Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What causes solifluction on tundra slopes?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Tundra
Alaskan mountain and tundra vegetation in the fall.
Solifluction on tundra slopes is primarily caused by the presence of an impermeable layer of permafrost or seasonally frozen ground, which prevents water from draining downward.12
During the summer thaw, the active layer of soil above this impermeable barrier becomes saturated with moisture. This waterlogged soil, weakened by frost action, becomes mobile and slides downslope under the influence of gravity. This process, which occurs in a semifluid condition, results in the mass transport of material and the formation of characteristic features such as solifluction lobes and terraces.132