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Rock glaciers in the Pyrenees

Abstract:

In the Pyrenees 13 active rock glaciers have been detected, five on the northern side and eight on the southern. The active rock glaciers are located in the deglaciated high mountain, on the most massive and highest massifs. The active rock glaciers are located in the central Pyrenees, between 0°15'W and 0°50'E, under summits always higher than 2950 metres. The orientations are north and north-west, a fact that points to the residual character of these landforms. The lithologies of the substratum are diverse, mainly granites, schists and shales. There are nine tongue-shaped rock glaciers, two lobate rock glaciers, and two complex rock glaciers. A morphogenetic classification allows one to differentiate between two dynamic types. There are six debris rock glaciers, which are linked to a debris-covered glacier origin. There are seven talus rock glaciers with a cryogenic origin.