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Abstract
Heavy rainstorms in summer and autumn trigger landslides and debris flow in arctic mountains. However, the recurrence intervals are long. Some cases from Scandinavia are described. They were caused either by cyclonic rainstorms over large areas (Andöya/Abisko slides of October 1959, Spitsbergen slides of July 1972) or by convectional rainfalls in small areas (Ulvådal slides of June 1960, Tarfala debris flows of July 1972). Cf. Table 5.
The frequency of landslide-triggering rainstorms in arctic mountains is low, but their effect on the slopes can be long-lasting due to very slow re-growth of vegetation in cold areas. Recurrence intervals between mass movements can be studied by analysis of recovery of soils and vegetation on surfaces of erosion and deposition, compared with other evidence, such as stratigraphy of deposits, rainfall records and historical tradition.