Richter footslope development in the Olympus Range

In the 1973-74 season, two detailed traverses were made on Mt Circe and Mt Boreas in the Olympus Range. Bedrock slopes are easily accesible in this region and it is one of the few areas where the Richter footslopes are not mantled in debris. Several slopes were investigated. The area was again visted in the 1975-76 season with more measurements and observations conducted. In the 1976-77 season, the applicability of the theoretical model of slope development put forward by Lehmann and Baker and Le Heux, was investigated in the development of the Beacon, Asgard and Olympus Ranges. In each area, detailed slope profiles of the most ideal Richter slopes was measured. The profiles were compared to take account of the influence of exposure aspect, proximity of dolerite sills, dykes, nivation patches, debris on the slope and the nature of the foot slope and the adjacent free faces above the slope. From analysis of these profiles we expect to add further to the knowledge of slope development in an arid frigid environment. Conclusions arising from this work should contribute to the general theory of bedrock slope evolution in an arid frigid environment.