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The Snow-Avalanche Impact Landforms of Vestlandet, Southern Norway

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Landscapes and Landforms of Norway

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

Abstract

Abundant valley-floor craters, lacustrine craters, stream-bank ramparts and related snow-avalanche impact landforms characterise the landscape of Vestlandet, where topography and snow climate appear to be optimal for their formation. In this chapter, the characteristics of these enigmatic landforms are described and current knowledge and understanding of their formative processes, age and development are reviewed. Near-circular craters, up to 185 m in diameter with rims defined by prominent erosional scars have much in common with meteorite impact craters of similar size, except that they have formed incrementally as a result of frequent avalanches during the Holocene, rather than during single-impact events. Erosional and depositional features can be explained by proximal and distal jets produced by the impact of large volumes of snow at the valley-floor break of slope carrying sedimentary material upwards and outwards from the craters. Air launch of avalanches produces a steeper impact angle, enhancing the energy available for erosion of craters and the uplift of sedimentary material onto depositional mounds and ramparts. Most craters and ramparts in Vestlandet involve snow-avalanche impact on water surfaces, which generates impulse waves that may enhance or modify these landforms.

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Acknowledgements

We have investigated the snow-avalanche impact landforms of Vestlandet as part of the research programme of the Jotunheimen Research Expeditions 1991, 1999, 2000, 2010, 2011 and 2014. This chapter constitutes Jotunheimen Research Expeditions, Contribution No. 209 (see http://jotunheimenresearch.wixsite.com/home). We are grateful to Anna Ratcliffe for preparation of figures.

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  1. Department of Geography, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK

    John A. Matthews & Geraint Owen

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  1. John A. Matthews
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  2. Geraint Owen
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Correspondence to John A. Matthews .

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  1. Geomorphological Field Laboratory, Selbustrand, Norway

    Achim A. Beylich

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Matthews, J.A., Owen, G. (2021). The Snow-Avalanche Impact Landforms of Vestlandet, Southern Norway. 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_6

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