Editor’s Choice Articles

This study assesses the impact of climate change and glacier retreat on river runoff in the high-altitude Terek River Basin using the physically based ECOMAG hydrological model. Sensitivity experiments examined the influence of glaciation, precipitation, and air temperature on runoff variability. Results indicate that glacier retreat primarily affects streamflow in upper reaches during peak melt (July–October), while precipitation changes influence both annual runoff and peak flows (May–October). Rising temperatures shift snowmelt to earlier periods, increasing runoff in spring and autumn but reducing it in summer. The increase in autumn runoff is also due to the shift between solid and liquid precipitation, as warmer temperatures cause more precipitation to fall as rain, rather than snow. Scenario-based modeling incorporated projected glacier area changes (GloGEMflow-DD) and regional climate data (CORDEX) under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Simulated runoff changes by the end of the 21st century (2070–2099) compared to the historical period (1977–2005) ranged from −2% to +5% under RCP2.6 and from −8% to +14% under RCP8.5. Analysis of runoff components (snowmelt, rainfall, and glacier melt) revealed that changes in river flow are largely determined by the elevation of snow and glacier accumulation zones and the rate of their degradation. The projected trends are consistent with current observations and emphasize the need for adaptive water resource management and risk mitigation strategies in glacier-fed catchments under climate change. Full article

Fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology can monitor vibrational strain of vast areas with fine spatial resolution at high sampling rates. The fiber optic cable portion of DAS may directly monitor, measure, and map potentially unsafe areas such as thin ice sheets. Once the fiber optic cable is emplaced, DAS can provide “rapid-response” information along the cable’s length through remote sampling. A field campaign was performed to test the sensitivity of DAS to spatial variations within thin ice sheets. A pilot field study was conducted in the northeastern United States in which fiber-optic cable was deployed on the surface of a freshwater pond. Phase velocity transformations were used to analyze the DAS response to strike testing on the thin ice sheet. The study results indicated that the ice sheet was about 5 cm thick generally, tapering to about 3.5 cm within 2 m of the pond’s edge and then disappearing at the margins. After validation of the pilot study’s methodology, a follow-up experiment using DAS to collect on a rapidly deployed, surface-laid cable atop a larger freshwater pond was conducted. Using phase velocity transformations, the ice thickness along the fiber optic cable was estimated to be between 25.5 and 28 cm and confirmed via ice auger measurements along the fiber optic cable. This field campaign demonstrates the feasibility of employing DAS systems to remotely assess spatially variable properties on thin freshwater ice sheets. Full article

Sediment transport in alluvial channels has a long history of intensive research. River ice could affect sediment transport and channel morphology through the impact of various dynamic and thermal ice processes. However, studies on sediment transport under the influence of ice have been minimal until recent years. This phenomenon was partially due to the complicated interactions between ice, flow, and sediment dynamics, which require a good understanding of the river ice process, in addition to the difficult field data collection conditions. This paper reviews the progress and needs of river ice-related research on sediment transport and channel morphology, including the influence of ice cover and surface ice runs on sediment transport, the effects of frazil ice, anchor ice, and bank stability with freeze-thaw effects. Full article

In this study, we look for a relationship between the lack of drawdown dolines and the karren formation taking place on the bare surfaces of glaciokarsts. Along the profiles, the specific width and density of the most common karren such as rinnenkarren, grikes, and pits were studied, while in three mapped areas, the depth and depth change in rinnenkarren were investigated in various environments. Mainly, carbonate dissolution of a low degree takes place at atmospheric CO₂. Therefore, in the case of carbonate dissolution taking place on the bare surfaces of glaciokarsts, the chance of cavity formation in the epikarst is analysed at karren of percolation origin (grike, pit) and at karren of flow origin (rinnenkarren). Vertical infiltration and local cavity formation are only possible at pits (the CO₂ quantity increases due to the soil effect in them). Therefore, below the bare surfaces of glaciokarsts, as a result of low dissolution capacity and infiltration of low degree, there is no cavity formation, or it is weakly developed. The piezometric surface is absent or it is local, its surface is not deflected. Drainage is not heterogeneous, but it is local, which does not favour drawdown doline development since drawdown dolines develop in the case of epikarst with well-developed, heterogeneous cavitation and deflected piezometric surface. Full article

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) in physical geography education offer significant potential to aid students in acquiring the essential skills for the environmental interpretation of glacial and periglacial environments for geoscience careers. Simulated real-world field experiences aim to help the student evaluate landscapes for natural hazards, assess their intensity, and translate and communicate this information to various stakeholders in human systems. The TREE-PG framework and VRUI model provide a philosophical and practical foundation for VLE architects, aiming to cultivate students’ knowledge, skills, and identity as geoscientists, specifically as physical geographers and geomorphologists. These frameworks emphasize the importance of translating scientific knowledge from physical features into engaging, accessible online lessons, exemplified by landscapes like those in Glacier National Park, Montana. Open-source software and open educational resources (OERs) can broaden access and incorporate diverse perspectives in these experiences, which are necessary to address the impacts of vulnerable communities to global deglaciation. Designing and creating virtual proxies of field-based education may help address issues associated with inclusion and belonging within geoscience disciplines to connect all students with dynamic physical environments beyond the classroom. Ethical AI approaches and discipline-specific repositories are needed to ensure high-quality, contextually accurate VLEs. AI’s tendency to produce output necessitates using domain-specific guardrails to maintain relevance and precision in virtual educational content. Full article