Some Investigations into Solifluction Features in Norway

This paper describes studies which have been carried out during the last two years, of various forms of solifluct on in the mount ins of central Norway. The field-work has been undertaken by expeditions with members from Cambridge and Oslo Universities.1 It has been supported by the Society, the Norwegian Nansen Fund and several other sources. The investigations are planned to continue for several years, and some of the suggestions made in the latter part of this paper con? cerning solifluction processes are necessarily tentative. Solifluction, or the downslope movement of soil due to periglacial conditions, occurs in many forms in Norway, but the field investigations have been largely confined to certain forms which will first be described in detail. We have set out to answer two main questions: What is the rate and extent of movement of soil in solifluction features, and, hence, what are the processes giving rise to the development of these features ? A short account will be given of some of the experimental methods being used in the field work, and possible causes for the developments of the solifluction features will then be discussed in the light of our observations.