A recent GEOMAR study found that climate change can trigger cascading natural hazards in the Arctic. The research team investigated an earthquake that triggered a rock avalanche on Jan Mayen island, revealing the devastating impact of permafrost degradation on the region's slopes and glaciers.
Researchers at the University of Arizona used drones equipped with ground-penetrating radar to map the thickness of rocky debris covering glaciers on Earth. The technology could help future astronauts locate accessible water locked in buried ice on Mars.
Researchers used UAV-LiDAR technology to measure deposits on abandoned mountain roads, estimating decadal-scale debris supply. The study found that debris supply increases with steeper slope angles and larger contributing areas, posing a risk for debris flows.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have mapped Mars' large river drainage systems, outlining 16 areas where life could have existed. These systems are crucial for understanding Martian habitability and potential past life.
Researchers found that the sediment surge after the Wenchuan Earthquake led to a significant increase in bedload flux, accounting for 65% of the overall sediment flowing through the river. The elevated flux persisted for at least ten years, with no evidence of declining back to background levels.
A new framework developed by researchers aims to better predict and understand cascading land surface hazards, which can increase the risk of subsequent events. The study's findings could help improve disaster response and build societal resilience after natural hazards.
The SUPERSLUG initiative aims to forecast the impact of sediment slugs on river catchments and communities. The project will use a range of sensors and numerical models to provide comprehensive predictions of where and how long-term effects might be felt, up to decades or centuries after an event.
A recent study by Lonneke Roelofs from Utrecht University suggests that debris flows on Mars can be driven by evaporating CO2 ice, not just liquid water. This new understanding pushes the presence of water on Mars further back in time, making it less likely for life to have existed.
A team led by Douglas Jerolmack and Paulo Arratia used laboratory experiments to understand how mudslide failure and flow behavior relates to soil material properties. They found a clear signal in 'dirty' samples using high-tech rheometers, shedding light on the tipping point for slope liquefaction.
A new model developed by Northwestern University researchers can predict areas susceptible to debris flows, enabling early warnings for people living in high-risk areas. The model simulates how water moves over wildfire burn scars, finding that burned areas cause faster and greater water flow, increasing the risk of landslides.
A new study finds that climate change will increase the risk of debris flows, flash floods, and extreme rainfall events following wildfires in the western US. By the end of the century, more than 90% of extreme fire events will be followed by at least three extreme rainfalls within five years.
A new study analyzes three decades of radar data to build a catalogue of rainbands, helping scientists create storm prediction algorithms. The researchers found that 60% of events resulted in at least one National Weather Service warning, with some associated with atmospheric rivers.
The study found that lack of knowledge about debris flows contributed to a false sense of security among residents. Public awareness programs can help keep residents and emergency management offices informed about rare but potentially lethal natural events in their area.
Researchers from GFZ and NGRI used seismic data to identify three phases of a catastrophic flood, including rockslide and debris flow. The study found that seismic networks can be used to warn of impending flash floods, with available warning times varying by distance and speed.
Researchers used machine learning to detect and alert against debris flows in the Illgraben torrent, achieving 90% accuracy in detecting early flows. The system could provide crucial warning time for nearby people and infrastructure, potentially saving lives.
Researchers studied slope failure after wildfires in Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains, finding a shift from debris flows to shallow landslides over time. The study suggests that land managers prioritize post-wildfire mitigation and planning, with debris flows being the primary concern during the next year.
Scientists have identified a key factor predicting post-wildfire mudslides: dry sediment loading, which adds 3-10 feet of debris to mountain channels. Authorities can use lidar technology to map patterns of sediment loading and clear channels before storms hit.
Wildfires can lead to significant impacts on soil infiltration, triggering flooding and erosion. Sediment flows can carry large amounts of debris downstream, posing a threat to reservoirs. Researchers are developing new models to predict the risks of post-wildfire sediment on reservoirs.
A recent study on the 2017-2018 Montecito debris flow reveals that road culverts and bridge underpasses played a significant role in causing widespread damage, as they redirected debris flow into neighborhoods. The research provides rare spatial and dynamic constraints for testing debris-flow runout models.
Researchers deciphered seismometer readings from a 2017 Montecito landslide to determine the disaster's scale and location. The findings suggest that seismometers can be used to provide an early warning of incoming debris flows, potentially saving lives.
Researchers have found fossilized whale skeletons in the Ica Desert of Peru, providing insights into the Miocene whale feeding habits. The discovery also reveals exceptional microstructure preservation, allowing for the study of fossilized baleen bristles at a submillimetric scale.
A LiDAR study documents the impact of a 2013 Colorado Front Range flood on the landscape, revealing unprecedented hillslope failures and landslides. The research highlights the role of rare events in shaping landscapes over time scales that greatly exceed historical records.
In September 2013, Colorado experienced massive flooding triggering over 1,100 debris flows across a 3,400 square kilometer area. The floods were initiated on steep slopes with high areal concentrations of colluvial soils on sedimentary rocks.
A swirling Eastern Pacific Ocean storm system is heading towards California, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to the drought-stricken state. The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for the region, warning of potential flash flooding and debris flows in areas that recently burned from wildfires.
Studies using an artificial watercourse, called a flume, found that steeper streams require more water to move sediment than previously thought. In very steep channels, sediment motion is often triggered by complete bed failure, resulting in catastrophic events.
Researchers have made significant progress in understanding how burned landscapes respond to rainfall, enabling the development of treatments to mitigate damage. Debris flow models have helped explain where these events are most likely to occur and how large they might be.
Researchers from Southwest Research Institute discovered frozen water can melt to form debris flows on Alaskan sand dunes, mirroring Martian 'dark dune spot' seepage flows. These findings provide valuable analogies for understanding Martian processes and their potential impact on future Mars missions.
Researchers utilized various geoscience technologies, including LiDAR, to study geological formations and processes. The study of the Sakhalin-Hokkaido Shear Zone revealed insights into strike-slip plate boundaries, highlighting the differences between the Russian island's boundary and the San Andreas fault in California.
Researchers investigate debris flow impacts on alpine denudation rates and find that large events can significantly perturb cosmogenic denudation rates. Mid-Pacific microatolls provide a record of sea-level stability over the past 5000 years, indicating minimal oscillations in recent millennia.
Studies investigate magma fingers, knickzones, and debris flows in the Sierra Nevada and Pacific Northwest. Magma fingers form through focused porous flow and channeling, while knickzones indicate base-level fall along rivers.
Researchers used LIDAR technology to measure changes in coastal morphology following a catastrophic series of landslides in Matata, New Zealand. The study found that debris flows sourced from the Awatarariki stream transported over 350,000 cubic meters of debris, and mapped sediment flow paths with high accuracy.
Recent Martian gullies and debris flows likely resulted from the melting of near-surface ground ice due to warming temperatures. The orientation of these features closely matches the predicted latitudinal distribution of warmest near-surface temperatures at high obliquity.