Introduction to the discussion on the concept and term "periglacial"

Abstract

Article in French.

ORIGINAL TITLE: Introduction à la discussion sur la notion et sur le terme du “périglaciaire"

The discussion focused on the position that the IGU Commission on Periglacial Geomorphology should take on two closely related issues. The problem of the concept of periglacial conditions is becoming increasingly pressing as periglacial research progresses. During studies of various manifestations of the cold climate in the Pleistocene, outside of permafrost zones, the question of whether all these phenomena can be included in the concept of periglacial conditions is frequently raised. The second issue concerns the term itself. The discrepancy between the etymological meaning of the word "periglacial" and the range of phenomena to which it is applied has long been recognised. The term "periglacial" has undergone modifications and expanded, and it now exceeds the scope defined by its etymology. Some researchers consider the term "periglacial" to be synonymous with the term "extraglacial". A significant motivation is precisely the desire to align this concept with the etymological meaning of the word used as a term; this problem is primarily formal in nature.