Articles | Volume 25, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-2045-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-2045-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
24 Jun 2025
Research article |
| 24 Jun 2025
| 24 Jun 2025
Landslide activation during deglaciation in a fjord-dominated landscape: observations from southern Alaska (1984–2022)
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Mylène Jacquemart
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Bretwood Higman
Ground Truth Alaska, Seldovia, AK, USA
Romain Hugonnet
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Andrea Manconi
Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Davos, Switzerland
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Daniel Farinotti
Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), bâtiment ALPOLE, Sion, Switzerland
Related authors
No articles found.
Marin Kneib, Patrick Wagnon, Laurent Arnaud, Louise Balmas, Olivier Laarman, Bruno Jourdain, Amaury Dehecq, Emmanuel Lemeur, Fanny Brun, Andrea Kneib-Walter, Ilaria Santin, Laurane Charrier, Thierry Faug, Giulia Mazzotti, Antoine Rabatel, Delphine Six, and Daniel Farinotti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-786, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-786, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Avalanches are vital for glacier survival, yet their impact is difficult to quantify. We used low-cost cameras and drones to monitor an avalanche cone in the French Alps for two years. By accounting for ice flow, we found that avalanches can deposit 30 meters of snow annually – 50 times more than normal snowfall. This high-frequency data reveals that these cones fill until reaching a specific steepness, after which new snow slides further down to the base.
Maud Bernat, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Romain Hugonnet, Joaquin M. C. Belart, Naomi Ochwat, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Elizabeth Case, Ted Scambos, Louis-Marie Gauer, and David Youssefi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-729, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-729, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
The Antarctic Peninsula is a mountainous region containing an ice sheet and peripheral glaciers. Differences remain between the methods used to estimate its mass changes. We use thousands of digital elevation models derived from high resolution stereoscopic images to calculate a new estimate of mass changes. We find that between 2007 and 2021, the ice sheet lost -27±9Gt/a and its peripheral glaciers -14±2Gt/a. We highlight the importance of resolving fine-scale changes in complex coastal areas.
Nora Bergner, Grace Marsh, Kevin Barry, Larissa Lacher, Alexander Böhmländer, Joanna Alden, Carina Ahlqvist, Ianina Altshuler, Lisa Bröder, Daniel Farinotti, Lionel Favre, Coline Guillosson, Benjamin Heutte, Kristina Höhler, Roman Pohorsky, Julian Weng, and Julia Schmale
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-484, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-484, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Dust from Greenlandic glacial outwash plains can form ice in clouds, a process relevant for climate. Its ice-nucleating activity varies strongly and is largely controlled by small amounts of biological material. During summer, the influence on atmospheric ice-nucleating particles is mostly local. Lower activity compared to other high-latitude dust sources highlights the need to account for regional differences in Arctic dust.
Ilaria Santin, Huw Horgan, Raphael Moser, Nanna Bjørnholt Karlsson, Faezeh Maghami Nick, Andreas Vieli, Anja Rutishauser, Hansruedi Maurer, and Daniel Farinotti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-488, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-488, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Ice thickness near Greenland’s coast is still poorly measured, yet it is vital for predicting sea level rise. We flew a helicopter ice-penetrating radar over three outlet glaciers in southern Greenland and mapped the glacier bed where basal reflections were clear. We measured ice up to about 340 meters thick, with reliable penetration typically to about 300 meters, providing new constraints that can improve regional bed maps.
Christophe Ogier, Mauro A. Werder, Olivier Gagliardini, Ilaria Santin, Raphael Moser, Romain Hugonnet, Antoine Blanc, and Daniel Farinotti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-466, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-466, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
In June 2024, a destructive flood impacted the village of La Bérarde in the French Alps. Rain, snowmelt, and the drainage of a surface lake on a glacier cannot fully explain the flood magnitude. We used glacier topography to estimate how much water could also have been stored beneath the glacier before the event. Our results show that large volumes of hidden water may have existed and could have amplified the flood, highlighting an overlooked hazard in debris-covered mountain glaciers.
Gwendolyn Dasser, Alessandro Maissen, Michele Volpi, Jordan Aaron, Florian Denzinger, Hugo Raetzo, and Andrea Manconi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-375, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-375, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
We aim to improve early landslide detection and monitoring by automating signal segmentation of Sentinel-1 radar interferograms. We first compared how different experts map mass-movement related signals on interferograms using ten case studies, identifying dataset uncertainties and limitations. We then trained and evaluated deep learning approaches to perform segmentation. Finally showing that models can achieve results comparable to expert variability while improving efficiency.
Marit van Tiel, Matthias Huss, Massimiliano Zappa, Tobias Jonas, and Daniel Farinotti
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 30, 23–43, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-23-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-23-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
The summer of 2022 was extremely warm and dry in Europe, severely impacting water availability. We calculated water balance anomalies for 88 glacierized catchments in Switzerland, showing that glaciers played a crucial role in alleviating the drought situation by melting at record rates, partially compensating for the lack of rain and snowmelt. By comparing 2022 with past extreme years, we show that while glacier meltwater remains essential during droughts, its contribution is declining.
Alexandra von der Esch, Matthias Huss, Marit van Tiel, Justine Berg, and Daniel Farinotti
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 6761–6780, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-6761-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-6761-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers are vital water sources, especially in alpine regions. Using the Glacier Evolution Runoff Model (GERM), we examined how forcing data and model resolution impact glacio-hydrological model results. We find that precipitation biases greatly affect results, and coarse resolutions miss critical small-scale details. This highlights the trade-offs between computational efficiency and model accuracy, emphasizing the need for high-resolution data and precise calibration for reliable predictions.
Laura Gabriel, Marian Hertrich, Christophe Ogier, Mike Müller-Petke, Raphael Moser, Hansruedi Maurer, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 19, 6261–6281, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6261-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6261-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Surface nuclear magnetic resonance (SNMR) is a geophysical technique directly sensitive to liquid water. We expand the limited applications of SNMR on glaciers by detecting water within Rhonegletscher, Switzerland. By carefully processing the data to reduce noise, we identified signals indicating a water layer near the base of the glacier, surrounded by ice with low water content. Our findings, validated by radar measurements, show SNMR's potential and limitations in studying water in glaciers.
Tazio Strozzi, Nina Jones, Federico Agliardi, Alessandro De Pedrini, Othmar Frey, Philipp Bernhard, Rafael Caduff, Christian Ambrosi, and Andrea Manconi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5347, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5347, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The latest satellite technology with longer wavelength radar improves our ability to detect and monitor large alpine rock slope instabilities. This approach works better than current satellite systems in forested areas and on fast-moving slopes, giving experts more reliable data to understand these major hazards. Our results from three locations in Italy and Switzerland also provide important recommendations for the preparation of future satellite radar missions.
Luc Beraud, Fanny Brun, Amaury Dehecq, Romain Hugonnet, and Prashant Shekhar
The Cryosphere, 19, 5075–5094, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5075-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5075-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study introduces a new workflow to process the elevation time series of glacier surges, an ice flow instability. Applied to a dense, 20-year satellite dataset of glacier surface elevation, the method filters and interpolates these changes on a monthly scale, revealing detailed patterns and estimates of mass transport. The dataset produced by this method allows for a more accurate and a remarkably detailed description of glacier surges at the scale of a large region.
Bastien Ruols, Johanna Klahold, Daniel Farinotti, and James Irving
The Cryosphere, 19, 4045–4059, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4045-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4045-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrate the use of a drone-based ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system to gather high-resolution, high-density 4D data over a near-terminus glacier collapse feature. We monitor the growth of an air cavity and the evolution of the subglacial drainage system, providing insights into the dynamics of the collapse event. This work highlights potential future applications of drone-based GPR for monitoring glaciers, in particular in regions which are inaccessible by surface-based methods.
Ian Delaney, Andrew J. Tedstone, Mauro A. Werder, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 19, 2779–2795, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2779-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2779-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment transport capacity depends on water velocity and channel width. In rivers, water discharge changes affect flow depth, width, and velocity. Yet, under glaciers, discharge variations alter velocity more than channel shape. Due to these differences, this study shows that sediment transport capacity under glaciers varies widely and peaks before water flow, creating a complex relationship. Understanding these dynamics helps interpret sediment discharge from glaciers in different climates.
Aaron Cremona, Matthias Huss, Johannes Marian Landmann, Mauro Marty, Marijn van der Meer, Christian Ginzler, and Daniel Farinotti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2929, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2929, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study provides daily mass balance estimates for every Swiss glacier from 2010–2024 using modelling, remote sensing observations, and machine learning. Over the period, Swiss glaciers lost nearly a quarter of their ice volume. The approach enables investigating the spatio-temporal variability of glacier mass balance in relation to the driving climatic factors.
Inés Dussaillant, Romain Hugonnet, Matthias Huss, Etienne Berthier, Jacqueline Bannwart, Frank Paul, and Michael Zemp
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1977–2006, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1977-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1977-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our research observes glacier mass changes worldwide from 1976 to 2024, revealing an alarming increase in melt, especially in the last decade and the record year of 2023. By combining field and satellite observations, we provide annual mass changes for all glaciers in the world, showing significant contributions to global sea level rise. This work underscores the need for ongoing local monitoring and global climate action to mitigate the effects of glacier loss and its broader environmental impacts.
Mylène Jacquemart, Ethan Welty, Marcus Gastaldello, and Guillem Carcanade
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1627–1666, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1627-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1627-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present glenglat, a database that contains measurements of ice temperature from 213 glaciers measured in 788 boreholes between 1842 and 2023. Even though ice temperature is a defining characteristic of any glacier, such measurements have been conducted on less than 1 ‰ of all glaciers globally. Our database permits us, for the first time, to investigate glacier temperature distributions at global or regional scales.
Kaian Shahateet, Johannes J. Fürst, Francisco Navarro, Thorsten Seehaus, Daniel Farinotti, and Matthias Braun
The Cryosphere, 19, 1577–1597, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1577-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1577-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In the present work, we provide a new ice thickness reconstruction of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet north of 70º S using inversion modeling. This model consists of two steps: the first uses basic assumptions of the rheology of the glacier, and the second uses mass conservation to improve the reconstruction where the assumptions made previously are expected to fail. Validation with independent data showed that our reconstruction improved compared to other reconstructions that are available.
Andrea Manconi, Gwendolyn Dasser, Mylène Jacquemart, Nicolas Oestreicher, Livia Piermattei, and Tazio Strozzi
Abstr. Int. Cartogr. Assoc., 9, 41, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-9-41-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-9-41-2025, 2025
Natalie Lützow, Bretwood Higman, Martin Truffer, Bodo Bookhagen, Friedrich Knuth, Oliver Korup, Katie E. Hughes, Marten Geertsema, John J. Clague, and Georg Veh
The Cryosphere, 19, 1085–1102, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1085-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1085-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
As the atmosphere warms, thinning glacier dams impound smaller lakes at their margins. Yet, some lakes deviate from this trend and have instead grown over time, increasing the risk of glacier floods to downstream populations and infrastructure. In this article, we examine the mechanisms behind the growth of an ice-dammed lake in Alaska. We find that the growth in size and outburst volumes is more controlled by glacier front downwaste than by overall mass loss over the entire glacier surface.
Marijn van der Meer, Harry Zekollari, Matthias Huss, Jordi Bolibar, Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 19, 805–826, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-805-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-805-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier retreat poses big challenges, making understanding how climate affects glaciers vital. But glacier measurements worldwide are limited. We created a simple machine-learning model called miniML-MB, which estimates annual changes in glacier mass in the Swiss Alps. As input, miniML-MB uses two climate variables: average temperature (May–Aug) and total precipitation (Oct–Feb). Our model can accurately predict glacier mass from 1961 to 2021 but struggles for extreme years (2022 and 2023).
Harry Zekollari, Matthias Huss, Lilian Schuster, Fabien Maussion, David R. Rounce, Rodrigo Aguayo, Nicolas Champollion, Loris Compagno, Romain Hugonnet, Ben Marzeion, Seyedhamidreza Mojtabavi, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 18, 5045–5066, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5045-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5045-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers are major contributors to sea-level rise and act as key water resources. Here, we model the global evolution of glaciers under the latest generation of climate scenarios. We show that the type of observations used for model calibration can strongly affect the projections at the local scale. Our newly projected 21st century global mass loss is higher than the current community estimate as reported in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.
Andrea Manconi, Yves Bühler, Andreas Stoffel, Johan Gaume, Qiaoping Zhang, and Valentyn Tolpekin
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3833–3839, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-3833-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-3833-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our research reveals the power of high-resolution satellite synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) imagery for slope deformation monitoring. Using ICEYE data over the Brienz/Brinzauls instability, we measured surface velocity and mapped the landslide event with unprecedented precision. This underscores the potential of satellite SAR for timely hazard assessment in remote regions and aiding disaster mitigation efforts effectively.
Livia Piermattei, Michael Zemp, Christian Sommer, Fanny Brun, Matthias H. Braun, Liss M. Andreassen, Joaquín M. C. Belart, Etienne Berthier, Atanu Bhattacharya, Laura Boehm Vock, Tobias Bolch, Amaury Dehecq, Inés Dussaillant, Daniel Falaschi, Caitlyn Florentine, Dana Floricioiu, Christian Ginzler, Gregoire Guillet, Romain Hugonnet, Matthias Huss, Andreas Kääb, Owen King, Christoph Klug, Friedrich Knuth, Lukas Krieger, Jeff La Frenierre, Robert McNabb, Christopher McNeil, Rainer Prinz, Louis Sass, Thorsten Seehaus, David Shean, Désirée Treichler, Anja Wendt, and Ruitang Yang
The Cryosphere, 18, 3195–3230, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3195-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3195-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Satellites have made it possible to observe glacier elevation changes from all around the world. In the present study, we compared the results produced from two different types of satellite data between different research groups and against validation measurements from aeroplanes. We found a large spread between individual results but showed that the group ensemble can be used to reliably estimate glacier elevation changes and related errors from satellite data.
Gwendolyn Dasser, Valentin T. Bickel, Marius Rüetschi, Mylène Jacquemart, Mathias Bavay, Elisabeth D. Hafner, Alec van Herwijnen, and Andrea Manconi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1510, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1510, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding snowpack wetness is crucial for predicting wet snow avalanches, but detailed data is often limited to certain locations. Using satellite radar, we monitor snow wetness spatially continuously. By combining different radar tracks from Sentinel-1, we improved spatial resolution and tracked snow wetness over several seasons. Our results indicate higher snow wetness to correlate with increased wet snow avalanche activity, suggesting our method can help identify potential risk areas.
Kristina Juliana Reinders, Govert Frederik Verhoeven, Luca Sartorelli, Ramon Hanssen, and Andrea Manconi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2321, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2321, 2023
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated if radar data from the Sentinel-1 satellite can be used to assess displacements in permafrost areas in the Swiss alps. We discovered that 92 % of the permafrost areas can be visible with Sentinel-1. Next, based on displacement times series derived from radar data we revealed that the ground movements in permafrost areas are 2–3 times as large than in permafrost without areas. This result can help in monitoring permafrost areas and update current permafrost maps.
Anja Løkkegaard, Kenneth D. Mankoff, Christian Zdanowicz, Gary D. Clow, Martin P. Lüthi, Samuel H. Doyle, Henrik H. Thomsen, David Fisher, Joel Harper, Andy Aschwanden, Bo M. Vinther, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, Harry Zekollari, Toby Meierbachtol, Ian McDowell, Neil Humphrey, Anne Solgaard, Nanna B. Karlsson, Shfaqat A. Khan, Benjamin Hills, Robert Law, Bryn Hubbard, Poul Christoffersen, Mylène Jacquemart, Julien Seguinot, Robert S. Fausto, and William T. Colgan
The Cryosphere, 17, 3829–3845, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3829-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3829-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a database compiling 95 ice temperature profiles from the Greenland ice sheet and peripheral ice caps. Ice viscosity and hence ice flow are highly sensitive to ice temperature. To highlight the value of the database in evaluating ice flow simulations, profiles from the Greenland ice sheet are compared to a modeled temperature field. Reoccurring discrepancies between modeled and observed temperatures provide insight on the difficulties faced when simulating ice temperatures.
Fanny Brun, Owen King, Marion Réveillet, Charles Amory, Anton Planchot, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Tobias Bolch, Kévin Fourteau, Julien Brondex, Marie Dumont, Christoph Mayer, Silvan Leinss, Romain Hugonnet, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 17, 3251–3268, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3251-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3251-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The South Col Glacier is a small body of ice and snow located on the southern ridge of Mt. Everest. A recent study proposed that South Col Glacier is rapidly losing mass. In this study, we examined the glacier thickness change for the period 1984–2017 and found no thickness change. To reconcile these results, we investigate wind erosion and surface energy and mass balance and find that melt is unlikely a dominant process, contrary to previous findings.
Lander Van Tricht, Harry Zekollari, Matthias Huss, Daniel Farinotti, and Philippe Huybrechts
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-87, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-87, 2023
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Detailed 3D models can be applied for well-studied glaciers, whereas simplified approaches are used for regional/global assessments. We conducted a comparison of six Tien Shan glaciers employing different models and investigated the impact of in-situ measurements. Our results reveal that the choice of mass balance and ice flow model as well as calibration have minimal impact on the projected volume. The initial ice thickness exerts the greatest influence on the future remaining ice volume.
Aaron Cremona, Matthias Huss, Johannes Marian Landmann, Joël Borner, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 17, 1895–1912, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1895-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1895-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Summer heat waves have a substantial impact on glacier melt as emphasized by the extreme summer of 2022. This study presents a novel approach for detecting extreme glacier melt events at the regional scale based on the combination of automatically retrieved point mass balance observations and modelling approaches. The in-depth analysis of summer 2022 evidences the strong correspondence between heat waves and extreme melt events and demonstrates their significance for seasonal melt.
Fabian Walter, Elias Hodel, Erik S. Mannerfelt, Kristen Cook, Michael Dietze, Livia Estermann, Michaela Wenner, Daniel Farinotti, Martin Fengler, Lukas Hammerschmidt, Flavia Hänsli, Jacob Hirschberg, Brian McArdell, and Peter Molnar
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 4011–4018, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-4011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-4011-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Debris flows are dangerous sediment–water mixtures in steep terrain. Their formation takes place in poorly accessible terrain where instrumentation cannot be installed. Here we propose to monitor such source terrain with an autonomous drone for mapping sediments which were left behind by debris flows or may contribute to future events. Short flight intervals elucidate changes of such sediments, providing important information for landscape evolution and the likelihood of future debris flows.
Maximillian Van Wyk de Vries, Shashank Bhushan, Mylène Jacquemart, César Deschamps-Berger, Etienne Berthier, Simon Gascoin, David E. Shean, Dan H. Shugar, and Andreas Kääb
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3309–3327, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3309-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3309-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
On 7 February 2021, a large rock–ice avalanche occurred in Chamoli, Indian Himalaya. The resulting debris flow swept down the nearby valley, leaving over 200 people dead or missing. We use a range of satellite datasets to investigate how the collapse area changed prior to collapse. We show that signs of instability were visible as early 5 years prior to collapse. However, it would likely not have been possible to predict the timing of the event from current satellite datasets.
Erik Schytt Mannerfelt, Amaury Dehecq, Romain Hugonnet, Elias Hodel, Matthias Huss, Andreas Bauder, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 3249–3268, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3249-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3249-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
How glaciers have responded to climate change over the last 20 years is well-known, but earlier data are much more scarce. We change this in Switzerland by using 22 000 photographs taken from mountain tops between the world wars and find a halving of Swiss glacier volume since 1931. This was done through new automated processing techniques that we created. The data are interesting for more than just glaciers, such as mapping forest changes, landslides, and human impacts on the terrain.
Lea Geibel, Matthias Huss, Claudia Kurzböck, Elias Hodel, Andreas Bauder, and Daniel Farinotti
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 3293–3312, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3293-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3293-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier monitoring in Switzerland started in the 19th century, providing exceptional data series documenting snow accumulation and ice melt. Raw point observations of surface mass balance have, however, never been systematically compiled so far, including complete metadata. Here, we present an extensive dataset with more than 60 000 point observations of surface mass balance covering 60 Swiss glaciers and almost 140 years, promoting a better understanding of the drivers of recent glacier change.
Tim Steffen, Matthias Huss, Rebekka Estermann, Elias Hodel, and Daniel Farinotti
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 723–741, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-723-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-723-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change is rapidly altering high-alpine landscapes. The formation of new lakes in areas becoming ice free due to glacier retreat is one of the many consequences of this process. Here, we provide an estimate for the number, size, time of emergence, and sediment infill of future glacier lakes that will emerge in the Swiss Alps. We estimate that up to ~ 680 potential lakes could form over the course of the 21st century, with the potential to hold a total water volume of up to ~ 1.16 km3.
Andrea Manconi, Alessandro C. Mondini, and the AlpArray working group
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1655–1664, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-1655-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-1655-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Information on when, where, and how landslide events occur is the key to building complete catalogues and performing accurate hazard assessments. Here we show a procedure that allows us to benefit from the increased density of seismic sensors installed on ground for earthquake monitoring and from the unprecedented availability of satellite radar data. We show how the procedure works on a recent sequence of landslides that occurred at Piz Cengalo (Swiss Alps) in 2017.
Andrew Mitchell, Sophia Zubrycky, Scott McDougall, Jordan Aaron, Mylène Jacquemart, Johannes Hübl, Roland Kaitna, and Christoph Graf
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1627–1654, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-1627-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-1627-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Debris flows are complex, surging movements of sediment and water. Discharge observations from well-studied debris-flow channels were used as inputs for a numerical modelling study of the downstream effects of chaotic inflows. The results show that downstream impacts are sensitive to inflow conditions. Inflow conditions for predictive modelling are highly uncertain, and our method provides a means to estimate the potential variability in future events.
Loris Compagno, Matthias Huss, Evan Stewart Miles, Michael James McCarthy, Harry Zekollari, Amaury Dehecq, Francesca Pellicciotti, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 1697–1718, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1697-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1697-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new approach for modelling debris area and thickness evolution. We implement the module into a combined mass-balance ice-flow model, and we apply it using different climate scenarios to project the future evolution of all glaciers in High Mountain Asia. We show that glacier geometry, volume, and flow velocity evolve differently when modelling explicitly debris cover compared to glacier evolution without the debris-cover module, demonstrating the importance of accounting for debris.
Christophe Ogier, Mauro A. Werder, Matthias Huss, Isabelle Kull, David Hodel, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 15, 5133–5150, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5133-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier-dammed lakes are prone to draining rapidly when the ice dam breaks and constitute a serious threat to populations downstream. Such a lake drainage can proceed through an open-air channel at the glacier surface. In this study, we present what we believe to be the most complete dataset to date of an ice-dammed lake drainage through such an open-air channel. We provide new insights for future glacier-dammed lake drainage modelling studies and hazard assessments.
Johannes Marian Landmann, Hans Rudolf Künsch, Matthias Huss, Christophe Ogier, Markus Kalisch, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 15, 5017–5040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5017-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5017-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we (1) acquire real-time information on point glacier mass balance with autonomous real-time cameras and (2) assimilate these observations into a mass balance model ensemble driven by meteorological input. For doing so, we use a customized particle filter that we designed for the specific purposes of our study. We find melt rates of up to 0.12 m water equivalent per day and show that our assimilation method has a higher performance than reference mass balance models.
Loris Compagno, Sarah Eggs, Matthias Huss, Harry Zekollari, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 15, 2593–2599, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2593-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2593-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, discussions have focused on the difference in limiting the increase in global average temperatures to below 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 °C compared to preindustrial levels. Here, we assess the impacts that such different scenarios would have on both the future evolution of glaciers in the European Alps and the water resources they provide. Our results show that the different temperature targets have important implications for the changes predicted until 2100.
Silvan Leinss, Enrico Bernardini, Mylène Jacquemart, and Mikhail Dokukin
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1409–1429, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-1409-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-1409-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A cluster of 13 large mass flow events including five detachments of entire valley glaciers was observed in the Petra Pervogo range, Tajikistan, in 1973–2019. The local clustering provides additional understanding of the influence of temperature, seismic activity, and geology. Most events occurred in summer of years with mean annual air temperatures higher than the past 46-year trend. The glaciers rest on weak bedrock and are rather short, making them sensitive to friction loss due to meltwater.
Andreas Kääb, Mylène Jacquemart, Adrien Gilbert, Silvan Leinss, Luc Girod, Christian Huggel, Daniel Falaschi, Felipe Ugalde, Dmitry Petrakov, Sergey Chernomorets, Mikhail Dokukin, Frank Paul, Simon Gascoin, Etienne Berthier, and Jeffrey S. Kargel
The Cryosphere, 15, 1751–1785, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1751-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1751-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Hardly recognized so far, giant catastrophic detachments of glaciers are a rare but great potential for loss of lives and massive damage in mountain regions. Several of the events compiled in our study involve volumes (up to 100 million m3 and more), avalanche speeds (up to 300 km/h), and reaches (tens of kilometres) that are hard to imagine. We show that current climate change is able to enhance associated hazards. For the first time, we elaborate a set of factors that could cause these events.
Cited articles
Agliardi, F., Scuderi, M. M., Fusi, N., and Collettini, C.: Slow-to-fast transition of giant creeping rockslides modulated by undrained loading in basal shear zones, Nat. Commun., 11, 1352, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15093-3, 2020. a
Amundson, J., Truffer, M., Lüthi, M. P., Fahnestock, M., West, M., and Motyka, R. J.: Glacier, fjord, and seismic response to recent large calving events, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L22501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL035281, 2008. a
Ballantyne, C. K.: Paraglacial geomorphology, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 21, 1935–2017, 2002. a
Benn, D. I., Warren, C. R., and Mottram, R. H.: Calving processes and the dynamics of calving glaciers, Earth Sci. Rev., 82, 143–179, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2007.02.002, 2007. a, b, c, d
Berthier, E., Schiefer, E., Clarke, G. K. C., Menounos, B., and Rémy, F.: Contribution of Alaskan Glaciers to Sea-Level Rise Derived from Satellite Imagery, Nat. Geosci., 3, 92–95, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo737, 2010. a, b, c, d
Blasio, F. D.: Introduction to the Physics of Landslides, chap. Friction, Cohesion, and Slope Stability, Springer, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1122-8_2, 2011. a
Bovis, M. and Stewart, T.: Long-term deformation of a glacially undercut rock slope, southwest British Columbia, in: Eighth International Congress, International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment, edited by: Moore, D. and Hungr, O., A.A. Balkema Publishers, ISBN 9054109904, 1998. a
Brain, M. J., Moya, S., Kincey, M. E., Tunstall, N., Petley, D. N., and Sepúlveda, S. A.: Controls on Post‐Seismic Landslide Behavior in Brittle Rocks, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 126, e2021JF006242, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006242, 2021. a
Carrière, S. R., Jongmans, D., Chambon, G., Bièvre, G., Lanson, B., Bertello, L., Berti, M., Jaboyedoff, M., Malet, J.-P., and Chambers, J. E.: Rheological properties of clayey soils originating from flow-like landslides, Landslides, 15, 1615–1630, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-0972-6, 2018. a
Church, M. and Ryder, J. M.: Paraglacial Sedimentation: A Consideration of Fluvial Processes Conditioned by Glaciation, GSA Bulletin, 83, 3059–72, https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[3059:PSACOF]2.0.CO;2, 1972. a
Cody, E., Anderson, B. M., McColl, S. T., Fuller, I. C., and Purdie, H. L.: Paraglacial adjustment of sediment slopes during and immediately after glacial debuttressing, Geomorphology, 371, 107411, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107411, 2020. a
Cohen, S. C. and Freymueller, J. T.: Crustal Uplift in the South Central Alaska Subduction Zone: New Analysis and Interpretation of Tide Gauge Observations, J. Geophys. Res.-Solid Earth, 106, 11259–11270, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB900419, 2001. a
Cuffey, K. M. and Paterson, W. S. B.: The Physics of Glaciers, 4th edn., Butterworth-Heineman, Amsterdam, Heidelberg, ISBN 978-0-12-369461-4, 2010. a
Dahl-Jensen, T., Larsen, L. M., Pedersen, S. A. S., Pedersen, J., Jepsen, H. F., Pedersen, G., Nielsen, T., Pedersen, A. K., Platen-Hallermund, F. V., and Weng, W.: Landslide and Tsunami 21 November 2000 in Paatuut, West Greenland, Na. Hazards, 31, 277–87, https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NHAZ.0000020264.70048.95, 2004. a
Dai, C., Higman, B., Lynett, P. J., Jacquemart, M., Howat, I. M., Liljedahl, A. K., Dufresne, A., Freymueller, J. T., Geertsema, M., Ward Jones, M., and Haeussler, P. J.: Detection and Assessment of a Large and Potentially Tsunamigenic Periglacial Landslide in Barry Arm, Alaska, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2020GL089800, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089800, 2020. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h
Dehecq, A., Gardner, A. S., nad Scott McMichael, O. A., Hugonnet, R., Shean, D., and Marty, M.: Automated Processing of Declassified KH-9 Hexagon Satellite Images for Global Elevation Change Analysis Since the 1970s, Front. Earth Sci., 8, 566802, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.566802, 2020. a, b, c, d
Earthquake Hazards Program: 20 Largest Earthquakes in the World Since 1900, United States Geological Survey, https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/science/20-largest-earthquakes-world-1900 (last access: 25 January 2024), 2019. a
Earthquake Hazards Program: Earthquake Magnitude, Energy Release, and Shaking Intensity, U.S. Geological Survey, https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquake-magnitude-energy-release-and-shaking-intensity (last access: 6 March 2024), 2024. a
Falkner, K. K., Melling, H., Münchow, A. M., Box, J. E., Wohlleben, T., Johnson, H. L., Gudmandsen, P., Samelson, R., Copland, L., Steffen, K., Rignot, E., and Higgins, A. K.: Context for the Recent Massive Petermann Glacier Calving Event, EOS, Transactions, AGU, 92, 117–118, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011EO140001, 2011. a
Fan, X., Dufresne, A., Subramanian, S. S., Strom, A., Hermanns, R., Stefanelli, C. T., Hewitt, K., Yunus, A. P., Dunning, S., Capra, L., Geertsema, M., Miller, B., Casagli, N., Jansen, J. D., and Xu, Q.: The Formation and Impact of Landslide Dams – State of the Art, Earth-Sci. Rev., 203, 103116, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103116, 2020. a
Federico, A., Popescu, M., Elia, G., Fidelibus, C., Internò, G., and Murianni, A.: Prediction of time to slope failure: a general framework, Environ. Earth Sci., 66, 245–256, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1231-5, 2011. a
Gardner, A. S., Moholdt, G., Scambos, T., Fahnstock, M., Ligtenberg, S., van den Broeke, M., and Nilsson, J.: Increased West Antarctic and unchanged East Antarctic ice discharge over the last 7 years, The Cryosphere, 12, 521–547, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-521-2018, 2018. a
Gardner, A. S., Fahnestock, M. A., and Scambos, T. A.: ITS_LIVE Regional Glacier and Ice Sheet Surface Velocities: Version 2, National Snow and Ice Data Center, https://doi.org/10.5067/6II6VW8LLWJ7, 2023. a, b
Gischig, V., Preisig, G., and Eberhardt, E.: Numerical Investigation of Seismically Induced Rock Mass Fatigue as a Mechanism Contributing to the Progressive Failure of Deep-Seated Landslides, Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 49, 2457–2478, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0821-z, 2016. a, b
Glueer, F., Loew, S., Manconi, A., and Aaron, J.: From Toppling to Sliding: Progressive Evolution of the Moosfluh Landslide, Switzerland, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 124, 2899–2919, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005019, 2019. a, b
Glueer, F., Loew, S., and Manconi, A.: Paraglacial history and structure of the Moosfluh landslide (1850–2016), Switzerland, Geomorphology, 355, 106677, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.02.021, 2020. a
Grämiger, L. M., Moore, J. R., Gischig, V. S., Ivy-Ochs, S., and Loew, S.: Beyond Debuttressing: Mechanics of Paraglacial Rock Slope Damage during Repeat Glacial Cycles: paraglacial rock slope mechanics, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 122, 1004–1036, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JF003967, 2017. a, b, c
Grämiger, L. M., Moore, J. R., Gischig, V. S., and Loew, S.: Thermomechanical Stresses Drive Damage of Alpine Valley Rock Walls During Repeat Glacial Cycles, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 123, 2620–2646, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JF004626, 2018. a, b
Grämiger, L. M., Moore, J. R., Gischig, V. S., Loew, S., Funk, M., and Limpach, P.: Hydromechanical Rock Slope Damage During Late Pleistocene and Holocene Glacial Cycles in an Alpine Valley, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 125, e2019JF005494, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005494, 2020. a, b, c
Guzzetti, F., Ardizzone, F., Cardinali, M., Rossi, M., and Valigi, D.: Landslide volumes and landslide mobilization rates in Umbria, central Italy, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 279, 222–229, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.01.005, 2009.
Handwerger, A. L., Fielding, E. J., Huang, M., Bennett, G. L., Liang, C., and Schulz, W. H.: Widespread Initiation, Reactivation, and Acceleration of Landslides in the Northern California Coast Ranges Due to Extreme Rainfall, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 124, 1782–1797, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005035, 2019a. a, b
Handwerger, A. L., Huang, M.-H., Fielding, E. J., Booth, A. M., and Bürgmann, R.: A shift from drought to extreme rainfall drives a stable landslide to catastrophic failure, Sci. Rep., 9, 1569, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38300-0, 2019b. a
Handwerger, A. L., Fielding, E. J., Sangha, S. S., and Bekaert, D. P. S.: Landslide Sensitivity and Response to Precipitation Changes in Wet and Dry Climates, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL099499, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099499, 2022. a
Hanson, B. and Hooke, R. L.: Glacier Calving: A Numerical Model of Forces in the Calving-Speed/Water-Depth Relation, J. Glaciol., 46, 188–96, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781832792, 2000. a
Hendron, A. and Patton, F.: The Vaiont Slide – A Geotechnical Analysis Based on New Geologic Observations of the Failure Surface, Eng. Geol., 24, 475–491, https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-7952(87)90080-9, 1987. a, b
Hermanns, R. L., Schleier, M., Böhme, M., Blikra, L. H., Gosse, J., Ivy-Ochs, S., and Hilger, P.: Rock-Avalanche Activity in W and S Norway Peaks After the Retreat of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet, in: Advancing Culture of Living with Landslides, edited by: Mikoš, M., Vilímek, V., Yin, Y., and Sassa, K., Springer International Publishing, 331–338, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53483-1_39, 2017. a
Hersbach, H., Muñoz Sabater, J., Nicolas, Rozum, I., Simmons, Vamborg, F., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Biavati, G., Buontempo, C., Horányi, A., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Soci, C., Dee, D., and Thépaut, J.-N.: Essential climate variables for assessment of climate variability from 1979 to present, copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Data Store (CDS) [data set], https://doi.org/10.24381/7470b643, 2018. a, b, c
Higman, B., Shugar, D. H., Stark, C. P., Ekström, G., Koppes, M. N., Lynett, P., Dufresne, A., Haeussler, P. J., Geertsema, M., Gulick, S., Mattox, A., Venditti, J. G., Walton, M. A. L., McCall, N., Mckittrick, E., MacInnes, B., Bilderback, E. L., Tang, H., Willis, M. J., Richmond, B., Reece, R. S., Larsen, C., Olson, B., Capra, J., Ayca, A., Bloom, C., Williams, H., Bonno, D., Weiss, R., Keen, A., Skanavis, V., and Loso, M.: The 2015 landslide and tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska, Sci. Rep., 8, 12993, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30475-w, 2018. a, b, c
Hugentobler, M., Loew, S., Aaron, J., Roques, C., and Oestreicher, N.: Borehole Monitoring of Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Rock Slope Processes Adjacent to an Actively Retreating Glacier, Geomorphology, 362, 107190, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107190, 2020. a
Hugentobler, M., Aaron, J., Loew, S., and Roques, C.: Hydro‐Mechanical Interactions of a Rock Slope With a Retreating Temperate Valley Glacier, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 127, e2021JF006484, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006484, 2022. a, b
Hugonnet, R., McNabb, R., Berthier, E., Menounos, B., Nuth, C., Girod, L., Farinotti, D., Huss, M., Dussaillant, I., Brun, F., and Kääb, A.: Accelerated global glacier mass loss in the early twenty-first century, Nature, 592, 726–731, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03436-z, 2021. a, b, c, d, e, f
Immerzeel, W. W., Lutz, A. F., Andrade, M., Bahl, A., Biemans, H., Bolch, T., Hyde, S., Davies, B., Elmore, A. C., Emmer, A., Feng, M., Fernández, A., Haritashya, U., Kargel, J. S., Koppes, M., Kraaijenbrink, P. D. A., Kulkarni, A. V., Mayewski, P. A., Nepal, S., Pacheco, P., Painter, T. H., Pellicciotti, F., Rajaram, H., Rupper, S., Sinisalo, A., Shrestha, A. B., Viviroli, D., Wada, Y., Xiao, C., Yao, T., and Baillie, J. E. M.: Importance and Vulnerability of the World's Water Towers, Nature, 577, 364–369, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1822-y, 2020. a
IPCC: Summary for Policymakers, in: IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, edited by: Pörtner, H. O., Roberts, D., Masson-Delmotte, V., Zhai, V., Tignor, M., Poloczanska, E., Mintenbeck, K., Alegría, A., Nicolai, M., Okem, A., Petzold, J., Rama, B., and Weyer, N., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, 3–35, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157964.001, 2019. a
IPCC: Technical Summary, in: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by: Pörtner, H. O., Roberts, D., Tignor, M., Poloczanska, E., Mintenbeck, K., Alegría, A., Craig, M., Langsdorf, S., Löschke, S., Möller, V., Okem, A., and Rama, B., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, p. 3056, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844, 2022. a
Iverson, R. M.: Landslide Triggering by Rain Infiltration, Water Resour. Res., 36, 1897–1910, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000WR900090, 2000. a, b
Iverson, R. M., Reid, M. E., Iverson, N. R., LaHusen, R. G., Logan, M., Mann, J. E., and Brien, D. L.: Acute Sensitivity of Landslide Rates to Initial Soil Porosity, Science, 290, 513–516, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.290.5491.513, 2000. a
Jaboyedoff, M., Carrea, D., Derron, M.-H., Oppikofer, T., Penna, I. M., and Rudaz, B.: A Review of Methods Used to Estimate Initial Landslide Failure Surface Depths and Volumes, Eng. Geol., 267, 105478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105478, 2020.
Jansson, P., Hock, R., and Schneider, T.: The Concept of Glacier Storage: A Review, J. Hydrol., 282, 116–129, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(03)00258-0, 2003. a
Jeffries, S.: Columbia Glacier GPS (CBIA), time-windwoed subset 2023-07-29 through 2024-07-29, earthScope Consortium, GPS Continuous Station Data Set, https://www.unavco.org/instrumentation/networks/status/nota/overview/CBIA (last access: 9 August 2024), 2023. a
Kanamori, H.: The Energy Release in Great Earthquakes, J. Geophys. Res., 82, 2981–2987, https://doi.org/10.1029/JB082i020p02981, 1977. a
Kim, J., Coe, J. A., Lu, Z., Avdievitch, N. N., and Hults, C. P.: Spaceborne InSAR Mapping of Landslides and Subsidence in Rapidly Deglaciating Terrain, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and Vicinity, Alaska and British Columbia, Remote Sens. Environ., 281, 113231, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2022.113231, 2022. a
Kohler, M. and Puzrin, A.: Mechanics of coseismic and postseismic acceleration of active landslides, Communications Earth & Environment, 4, 122, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00797-3, 2023. a
Kos, A., Amann, F., Strozzi, T., Delaloye, R., Ruette, J., and Springman, S.: Contemporary glacier retreat triggers a rapid landslide response, Great Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 12466–12474, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL071708, 2016. a, b
Kuhn, D., Hermanns, R. L., Torizin, J., Fuchs, J. M., Schüßler, N., Eilertsen, R. S., Redfield, T. F., Balzer, D., and Böhme, M.: Litho-Structural Control on Rock Slope Failures at Garmaksla, Billefjorden Coastline, Svalbard, Q. J. Eng. Geol. Hydroge., 56, qjegh2022-069, https://doi.org/10.1144/qjegh2022-069, 2023. a
Lacroix, P. and Amitrano, D.: Long-term dynamics of rockslides and damage propagation inferred from mechanical modeling, J. Geophys. Res., 118, 2292–2307, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JF002766, 2013. a
Lacroix, P., Perfettini, H., Taipe, E., and Guillier, B.: Coseismic and postseismic motion of a landslide: Observations, modeling, and analogy with tectonic faults, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 6676–6680, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL061170, 2014. a
Lacroix, P., Belart, J. M. C., Berthier, E., Sæmundsson, P., and Jónsdóttir, K.: Mechanisms of Landslide Destabilization Induced by Glacier‐Retreat on Tungnakvíslarjökull Area, Iceland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL098302, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098302, 2022. a, b, c
Larsen, C., Motyka, R., Freymueller, J., Echelmeyer, K., and Ivins, E.: Rapid Viscoelastic Uplift in Southeast Alaska Caused by Post-Little Ice Age Glacial Retreat, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 237, 548–560, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2005.06.032, 2005. a, b
Lemaire, E., Dufresne, A., Hamdi, P., Higman, B., Wolken, G. J., and Amann, F.: Back-Analysis of the Paraglacial Slope Failure at Grewingk Glacier and Lake, Alaska, Landslides, 21, 775–789, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-023-02177-6, 2023a. a, b
Lemaire, E., Dufresne, A., Hamdi, P., Higman, B., Jacquemart, M., Walden, J., and Amann, F.: Analysis of the unstable slope above Portage Glacier (Alaska) through conventional and remote sensing approaches, 6th World Landslide Forum, 14–17 November 2023, Florence, Italy, Theme 2: Remote Sensing, Monitoring And Early Warning, https://wlf6.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/WLF6_PROGRAMME_DEF-1.pdf (last access: 19 March 2024), 2023b. a
Le Roux, O., Schwartz, S., Gamond, J. F., Jongmans, D., Bourles, D., Braucher, R., Mahaney, W., Carcaillet, J., and Leanni, L.: CRE dating on the head scarp of a major landslide (Séchilienne, French Alps), age constraints on Holocene kinematics, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 280, 236–245, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.01.034, 2009. a
Loso, M. G., Larsen, C. F., Tober, B. S., Christoffersen, M., Fahnestock, M., Holt, J. W., and Truffer, M.: Quo Vadis, Alsek? Climate-Driven Glacier Retreat May Change the Course of a Major River Outlet in Southern Alaska, Geomorphology, 384, 107701, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107701, 2021. a
Luckman, A., Benn, D., Cottier, F., Bevan, S., Nilsen, F., and Inall, M.: Calving rates at tidewater glaciers vary strongly with ocean temperature, Nat. Commun., 6, 8566, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9566, 2015. a
Mainsant, G., Larose, E., Brönnimann, C., Jongmans, D., Michoud, C., and Jaboyedoff, M.: Ambient seismic noise monitoring of a clay landslide: Toward failure prediction, J. Geophys. Res., 117, F01030, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002159, 2012. a
Manconi, A.: How Phase Aliasing Limits Systematic Space-Borne DInSAR Monitoring and Failure Forecast of Alpine Landslides, Eng. Geol., 287, 106094, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106094, 2021. a
McColl, S. T.: Landslide Causes and Triggers, in: Landslide Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, Elsevier, 17–42, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-396452-6.00002-1, 2015. a, b, c
McColl, S. T. and Davies, T. R. H.: Large ice-contact slope movements: glacial buttressing, deformation and erosion: Slope movement; glaicer deformation; erosion and entrainment, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 38, 1102–1115, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3346, 2013. a, b
McColl, S. T., Davies, T. R. H., and McSaveney, M. J.: Glacier retreat and rock-slope stability: debunking debuttressing, geologically active: delegate papers 11th Congress of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment, Auckland, Aotearoa, 5–10 September 2010, Auckland, New Zealand, 467–474, https://scholar.google.co.nz/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&cluster=12112395309293663256 (last access: 13 March 2024), 2010. a, b
McNabb, R. W., Hock, R., and Huss, M.: Variations in Alaska tidewater glacier frontal ablation, 1985–2013, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 120, 120–136, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JF003276, 2015. a
Mériaux, A. S., Sieh, K., Finkel, R. C., Rubin, C. M., Taylor, M. H., Meltzner, A. J., and Ryerson, F. J.: Kinematic Behavior of Southern Alaska Constrained by Westward Decreasing Postglacial Slip Rates on the Denali Fault, Alaska, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 114, B03404, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JB005053, 2009. a
Miller, D. J.: The Alaska earthquake of July 10, 1958: Giant wave in Lituya Bay, B. Seismol. Soc. Am., 50, 253–266, https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0500020253, 1960. a
Muñoz-Sabater, J., Dutra, E., Agustí-Panareda, A., Albergel, C., Arduini, G., Balsamo, G., Boussetta, S., Choulga, M., Harrigan, S., Hersbach, H., Martens, B., Miralles, D. G., Piles, M., Rodríguez-Fernández, N. J., Zsoter, E., Buontempo, C., and Thépaut, J.-N.: ERA5-Land: a state-of-the-art global reanalysis dataset for land applications, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 4349–4383, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4349-2021, 2021. a, b
Nuth, C. and Kääb, A.: Co-registration and bias corrections of satellite elevation data sets for quantifying glacier thickness change, The Cryosphere, 5, 271–290, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-271-2011, 2011. a
Obu, J., Westermann, S., Kääb, A., and Bartsch, A.: Ground Temperature Map, 2000–2016, Northern Hemisphere Permafrost, alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, PANGAEA [data set], https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.888600, 2018. a, b
Oestreicher, N., Loew, S., Roques, C., Aaron, J., Gualandi, A., Longuevergne, L., Limpach, P., and Hugentobler, M.: Controls on Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Slope Deformation in an Alpine Valley, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 126, e2021JF006353, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006353, 2021. a
Okal, E. A.: Seismic Parameters Controlling Far-Field Tsunami Amplitudes: A Review, Nat. Hazards, 1, 67–96, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168222, 1988. a
O'Neel, S., Pfeffer, W. T., Krimmel, R., and Meier, M.: Evolving force balance at Columbia Glacier, Alaska, during its rapid retreat, J. Geophys. Res., 110, F03012, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JF000292, 2005. a
Paronuzzi, P., Rigo, E., and Bolla, A.: Influence of Filling–Drawdown Cycles of the Vajont Reservoir on Mt. Toc Slope Stability, Geomorphology, 191, 75–93, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.03.004, 2013. a
Porter, C., Morin, P., Howat, I., Noh, M.-J., Bates, B., Peterman, K., Keesey, S., Schlenk, M., Gardiner, J., Tomko, K., Willis, M., Kelleher, C., Cloutier, M., Husby, E., Foga, S., Nakamura, H., Platson, M., Wethington, Michael, J., Williamson, C., Bauer, G., Enos, J., Arnold, G., Kramer, W., Becker, P., Doshi, A., D'Souza, C., Cummens, P., Laurier, F., and Bojesen, M.: ArcticDEM, Version 3, Harvard Dataverse [data set], https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/OHHUKH, 2018. a
Ravier, E. and Buoncristiani, J.-F.: Glaciohydrogeology, in: Past Glacial Environments, Elsevier, 431–466, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100524-8.00013-0, 2018. a
Schaefer, L., Coe, J. A., Jones, K. W., Collins, B. D., Staley, D. M., West, M., Karasozen, E., Miles, C., Wolken, G., Daanen, R., and Baxstrom, K.: Kinematic Evolution of a Large Paraglacial Landslide in the Barry Arm Fjord of Alaska, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 128, e2023JF007119, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JF007119, 2023. a
Schaefer, L., Kim, J., Staley, D., Lu, Z., and Barnhart, K.: Satellite interferometry landslide detection and preliminary tsunamigenic plausibility assessment in Prince William Sound, southcentral Alaska, Tech. rep., U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2023–1099, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231099, 2024. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p
Selley, R. C.: Rocks And Their Classification, in: Encyclopedia of Geology, edited by: Selley, R. C., Cocks, L. R. M., and Plimer, I. R., Elsevier, Oxford, 452–455, https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-12-369396-9/00288-4, 2005. a
Sharma, S., Talchabhadel, R., Nepal, S., Ghimire, G. R., Rakhal, B., Panthi, J., Adhikari, B. R., Pradhanang, S. M., Maskey, S., and Kumar, S.: Increasing Risk of Cascading Hazards in the Central Himalayas, Nat. Hazards, 119, 1117–1126, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05462-0, 2023. a
Shugar, D. H., Jacquemart, M., Shean, D., et al.: A massive rock and ice avalanche caused the 2021 disaster at Chamoli, Indian Himalaya, Science, 373, 300–306, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abh4455, 2021. a
Shulski, M. and Wendler, G.: The Climate of Alaska, University of Alaska Press, https://books.google.ch/books?id=aUDWK8zDr50C (last access: 14 March 2023), 2007. a
Song, C., Yu, C., Li, Z., Utili, S., Frattini, P., Crosta, G., and Peng, J.: Triggering and Recovery of Earthquake Accelerated Landslides in Central Italy Revealed by Satellite Radar Observations, Nat. Commun., 13, 7278, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35035-5, 2022. a
Stead, D. and Wolter, A.: A critical review of rock slope failure mechanisms: The importance of structural geology, J. Struct. Geol., 74, 1–23, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2015.02.002, 2015. a
Storni, E., Hugentobler, M., Manconi, A., and Loew, S.: Monitoring and analysis of active rockslide-glacier interactions (Moosfluh, Switzerland), Geomorphology, 371, 107414, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107414, 2020. a, b, c, d
Strzelecki, M. C. and Jaskólski, M. W.: Arctic tsunamis threaten coastal landscapes and communities – survey of Karrat Isfjord 2017 tsunami effects in Nuugaatsiaq, western Greenland, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 2521–2534, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-2521-2020, 2020. a
Svennevig, K., Hicks, S. P., Forbriger, T., et al.: A rockslide-generated tsunami in a Greenland fjord rang Earth for 9 days, Science, 385, 1196–1205, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adm9247, 2024. a
U.S. Geological Survey and Alaska Department of Natural Resources: Quaternary Fault and Fold Database of the United States, U.S. Geological Survey and Alaska Department of Natural Resources, https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/faults (last access: 12 February 2024), 2024. a
Van Wyk de Vries, M., Wickert, A. D., MacGregor, K. R., Rada, C., and Willis, M. J.: Atypical landslide induces speedup, advance, and long-term slowdown of a tidewater glacier, Geology, 50, 806–811, https://doi.org/10.1130/G49854.1, 2022. a
Voight, B.: A method for prediction of volcanic eruptions, Nature, 332, 125–130, https://doi.org/10.1038/332125a0, 1988. a
Wang, F., Zhang, Y., Huo, Z., Peng, X., Araiba, K., and Wang, G.: Movement of the Shuping landslide in the first four years after the initial impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir, China, Landslides, 5, 321–329, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-008-0128-1, 2008. a
Wang, X., Clague, J. J., Crosta, G. B., Sun, J., Stead, D., Qi, S., and Zhang, L.: Relationship between the spatial distribution of landslides and rock mass strength, and implications for the driving mechanism of landslides in tectonically active mountain ranges, Eng. Geol., 292, 106281, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106281, 2021. a
Warren, C., Benn, D., Winchester, V., and Harrison, S.: Buoyancy-driven lacustrine calving, Glaciar Nef, Chilean Patagonia, J. Glaciol., 47, 135–146, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756501781832403, 2001. a, b
Weertman, J.: Stability of the Junction of an Ice Sheet and an Ice Shelf, J. Glaciol., 13, 3–11, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000023327, 1974. a
Wiles, G. C. and Calkin, P. E.: Reconstruction of a Debris-Slide-Initiated Flood in the Southern Kenai Mountains, Alaska, Geomorphology, 5, 535–546, https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-555X(92)90024-I, 1992. a, b
Windnagel, A., Hock, R., Maussion, F., Paul, F., Rastner, P., Raup, B., and Zemp, M.: Which glaciers are the largest in the world?, J. Glaciol., 69, 301–310, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.61, 2023. a
xDEM contributors: xDEM, Zenodo [code], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4809697, 2024. a
Short summary
We studied eight glacier-adjacent landslides in Alaska and found that slope movement increased at four sites as the glacier retreated past the landslide area. Movement at other sites may be due to heavy precipitation or increased glacier thinning, and two sites showed little to no motion. We suggest that landslides near waterbodies may be especially vulnerable to acceleration, which we guess is due to faster retreat rates of water-terminating glaciers and changing water flow in the slope.
We studied eight glacier-adjacent landslides in Alaska and found that slope movement increased...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint