Rock glaciers in the Suntar‑Khayata Range

Abstract

The remote map‑making technique and results of field investigations made possible for the first time to reveal a great number of rock glaciers within the area of the Suntar‑Khayata Range (North‑East Asia). A total of 540 formations were identified. Among them, 47 rock glaciers were classified as corrie (cirque) tongue‑shaped formations and 493 ones – as niche lobe‑shaped (single‑ and multi‑lobe) rock glaciers. Occurrence of such formations is 8.4/100 km2, that is the largest in the North‑East Asia. The rock glaciers in this region are found within a range of true altitudes from 1297 up to 2402 m asl. The majority of active features, however, are confined to the interval between 1500 and 1900 m asl. Rock glaciers occur in the altitudinal range of 1297 to 2402 m asl. The majority of active features, however, are confined to the interval between 1500 and 1900 m asl, and the main part of active formations is located within the range of 1500‑2500 m. The frequency analysis of true altitudes of the rock‑glacier occurrence indicates that their formation can be caused by the hypsometry of the region relation to morphoclimatic zonality.

Keywords

• late holocene glaciation
• mountain permafrost
• remote sensing
• rock glaciers
• suntar‑khayata range