congelifraction

English edit

Etymology edit

Coined by Kirk Bryan in 1946 in "Cryopedology—the study of frozen ground and intensive frost action with suggestions on nomenclature" in the American Journal of Science, volume 244, pages 622–642.

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /kənˈd͡ʒɛlɪˌfɹækʃən/
Rhymes: -ækʃən

Noun edit

congelifraction (uncountable)

the weathering of material through the repeated freezing and thawing of water.
- 1960, Arthur T. Fernald, "Geomorphology of the Upper Kuskokwim region, Alaska", U.S. Geological Survey, Geological Survey Bulletin, issue 1071, page 215
  The rubble is produced by intense frost riving, or congelifraction (Bryan, 1946, p. 640), of the bedrock.
- 2007, QA International, Understanding the Earth‎^[1], →ISBN, page 73:
  Congelifraction occurs in mountains where frosts and thaws alternate.

Related terms edit

gelifraction