2003/01/16 by Mark A. Kessler, B. T. Werner · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Mathematics · #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Aeolian processes and effects #Climate change and permafrost #Sorting #Geology #Domain (mathematical analysis) #Stepping stone #Polar #Soil science #Geometry #Physics #Computer science #Mathematics
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1077309
openalex publication_date 2003/01/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Striking circular, labyrinthine, polygonal, and striped patterns of stones and soil self-organize in many polar and high alpine environments. These forms emerge because freeze-thaw cycles drive an interplay between two feedback mechanisms. First, formation of ice lenses in freezing soil sorts stones and soil by displacing soil toward soil-rich domains and stones toward stone-rich domains. Second, stones are transported along the axis of elongate stone domains, which are squeezed and confined as freezing soil domains expand. In a numerical model implementing these feedbacks, circles, labyrinths, and islands form when sorting dominates; polygonal networks form when stone domain squeezing and confinement dominate; and stripes form as hillslope gradient is increased.