Monitoring of Active Rock Glaciers with X-Band Differential SAR Interferometry: Case-studies in Western Swiss Alps

摘要

Rock glaciers are large masses of ice/rock debris mixture acting as sediments conveyors moving typically in the order of 0.1 to 1.0 m/year in the mountain periglacial environment. At their snout some rock glaciers may regularly deliver volumes of loose material in steep slopes or torrential gullies, hence contributing significantly to the so-called sediment cascade on mountain slopes. According to recent studies, ground warming in the 20th century seems to have generated an acceleration of slope movements related to the creep of permafrost, particularly since the end of the 1980s. Consequently, an increase of potential natural hazard for people and infrastructures cannot be excluded and requires the knowledge of the regional overview of slope instabilities as well as the process understanding of slope movement in permafrost areas. Several rock glaciers displaying surface velocities (much) larger than 5 m/year have even been described during the last decade especially.