The role of thixotropy in the evolution of the micro-relief of northern countries and high mountain areas

Abstract

Article in French.

ORIGINAL TITLE: Le rôle de la thixotropie dans l'évolution du microrelief des pays du Nord et des hautes montagnes 

The article discusses soil thixotropy, which is the ability of soil to change from a solid to a liquid state under mechanical stress without altering its water content. This phenomenon is prevalent in northern regions and high mountain areas, where the conditions necessary for its occurrence are present, such as cyclical freezing and thawing, high humidity and the presence of colloidal particles. Thixotropy plays a significant role in micro-relief formation, including earth puddles, stone circles, mineral mounds and solifluction features. The authors emphasise that thixotropy is not only a physicochemical factor, but also a key geomorphological process that affects the mobility and stability of soils in periglacial areas.