aufgetauten

Aufgetauten is the plural attributive form of the German adjective aufgetaut, meaning thawed. It describes materials or surfaces that have undergone thawing. As an adjective, it is used in front of a plural noun and with a determiner, for example: Die aufgetauten Böden waren weich. It is not a standalone noun.

Grammatical usage in German follows standard adjective inflection rules. In the plural with a definite article or determiner, the form appears as aufgetauten (as in Die aufgetauten Böden). In other contexts, different endings arise depending on the determiner and number, such as ein aufgetauter Boden in the singular with an indefinite article, or aufgetaufte Böden in plural without a determiner.

Contexts and applications. The term is common in disciplines dealing with climate and environmental change, such as geology, soil science, and agriculture. It refers to surfaces or layers that have transitioned from frozen or stiff to unfrozen states due to warming, impacting soil structure, stability, and hydrology. The expression emphasizes the state change rather than the process itself.

Etymology and related forms. Aufgetauten derives from the compound verb auftauen (to thaw) and its past participle aufgetaut. Related forms include aufgetaut (masculine/feminine/neuter singular) and aufgetaufte Böden (plural without a definite determiner). The word family also appears in scientific or descriptive prose when detailing thaw conditions.

See also: auftauen, aufgetaut, thawing, soil thaw processes.