Assigned Session: FS 3.148: Glacier and permafrost risks in a changing climate
Permafrost in the Pyrenees: the changing mountains
Abstract ID: 3.8017 | Pending | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA
Marc Oliva (0)
Ventura, Josep (1), García-Oteyza, Julia (1), Pérez, Claudia (1), Monserrat, Oriol (2), Espín-López, Pedro (2), Viñals, Laura (3), López-Moreno, Juan Ignacio (4), Echeverria, Anna (5), Gasc-Barbier, Muriel (6), Delmas, Magali (7), Chedecal, Clementine (7), Palacios, David (8), Serrano, Enrique (9), Fernandes, Marcelo (10), Esteban, Pere (11), Grau, Oriol (12), Magnin, Florence (13), Lehmann, Benjamin (14), Valla, Pierre (14)
Marc Oliva (1)
Ventura, Josep (1), García-Oteyza, Julia (1), Pérez, Claudia (1), Monserrat, Oriol (2), Espín-López, Pedro (2), Viñals, Laura (3), López-Moreno, Juan Ignacio (4), Echeverria, Anna (5), Gasc-Barbier, Muriel (6), Delmas, Magali (7), Chedecal, Clementine (7), Palacios, David (8), Serrano, Enrique (9), Fernandes, Marcelo (10), Esteban, Pere (11), Grau, Oriol (12), Magnin, Florence (13), Lehmann, Benjamin (14), Valla, Pierre (14)
1
(1) Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
(2) Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, Castelldefels, Catalonia, Spain
(3) Kilian Jornet Foundation, Montellà, Catalonia, Spain
(4) Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Campus de Aula Dei, Zaragoza, Spain
(5) Andorra Recerca+Innovació, Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra
(6) GeoCoD, CEREMA, Aix-en-Provence, France
(7) CNRS, MNHN, HNHP, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
(8) Department of Geography, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
(9) Department of Geography, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
(10) Centre for Geographical Studies-IGOT, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(11) Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
(12) Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu, Llavorsí, Catalonia, Spain
(13) Laboratoire EDYTE M, CNRS/Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, Le Bourget-du-Lac, France
(14) CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
(2) Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, Castelldefels, Catalonia, Spain
(3) Kilian Jornet Foundation, Montellà, Catalonia, Spain
(4) Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Campus de Aula Dei, Zaragoza, Spain
(5) Andorra Recerca+Innovació, Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra
(6) GeoCoD, CEREMA, Aix-en-Provence, France
(7) CNRS, MNHN, HNHP, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
(8) Department of Geography, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
(9) Department of Geography, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
(10) Centre for Geographical Studies-IGOT, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(11) Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
(12) Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu, Llavorsí, Catalonia, Spain
(13) Laboratoire EDYTE M, CNRS/Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, Le Bourget-du-Lac, France
(14) CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
The cryosphere in the Pyrenees is undergoing profound transformations due to climate change, leading to significant hydrological, geomorphological, and environmental shifts. Rising temperatures have dramatically reduced snow cover and accelerated the retreat of Pyrenean glaciers, which are expected to disappear entirely in the coming decades. While snow and ice dynamics are closely monitored, much less is known about permafrost. The southern character of the Pyrenees makes this region particularly unique and significant in permafrost studies, as it introduces specific challenges in understanding the behavior and vulnerability of permafrost to future warming. Currently, permafrost is found only at the highest elevations, typically above 2,600 m, with rare occurrences between 2,350 and 2,400 m. Its recent behavior and vulnerability remain poorly understood, and studying permafrost is also essential for anticipating hazards associated with its thaw, such as increased rockfalls, landslides, or moraine collapses. These risks have already impacted infrastructure, including trails in popular areas like Aneto and Vignemale. This communication presents preliminary findings from the ongoing PERMAPYRENEES project (Interreg Poctefa EFA063/01), which utilizes advanced in-situ and remote sensing techniques to detect permafrost and assess related hazards. The project’s key components include: (i) Geophysical surveys to identify the presence of frozen ground; (ii) Six deep boreholes in high-elevation areas to monitor subsurface conditions; (iii) Loggers in rock walls to track permafrost dynamics in steep bedrock; (iv) InSAR measurements to detect ground deformation rates; (v) Reconstruction of past permafrost environments, with a focus on rock glaciers; (vi) Analysis of rock properties to better understand permafrost behaviour; and (vii) Mapping permafrost distribution and identifying potentially hazardous areas. Beyond establishing a pioneering observational network in the Pyrenees, the project also aims to raise public awareness of climate change impacts and provide policymakers, land managers, and planners with critical data to mitigate risks in areas with significant infrastructure.
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