Location and morpholometric characterization of relict rock glaciers of the Gistredo Range (Cantabrian Mountains, León)

Abstract

43 rockglaciers have been selected in the Gistredo range, in order to study the environmental factors (lithology, aspect, altitude) explaining their spatial distribution and several morphometric features according to morphology (tongue-shaped, lobate and complex forms). The results confirm the strong control to exert the environmental factors affecting both the location and their shape. The use of statistical analysis allow to discriminate and to clasify three types of rock glaciers according to geometry and to see the limited relations between the rockglaciers' surface and slope and some morphometric parameters of source-area (altitude, slope and altitudinal difference).