What is the vertical temperature gradient of the rock glacier?
Estimates of surface temperature and geothermal gradient show that the basal temperature is near 0 degrees C. If the basal temperature is above zero, the rock glacier is most likely supported by ice-free debris. If the temperature is below zero, meltwater arriving from the surface could potentially freeze onto the base of the rock glacier or freeze interstitially in the basal debris. Last year, we placed a 10-meter vertical string of thermistors within the ice layer, and also set up data loggers to record surface temperature at various locations. Data from these instruments will be retrieved next summer.
