Research on Hardangervidda

Co-worker: Dr Frank. H. Nicholson (LJMU).

This research is focusing on cold environment weathering in a high mountain plateau environment, with particular emphasis on rock weathering processes, periglacial phenomena and landform evolution.

Past student projects have included:

1. Investigating postglacial weathering of roche moutonnee in relation to bedrock structure.
2. Sediment properties and structure of solifluction lobes.
3. Water quality and its role in determining invertebrate diversity and spatial distribution.
4. Characteristics and variations in bedrock weathering under shallow sediment and soil burial.

In addition, the expedition leaders worked on:

1. Origin, morphology and geomorpholic history of rock streams
2. Characteristics and spatial variation in sub-nival bedrock weathering.
3. Fungal weathering at the margins of, and beneath, late-lying snowpatches.
4. Characterictics and processes of ploughing boulders.
5. Monitoring total displacement of ploughing boulders and frost heave blocks over several seasons, both in summer and winter.

Typical view of the plateau around Snoskar and Rekking. Note the abundance of frost-shattered debris and ice-moulded forms.

• Lithological and structural hand specimen and rock core description (including petrological analysis)
• Mechanical properties (eg tensile strength and ultrasonic velocity)
• Void dependent properties (eg SEM image analysis of pore structure and microcrack type and distribution)
• Geochemical properties (eg composition of intact rock and weathering rind).
• Particle size analysis of sub-ploughing boulder soils and patterned ground soils