Which slope deformation is most directly attributable to thawing permafrost layer above an impermeable frozen subsurface?

💡 Explanation

Water-saturated active layer that thaws above permafrost undergoes downslope movement due to gravity. Saturation reduces soil strength causing solifluction lobe formation. Therefore, solifluction is directly linked to permafrost thaw, while the alternatives result from different geomorphic drivers and environments.

• Which outcome occurs during sediment starvation within a littoral cell?
• Which feedback mechanism enhances cirque formation at high altitudes?
• Which outcome typically occurs on the leeward side of a volcanic island in steady trade wind conditions?
• Which feedback loop affects thermohaline circulation when Arctic ice melt introduces freshwater into the North Atlantic?
• Which mechanism primarily determines the orientation (aspect) of a cirque on a mountain range?
• Which outcome occurs when a steep mountain slope underlying a glacial cirque thaws, exceeding its angle of repose?