Metadata for the kmz and txt files accompanying Seligman, ZM. Rock Glacier Distribution, Activity and Movement, Northern Absaroka and Beartooth Ranges, MT, USA. M.S. thesis, University of Montana, Missoula, 2009.


KMZ files:  

There are two kmz (zipped kml) files, one feach or the Absarokas and Beartooth mountain ranges.  The objectID designates each polygon within each of those files from 1 to 270 or 391 for the ranges, respectively.  That objectID corresponds to the objectID in the text file of attributes for each polygon in the text table.  Note that the objectID should be utilized in conjuntion with the Range code as well which designates which range each polygon is in.  Please see Seligman, 2009, for details on how the polygons were digitized.


Text Attribute file:

The following describe each column in the comma delimited file describing the attributes of the polygons in the kmz files.  See Seligman, 2009, for details on how each was obtained or calculated.

ObjectID = from 1 to 270 or 391 for the Absaroka's and Beartooth's, respectively.  These values correspond to the IDs in the kmz files for each range.

Marty = an ID from 0 to 661 for each rock glacier in the combined dataset from both ranges. 

Range = code indicating membership in the Absaroka's (0) or Beartooth range (1).

Area = area of the rock glacier polygon in m2.

Elevation = mean elevation of the polygon in m determined from overlaying the polygons onto USGS 10 m DEMs.

Slope = mean slope of the rock glacier in degrees determined from overlaying the polygons onto USGS 10 m DEMs.

Insolation = mean insolation of the rock glacier in watt hrs/m2 calculated using ArcGIS Solar Analyst.

Aspect = mean aspect of each rock glacier polgon in m2 from USGS 10 m DEMs.

Tmin = monthly mean minimum temperature for each rock glacier polygon in oC from PRISM and interpolated.

Tmax= monthly mean maximum temperature for each rock glacier polygon in oC from PRISM and interpolated.

PPT = mean annual precipitation for each rock glacier from in cm/yr PRISM and interpolated.

Lithology = code indicating rock type (1 = Volcanic QAPF; 2=Absorka Matamorphic ; 3= Beartooth Metamorphic; 4= Plutonic QAPF; 5= CASSR) derived from Simons FS, Armbrustmacher TJ, van Joy RM, Zilka MT, Federspiel FE, Ridenouer J. Beartooth Primitive Area and vicinity, Carbon, Park, Stillwater, and Sweet Grass Counties, Montana, and Park County, Wyoming:  An evaluation of the mineral potential of the area. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1391‐F, Washington, DC, 1979, 125 pp. 

Probability = the probability of a rock glacier being active between 0 and 1, with 1 being most likely.