Downslope Sequences of Sediment Transport and Deposition on High Arctic Slopes

Abstract

<p>The transport of solid material in the form of movements of suspended and bed load in overland flow is examined. This movement achieves considerable magnitudes in many rills flowing across low angle slopes during the Arctic spring and summer. The occurrence of suspended load is related to the intense runoff during the spring thaw and summer rainstorms and also to the washing of fine sediments trapped in the basal ice of transverse snowpatches. These sediments which are transported from the interflow zone upslope a from small but significant sedimentery deposits on backslopes and low angle slopes. The latter deposits are more extensive and appear to be incorporated in the regolith by processes of frost action and turbulation.</p>