Scholarly record

ROCK GLACIER INFLUENCE ON THE THERMAL REGIMES OF ALPINE SPRINGS IN THE SOUTHERN CARPATHIANS

Oana Berzescu, Alexandru Onaca, Florina Ardelean

Abstract

Rock glacier hydrology remains poorly constrained in marginal permafrost environments such as the Southern Carpathians. This study quantifies spatial variability by relating spring temperatures to elevation, aspect, lithology, and spring type, and temporal variability through diurnal and seasonal thermal amplitudes, to detect permafrost occurrence and assess its influence on alpine groundwater systems. Between 2020 and 2025, 62 alpine springs were systematically monitored in the highest sector of the Retezat Mountains. Instantaneous measurements were complemented by continuous hourly monitoring at six representative sites. Permafrost occurrence was inferred from persistently low summer spring temperatures (<2 °C), which indicate the presence of ground ice in the subsurface, combined with reduced thermal amplitude and weak coupling with atmospheric conditions. Only three springs met these criteria, all associated with active rock glaciers. These springs exhibited minimal diurnal and seasonal variability, contrasting with non-permafrost-fed systems. These results provide new empirical evidence from a data-scarce region, highlighting the hydrological role of rock glaciers in the Southern Carpathians and extending current understanding of groundwater–permafrost interactions in marginal mountain environments.

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