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Geomorphology

Deceptively old Alpine gorges

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The timing and origins of Alpine gorge formation are controversial. A high-resolution analysis of the inner gorges of the Swiss Alps suggests that these landforms were carved over successive interglacial periods, and survived the intervening glaciations.

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Figure 1: The formation of an Alpine gorge.

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Dixon, J. Deceptively old Alpine gorges. Nature Geosci 4, 8–9 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1051

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