Mass movements, nivation processes and climatic fluctuations in northern Scandinavian mountains

Abstract

Climatic fluctuations during the twentieth century in northern Scandinavia and Spitsbergen may have influenced the frequency of rainfall-triggered mass movements such as debris flows, with a shorter recurrence interval during colder periods before c. 1920 and after c. 1960, and less frequent occurrence during the intervening warm period. However, precipitation data are contradictory regarding contrasts between warm and cold periods, and the recorded high number of debris flow events during later decades may also be a result of improved observations. Studies of nivation processes and snow cover distribution may provide additional information on climatic fluctuations. Examples are given of the use of nivation landforms as climatic indicators.