ALPINE PROGLACIAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT DYNAMICS IN WARM AND COOL ABLATION SEASONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL WARMING

Abstract

Data on suspended sediment dynamics and loads obtained from the Torrent du Glacier Noir, Ecrins Massif, SE France, during the unusually warm 2003 and cooler 2004 ablation seasons are used to indicate the likely future impacts of climate warming on suspended sediment transport processes in temperate Alpine proglacial zones. Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and discharge (Q) were continuously monitored for 16-day periods during July 2003 and July 2004. SSC was monitored by automated pump sampling during diurnal events in each season and supplemented by a 10 min turbidity record. Q was monitored at a range of flows and a rating curve used to convert a 10 min water level record into Q. Air temperature (AT) was also logged at 10 min intervals throughout the study.