Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Geomorphology

Deceptively old Alpine gorges

Subjects

The timing and origins of Alpine gorge formation are controversial. A high-resolution analysis of the inner gorges of the Swiss Alps suggests that these landforms were carved over successive interglacial periods, and survived the intervening glaciations.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: The formation of an Alpine gorge.

References

  1. Tricart, J. J. Glaciol. 3, 646–651 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. De Graaff, L. W. S. Z. Geomorphol. 104, 129–159 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Valla, P. G., Van der Beek, P. A. & Carcaillet, J. Terra Nova 22, 18–25 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Montgomery, D. R. & Korup, O. Nature Geosci. 4, 62–67 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Koppes, M. N. & Montgomery, D. R. Nature Geosci. 2, 644–647 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Brocklehurst, S. H. & Whipple, K. X. Geomorphol. 75, 283–299 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Brocard, G. Y., van der Beek, P. A., Bourles, D. L., Siame, L. L. & Mugnier, J. L. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 209, 197–214 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Wittmann, H., von Blanckenburg, F., Kruesmann, T., Norton, K. P. & Kubik, P. W. J. Geophys. Res. 112, F04010 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lamb, M. P. & Fontstad, M. A. Nature Geosci. 3, 477–481 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Vernon, A. J. et al. Tectonics 28, TC5004 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dixon, J. Deceptively old Alpine gorges. Nature Geosci 4, 8–9 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1051

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1051

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing