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Landforms and Geomorphosite Designation on Mount Gausta (Telemark)

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Landscapes and Landforms of Norway

Part of the book series: World Geomorphological Landscapes ((WGLC))

Abstract

Mount Gausta is the highest point in Telemark. It stands above a vast plateau lying at 1000 m or so in altitude (a fjell), where the large Vestfjorddalen valley is entrenched. There are two parts to it, with a pyramid peaking at 1881 m to the north (Gaustatoppen), and a long plateau at between 1500 and 1600 m (Gaustaråen). The relief is characteristic of north European quartzite mountains because of the large Richter and scree slopes around Gaustatoppen, together with a large blockfield (or felsenmeer) on the Gaustaråen plateau. Thanks to the altitudes and absence of glaciers, it is possible to observe the vertical zonation of periglacial features and glacial relict landforms over nearly 900 m in elevation. The properties of the felsenmeer help determine the altitude of the Weichselian trimline and confirm there was a paleonunatak where Gaustatoppen stands. In addition to presenting the main geomorphological properties of Mount Gausta, the purpose of this chapter is to select geomorphosites, that is say sites of specific interest for visitors, using a deductive method based on defining the major geomorphological components (fjell, Gaustaråen, Gaustatoppen, Vestfjorddalen), and then the types of relief (geomorphotypes) and most significant sites for these reliefs (geomorphosites).

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Simon Charrier, cartographer, who redrew the maps, and the Institute of Geography of Nantes University and the Laboratory Géolittomer-Nantes (CNRS) for founding the translation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nantes, Campus Tertre, IGARUN, chemin de la censive du tertre, BP 81 227, 44 312, Nantes Cedex 3, France

    Dominique Sellier & Riwan Kerguillec

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  1. Dominique Sellier
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  2. Riwan Kerguillec
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Correspondence to Dominique Sellier .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geomorphological Field Laboratory, Selbustrand, Norway

    Achim A. Beylich

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Sellier, D., Kerguillec, R. (2021). Landforms and Geomorphosite Designation on Mount Gausta (Telemark). In: Beylich, A.A. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of Norway. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52563-7_11

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