Los bloques aradores de "Laguna Helada" (Urbión)un ejemplo singular de solifluxión activa en la Cordillera Ibérica

  1. García de Celis, Alipio J.
  2. Arroyo Pérez, Pablo
  3. Gandía Fernández, Alberto
Journal:
Polígonos: Revista de geografía

ISSN: 1132-1202

Year of publication: 2006

Issue: 16

Pages: 119-132

Type: Article

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Abstract

In this work we analyze the ploughing blocks located in different situations, all of diese around old glacial cirques, in an alpine-mediterranean high mountain environment (the peaks of Urbión, lberian Range, Soria province, Castilla-Leon, Spain). The climate in these mountains is mediterranean but in high altitude conditions: cold and dry. In spite of these conditions, ploughing blocks show clear evidence of activity, movement linked, we believe, to solifluction or gel i fluction processes. Beside the ploughing blocks there are other solifluction features that seen active, such as solifluction lobes and banks. These features are not analyzed in this work. We have measured around 50 ploughing blocks. The measured parameters are these: First, the slopes (tilt and highs): ata range between 2000 and 2100 meters high, and 5º-30º tilt. Second, the measures of each block, that show a wide range of size: from cobble to big boulders, all of them of a very cohesive quartz-sandstone. Third, the measures of grooves and front mounds. Ploughing blocks are located on slopes faced both north and south, but the evidences of recent movements are very different in each case. Around ten ploughing blocks have been equipped to probe and measure the probable movement. The high rarity and environmental significance of these features such as high mountain conditions indicators, near the limits of the periglacial environment, is the reason of their high scientific value and thcir character as a very important geomorphological heritage.

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