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Ground thermal regime in Central Massif of Picos de Europa (Spain)

Abstract:

The study of ground temperatures in a wet and temperate high mountain has got large interest because determines significant geomorphological processes in a periglacial environment. The aim of the research is to analyse the main thermal processes of ground along the year at different altitudes in the central massif of Picos de Europa (43°18ï'-43°7ï'N; 5°7ï'-4°36ï'W). Methodology has been used in the Alps and consists in temperature data that were obtained by 12 temperature data loggers undertaken at 10 cm with diverse locations between 1110 and 2535 m a.s.l. searching for altitudinal stepping and the coldest locations. The paper show the next parameters: thermal regime, freeze and thaw cycles, freeze index, duration and depth freeze. The thermal regime varies according topocli-investigamatic conditions but it was possible to determinate four annual phases in function of snow cover behavior induced through the thermal registers. The year period best analyzed has been winter and spring, when the ground is protected by a big snow cover and in consequence there are not freeze and thaw cycles. During this period registers allow to asseverate the evidence of seasonal freeze grounds in five locations and the possibility in another six. However the data were not enough to discover permafrost.