Solifluction peculiarities in the North of West Siberia

Abstract

Mass-movement on the low-grade slopes made of supracolloidal icy grounds in running layer by layer with different rate. On the different parts of slope (zones of outflow, transit, accumulation) the movement of the under layer may outrun the movement of upper one (zone of outflow) or even became negative (zone of transit). It leads to the formation of hillocks alike the solifluction terraces. Their origin is determined not due to desiccation of ground and drag of the lower layers but due to circulation of material at those parts of slope where the depth of thaw is large. The rate of mass movements depends to a much extent on short-period oscillations of temperature and precipitation in warm period.