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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
06:55
Kinematic History of a Salient-recess Junction Explored through a Combined Approach of Field Data and Analog Sandbox Modeling
Published on: August 5, 2016
Accelerating glacier recession contrasts rock glacier stability in a temperate mountain range
Ashlesha Khatiwada1, Daniel McGrath1, Justin Pomeranz2
1Department of Geosciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Science Advances
|July 1, 2026
Summary
Rock glaciers in the Teton Range show remarkable resilience to warming, remaining near equilibrium while glaciers and snowfields rapidly thin. This highlights their crucial role in alpine hydrology as other cryospheric features decline.
Area of Science:
- Alpine hydrology
- Cryospheric geomorphology
- Climate change impacts
Background:
- Cryospheric landforms (glaciers, rock glaciers, snowfields) are vital for alpine water resources and ecosystems.
- Understanding their response to climate change is crucial for predicting future environmental conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess elevation changes in Teton Range glaciers, rock glaciers, and snowfields from 1967-2024.
- To analyze the thermal response of streams fed by these cryospheric features.
- To evaluate the differential resilience of these landforms to atmospheric warming.
Main Methods:
- Utilized historical and contemporary data spanning nearly six decades (1967-2024).
- Assessed elevation changes using remote sensing and field measurements.
- Monitored stream temperatures in relation to cryospheric water sources.
Main Results:
- Glaciers and snowfields exhibited accelerated thinning (-0.84 ± 0.07 m/year and -0.59 ± 0.04 m/year, respectively) between 2014-2022, a ~7-fold increase from 1967-2014.
- Rock glaciers remained near equilibrium (-0.05 ± 0.05 m/year) with no significant rate change.
- Snowfield-fed streams showed rapid warming (+3.4°C since 2015), while glacier- and rock glacier-fed streams warmed less (+0.9°C and +0.6°C, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Rock glaciers demonstrate greater resilience to atmospheric warming compared to glaciers and perennial snowfields.
- Rock glaciers are projected to play an increasingly significant role in maintaining alpine hydrology as glaciers and snowfields diminish.
- Findings underscore the varied responses of cryospheric features to climate change and their implications for mountain ecosystems.
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