutions (Walker, 1986).
The occupation of high-latitude regions by humans is relatively old (Harris, 1986;
Cooke and Doornkamp, 1990). The influx of people with advanced technology with the
aim to exploit natural resources is, however, very recent. These settlers mainly come from
the circumpolar countries of the northern hemisphere (Russia, United States, Canada, and
the Scandinavian countries). Russia is probably the nation that has acquired the largest
experience in the development of permafrost areas from the construction of the Transiberian railway during the transit of the 19th and 20th centuries to the construction of
modem cities like Norilsk. In North America the development started with gold mining in
Alaska and the Yukon Territory during the end of the 19th century. It had a significant
impetus after the Second World War with the construction of airfields and communication
routes and reached the maximum apogee from the oil discovery in 1968 in the Prudhoe
Bay in Northern Alaska (Mackay, 1973).
The permafrost areas do not cause many engineering problems unless the frozen ground
is disturbed (USGS, 1983). Once a substantial disturbance is introduced into the system,
Some aspects on applied geomorphology
in periglacial regions
I. Introduction
The thermal equilibrium of the permafrost is highly sensitive in both alpine and highlatitude zones and it may be easily disturbed by human activity (Ritter, 1978). Permafrost
terrains poses many problems, not only to cartographers but also to engineers and builders,
miners, oil and gas producers, climatologists, archaeologists, and everyone with an interest
in polar and alpine regions (Heginbottom, 2002). A significant part of the mountain
environments are suffering a harmful anthropogenic pressure. Activities such as deforestation or overgrazing contribute to alter the development of some morphogenetic
processes increasing the potential hazard of avalanches, soil erosion, slope movements,
and floods (Gerrard, 1990) in an environment with a greater amount of potential victims.
This situation is largely due to the spectacular increase experienced by the influx of
tourists into the mountain zones in developed countries during the last decades. In some
sectors of developing countries, the lack of space in the low areas leads to the development
of marginal and unstable areas. On the other hand, in some mountain regions of these
countries the human impact on the environment is becoming a worrisome problem.
In the arctic and subarctic regions, the limitations that the geomorphological environment poses to economic development are mainly related to processes caused by the
freezing of the ground surface (gelifraction and frost-heaving) and the thawing of the
permafrost. These circumstances have contributed to restrain the development of these
areas and society has been obliged to respond to these problems with new technical
solutions (Walker, 1986).
The occupation of high-latitude regions by humans is relatively old (Harris, 1986;
Cooke and Doornkamp, 1990). The influx of people with advanced technology with the
aim to exploit natural resources is, however, very recent. These settlers mainly come from
the circumpolar countries of the northern hemisphere (Russia, United States, Canada, and
the Scandinavian countries). Russia is probably the nation that has acquired the largest
experience in the development of permafrost areas from the construction of the Transiberian railway during the transit of the 19th and 20th centuries to the construction of
modem cities like Norilsk. In North America the development started with gold mining in
Alaska and the Yukon Territory during the end of the 19th century. It had a significant
impetus after the Second World War with the construction of airfields and communication
routes and reached the maximum apogee from the oil discovery in 1968 in the Prudhoe
Bay in Northern Alaska (Mackay, 1973).
The permafrost areas do not cause many engineering problems unless the frozen ground
is disturbed (USGS, 1983). Once a substantial disturbance is introduced into the system,