Three-dimensional internal structure and characteristics of periglacial landforms as a key to enhance the understanding of process dynamics and sensitivity to climate change

多年冻土环境往往表现出很大的小尺度的非均匀性，特别是在边缘的不连续和零星分布的冻土发生和地下特性。冰缘地貌反映气候、地形和岩性条件，并指示过去或现代的气候条件和地下结构。问题出现的程度有关的地下异质性及其对过程dynamics.The缺乏三维信息的地下成分，结构和冰含量的地面特性有关的是一个主要的问题，在调查的反应受多年冻土影响的地貌及其对大气变暖的敏感性。因此，该项目的中心目标是对表明冻土条件的典型高山和亚北极冰缘地貌（冰川前地、岩石冰川、碎石斜坡、图案地面、岩屑）的内部结构和特征进行详细的三维评估。由于地表和次表层条件之间复杂的相互作用，不同的受多年冻土影响的地貌将对大气变暖表现出不同的响应/敏感性。 因此，研究方法的基础上的非均匀性的评估表面（地形参数，纹理，地面温度，积雪）和地下参数（结构，霜冻表配置，地面冰的特点，地面温度和湿度），并将这些与地下过程和地貌过程动态。地貌地貌的地下非均匀性将通过微创三维电阻率成像的新应用进行映射。一种将代表性站点的原位点测量和三维地下电阻率成像相结合的方法被认为是更好地了解冰缘环境的表面和地下非均匀性的关键。预期的新见解将有助于改善不同地貌的概念模型，因此，在不断变化的环境条件下，高山和亚北极景观演变的情景发展。

Permafrost environments often exhibit a great small-scale heterogeneity concerning permafrost occurrence and subsurface characteristics especially at the fringe of discontinuous and sporadic permafrost distribution. Periglacial landforms reflect climatic, topographic and lithological conditions and are indicative for past or modern climatic conditions and subsurface structures. Questions arise concerning the degree of subsurface heterogeneity and its impact on process dynamics.The lack of three-dimensional information on ground characteristics relating to subsurface composition, structure and ice content is one of the major problems in investigating responses of permafrost-affected landforms and their sensitivity to atmospheric warming. Consequently, the central objective of the project is to achieve a detailed three-dimensional assessment of the internal structure and characteristics of typical alpine and subarctic periglacial landforms indicative for frozen ground conditions (glacier forefields, rock glaciers, scree slopes, patterned ground, lithalsas). Different permafrost-affected landforms will exhibit various response/sensitivity to atmospheric warming due to complex interactions between surface and subsurface conditions. Hence, the research approach is based on the assessment of heterogeneities in surface (terrain parameters, texture, ground surface temperatures, snow cover) and subsurface parameters (structure, frost table configuration, ground ice characteristics, ground temperature and moisture) and to correlate these with subsurface processes and geomorphic process dynamics. Subsurface heterogeneities of the geomorphic landforms will be mapped through the novel application of minimal-invasive 3D resistivity imaging.An approach combining both in-situ point measurements at representative sites and 3D subsurface resistivity imaging is thought to be the key to a better knowledge base about heterogeneous periglacial environments with regard to surface and subsurface heterogeneity. The expected new insights will help to improve conceptual models for the different landforms and hence, the development of scenarios for alpine and subarctic landscape evolution under changing environmental conditions.