Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-411-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-411-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Sediment supply from lateral moraines to a debris-covered glacier in the Himalaya
Utrecht University, Department of Physical Geography, P.O. Box 80115, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Jakob F. Steiner
Utrecht University, Department of Physical Geography, P.O. Box 80115, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink
Utrecht University, Department of Physical Geography, P.O. Box 80115, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Evan S. Miles
School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Walter W. Immerzeel
Utrecht University, Department of Physical Geography, P.O. Box 80115, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Related authors
No articles found.
Chuanxi Zhao, Wei Yang, Evan Miles, Matthew Westoby, Marin Kneib, Yongjie Wang, Zhen He, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 17, 3895–3913, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3895-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3895-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper quantifies the thinning and surface mass balance of two neighbouring debris-covered glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau during different seasons, based on high spatio-temporal resolution UAV-derived (unpiloted aerial
vehicle) data and in situ observations. Through a comparison approach and high-precision results, we identify that the glacier dynamic and debris thickness are strongly related to the future fate of the debris-covered glaciers in this region.
Finu Shrestha, Jakob F. Steiner, Reeju Shrestha, Yathartha Dhungel, Sharad P. Joshi, Sam Inglis, Arshad Ashraf, Sher Wali, Khwaja M. Walizada, and Taigang Zhang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3941–3961, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3941-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3941-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A new inventory of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in High Mountain Asia found 697 events, causing 906 deaths, 3 times more than previously reported. This study provides insights into the contributing factors behind GLOFs on a regional scale and highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches, including scientific communities and local knowledge, to understand GLOF risks in Asia. This study allows integration with other datasets, enabling future local and regional risk assessments.
Anushilan Acharya, Jakob F. Steiner, Khwaja Momin Walizada, Salar Ali, Zakir Hussain Zakir, Arnaud Caiserman, and Teiji Watanabe
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2569–2592, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2569-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2569-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
All accessible snow and ice avalanches together with previous scientific research, local knowledge, and existing or previously active adaptation and mitigation solutions were investigated in the high mountain Asia (HMA) region to have a detailed overview of the state of knowledge and identify gaps. A comprehensive avalanche database from 1972–2022 is generated, including 681 individual events. The database provides a basis for the forecasting of avalanche hazards in different parts of HMA.
Marin Kneib, Evan S. Miles, Pascal Buri, Stefan Fugger, Michael McCarthy, Thomas E. Shaw, Zhao Chuanxi, Martin Truffer, Matthew J. Westoby, Wei Yang, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 4701–4725, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Ice cliffs are believed to be important contributors to the melt of debris-covered glaciers, but this has rarely been quantified as the cliffs can disappear or rapidly expand within a few weeks. We used photogrammetry techniques to quantify the weekly evolution and melt of four cliffs. We found that their behaviour and melt during the monsoon is strongly controlled by supraglacial debris, streams and ponds, thus providing valuable insights on the melt and evolution of debris-covered glaciers.
Adam Emmer, Simon K. Allen, Mark Carey, Holger Frey, Christian Huggel, Oliver Korup, Martin Mergili, Ashim Sattar, Georg Veh, Thomas Y. Chen, Simon J. Cook, Mariana Correas-Gonzalez, Soumik Das, Alejandro Diaz Moreno, Fabian Drenkhan, Melanie Fischer, Walter W. Immerzeel, Eñaut Izagirre, Ramesh Chandra Joshi, Ioannis Kougkoulos, Riamsara Kuyakanon Knapp, Dongfeng Li, Ulfat Majeed, Stephanie Matti, Holly Moulton, Faezeh Nick, Valentine Piroton, Irfan Rashid, Masoom Reza, Anderson Ribeiro de Figueiredo, Christian Riveros, Finu Shrestha, Milan Shrestha, Jakob Steiner, Noah Walker-Crawford, Joanne L. Wood, and Jacob C. Yde
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3041–3061, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3041-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3041-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) have attracted increased research attention recently. In this work, we review GLOF research papers published between 2017 and 2021 and complement the analysis with research community insights gained from the 2021 GLOF conference we organized. The transdisciplinary character of the conference together with broad geographical coverage allowed us to identify progress, trends and challenges in GLOF research and outline future research needs and directions.
Léo C. P. Martin, Sebastian Westermann, Michele Magni, Fanny Brun, Joel Fiddes, Yanbin Lei, Philip Kraaijenbrink, Tamara Mathys, Moritz Langer, Simon Allen, and Walter W. Immerzeel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2022-241, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2022-241, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
Across the Tibetan plateau, many large lakes have been changing level during the last decades as a response to climate change. In high mountain environments, water fluxes from the land to the lakes are linked to the ground temperature of the land and to the energy fluxes between the ground and the atmosphere, which are modified by climate change. With a numerical model, we test how these water and energy fluxes have changed over the last decades and how they influence the lake level variations.
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.
Stefan Fugger, Catriona L. Fyffe, Simone Fatichi, Evan Miles, Michael McCarthy, Thomas E. Shaw, Baohong Ding, Wei Yang, Patrick Wagnon, Walter Immerzeel, Qiao Liu, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 1631–1652, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The monsoon is important for the shrinking and growing of glaciers in the Himalaya during summer. We calculate the melt of seven glaciers in the region using a complex glacier melt model and weather data. We find that monsoonal weather affects glaciers that are covered with a layer of rocky debris and glaciers without such a layer in different ways. It is important to take so-called turbulent fluxes into account. This knowledge is vital for predicting the future of the Himalayan glaciers.
Wouter J. Smolenaars, Sanita Dhaubanjar, Muhammad K. Jamil, Arthur Lutz, Walter Immerzeel, Fulco Ludwig, and Hester Biemans
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 861–883, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-861-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-861-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The arid plains of the lower Indus Basin rely heavily on the water provided by the mountainous upper Indus. Rapid population growth in the upper Indus is expected to increase the water that is consumed there. This will subsequently reduce the water that is available for the downstream plains, where the population and water demand are also expected to grow. In future, this may aggravate tensions over the division of water between the countries that share the Indus Basin.
Maurice van Tiggelen, Paul C. J. P. Smeets, Carleen H. Reijmer, Bert Wouters, Jakob F. Steiner, Emile J. Nieuwstraten, Walter W. Immerzeel, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 15, 2601–2621, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2601-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2601-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a method to estimate the aerodynamic properties of the Greenland Ice Sheet surface using either UAV or ICESat-2 elevation data. We show that this new method is able to reproduce the important spatiotemporal variability in surface aerodynamic roughness, measured by the field observations. The new maps of surface roughness can be used in atmospheric models to improve simulations of surface turbulent heat fluxes and therefore surface energy and mass balance over rough ice worldwide.
Paul H. Whitfield, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Kevin R. Shook, and John W. Pomeroy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2513–2541, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2513-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2513-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using only warm season streamflow records, regime and change classifications were produced for ~ 400 watersheds in the Nelson and Mackenzie River basins, and trends in water storage and vegetation were detected from satellite imagery. Three areas show consistent changes: north of 60° (increased streamflow and basin greenness), in the western Boreal Plains (decreased streamflow and basin greenness), and across the Prairies (three different patterns of increased streamflow and basin wetness).
Remco J. de Kok, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Obbe A. Tuinenburg, Pleun N. J. Bonekamp, and Walter W. Immerzeel
The Cryosphere, 14, 3215–3234, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3215-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3215-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers worldwide are shrinking, yet glaciers in parts of High Mountain Asia are growing. Using models of the regional climate and glacier growth, we reproduce the observed patterns of glacier growth and shrinkage in High Mountain Asia of the last decades. Increases in snow, in part from water that comes from lowland agriculture, have probably been more important than changes in temperature to explain the growing glaciers. We now better understand changes in the crucial mountain water cycle.
Pleun N. J. Bonekamp, Chiel C. van Heerwaarden, Jakob F. Steiner, and Walter W. Immerzeel
The Cryosphere, 14, 1611–1632, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1611-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1611-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Drivers controlling melt of debris-covered glaciers are largely unknown. With a 3D turbulence-resolving model the impact of surface properties of debris on micrometeorological variables and the conductive heat flux is shown. Also, we show ice cliffs are local melt hot spots and that turbulent fluxes and local heat advection amplify spatial heterogeneity on the surface.This work is important for glacier mass balance modelling and for the understanding of the evolution of debris-covered glaciers.
Paul H. Whitfield, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Kevin R. Shook, and John W. Pomeroy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-671, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-671, 2020
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Using partial year streamflow records a regime and change classification were produced for ~ 400 watersheds in the Saskatchewan and Mackenzie River basins, and trends in water storage and vegetation were detected from satellite imagery. Three areas show consistent changes; north of 60° [increased streamflow and basin greenness], in the western Boreal Plains [decreased streamflow and basin greenness], and across the Prairies [three different patterns of increased streamflow and basin wetness].
Evan S. Miles, C. Scott Watson, Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, Michel Esteves, Duncan J. Quincey, Katie E. Miles, Bryn Hubbard, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 12, 3891–3905, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3891-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3891-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We use high-resolution satellite imagery and field visits to assess the growth and drainage of a lake on Changri Shar Glacier in the Everest region, and its impact. The lake filled and drained within 3 months, which is a shorter interval than would be detected by standard monitoring protocols, but forced re-routing of major trails in several locations. The water appears to have flowed beneath Changri Shar and Khumbu glaciers in an efficient manner, suggesting pre-existing developed flow paths.
René Reijer Wijngaard, Hester Biemans, Arthur Friedrich Lutz, Arun Bhakta Shrestha, Philippus Wester, and Walter Willem Immerzeel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 6297–6321, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6297-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6297-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study assesses the combined impacts of climate change and socio-economic developments on the future water gap for the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra river basins until the end of the 21st century. The results show that despite projected increases in surface water availability, the strong socio-economic development and associated increase in water demand will likely lead to an increase in the water gap, indicating that socio-economic changes will be the key driver in the evolving water gap.
Fanny Brun, Patrick Wagnon, Etienne Berthier, Joseph M. Shea, Walter W. Immerzeel, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Christian Vincent, Camille Reverchon, Dibas Shrestha, and Yves Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 12, 3439–3457, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3439-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3439-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
On debris-covered glaciers, steep ice cliffs experience dramatically enhanced melt compared with the surrounding debris-covered ice. Using field measurements, UAV data and submetre satellite imagery, we estimate the cliff contribution to 2 years of ablation on a debris-covered tongue in Nepal, carefully taking into account ice dynamics. While they occupy only 7 to 8 % of the tongue surface, ice cliffs contributed to 23 to 24 % of the total tongue ablation.
Jakob F. Steiner, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Sergiu G. Jiduc, and Walter W. Immerzeel
The Cryosphere, 12, 95–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-95-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-95-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers that once every few years or decades suddenly advance in length – also known as surging glaciers – are found in many glaciated regions in the world. In the Karakoram glacier tongues are additionally located at low altitudes and relatively close to human settlements. We investigate a very recent and extremely rapid surge in the region that has caused a lake to form in the main valley with possible risks for downstream communities.
Katie E. Miles, Bryn Hubbard, Tristam D. L. Irvine-Fynn, Evan S. Miles, Duncan J. Quincey, and Ann V. Rowan
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-210, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-210, 2017
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
The production and routing of meltwater through glaciers is important because that water influences glacier sliding, and represents a resource in some instances and a hazard in others. Despite this importance, very little is known about the hydrology of debris-covered glaciers, which are commonly located at high altitudes. Here, we present a review of the hydrology of debris-covered glaciers, summarizing the current state of knowledge and identify potential future research priorities.
Emmy E. Stigter, Niko Wanders, Tuomo M. Saloranta, Joseph M. Shea, Marc F. P. Bierkens, and Walter W. Immerzeel
The Cryosphere, 11, 1647–1664, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1647-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1647-2017, 2017
Koji Fujita, Hiroshi Inoue, Takeki Izumi, Satoru Yamaguchi, Ayako Sadakane, Sojiro Sunako, Kouichi Nishimura, Walter W. Immerzeel, Joseph M. Shea, Rijan B. Kayastha, Takanobu Sawagaki, David F. Breashears, Hiroshi Yagi, and Akiko Sakai
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 749–764, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-749-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-749-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We create multiple DEMs from photographs taken by helicopter and UAV and reveal the deposit volumes over the Langtang village, which was destroyed by avalanches induced by the Gorkha earthquake. Estimated snow depth in the source area is consistent with anomalously large snow depths observed at a neighboring glacier. Comparing with a long-term observational data, we conclude that this anomalous winter snow amplified the disaster induced by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal.
Walter Immerzeel, Philip Kraaijenbrink, and Liss Andreassen
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2016-292, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2016-292, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have become increasingly popular in environmental monitoring. In this study we use a UAV to derive a very detailed digital elevation model (DEM) of Storbreen in Norway. We compare our results with a past DEM to derive the mass balance of this glacier. Our results confirm strong mass loss and retreat of continental glaciers in southern Norway and we conclude that UAVs are effective tools in stuyding mountain glaciers at a high level of detail.
Christian Vincent, Patrick Wagnon, Joseph M. Shea, Walter W. Immerzeel, Philip Kraaijenbrink, Dibas Shrestha, Alvaro Soruco, Yves Arnaud, Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, and Sonam Futi Sherpa
The Cryosphere, 10, 1845–1858, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1845-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1845-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Approximately 25 % of the glacierized area in the Everest region is covered by debris, yet the surface mass balance of these glaciers has not been measured directly. From terrestrial photogrammetry and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) methods, this study shows that the ablation is strongly reduced by the debris cover. The insulating effect of the debris cover has a larger effect on total mass loss than the enhanced ice ablation due to supraglacial ponds and exposed ice cliffs.
W. W. Immerzeel, N. Wanders, A. F. Lutz, J. M. Shea, and M. F. P. Bierkens
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 4673–4687, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4673-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4673-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The water resources of the upper Indus river basin (UIB) are important for millions of people, yet little is known about the rain and snow fall in the high-altitude regions because of the inaccessibility, the climatic complexity and the lack of observations. In this study we use mass balance of glaciers to reconstruct the amount of precipitation in the UIB and we conclude that this amount is much higher than previously thought.
E. Collier, F. Maussion, L. I. Nicholson, T. Mölg, W. W. Immerzeel, and A. B. G. Bush
The Cryosphere, 9, 1617–1632, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1617-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1617-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the impact of surface debris on glacier energy and mass fluxes and on atmosphere-glacier feedbacks in the Karakoram range, by including debris in an interactively coupled atmosphere-glacier model. The model is run from 1 May to 1 October 2004, with a simple specification of debris thickness. We find an appreciable reduction in ablation that exceeds 5m w.e. on glacier tongues, as well as significant alterations to near-surface air temperatures and boundary layer dynamics.
W. Terink, A. F. Lutz, G. W. H. Simons, W. W. Immerzeel, and P. Droogers
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 2009–2034, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2009-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2009-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This paper introduces the Spatial Processes in HYdrology (SPHY) model (v2.0), its underlying concepts, and some example applications. SPHY has the flexibility to be applied in a wide range of hydrologic applications, on various scales, and can easily be implemented. The most relevant hydrologic processes integrated in the SPHY model are rainfall--runoff, cryosphere processes, evapotranspiration processes, the dynamic evolution of evolution of vegetation cover, and lake/reservoir outflow.
Related subject area
Physical: Geomorphology (including all aspects of fluvial, coastal, aeolian, hillslope and glacial geomorphology)
Building a bimodal landscape: bedrock lithology and bed thickness controls on the morphology of Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico, USA
Geotechnical controls on erodibility in fluvial impact erosion
Linear-stability analysis of plane beds under flows with suspended loads
Estimating surface water availability in high mountain rock slopes using a numerical energy balance model
Sediment source and sink identification using Sentinel-2 and a small network of turbidimeters on the Vjosa River
Spatiotemporal bedload transport patterns over two-dimensional bedforms
Ice-buttressing-controlled rock slope failure on a cirque headwall, Lake District, UK
The probabilistic nature of dune collisions in 2D
Shape still matters: rockfall interactions with trees and deadwood in a mountain forest uncover a new facet of rock shape dependency
Earthquake contributions to coastal cliff retreat
Morphologic and morphometric differences between gullies formed in different substrates on Mars: new insights into the gully formation processes
Testing the sensitivity of the CAESAR-Lisflood landscape evolution model to grid cell size
Development of a machine learning model for river bed load
Modeling the spatially distributed nature of subglacial sediment transport and erosion
Confinement width and inflow-to-sediment discharge ratio control the morphology and braiding intensity of submarine channels: insights from physical experiments and reduced-complexity models
The influence of dune lee side shape on time-averaged velocities and turbulence
Synoptic-scale to mesoscale atmospheric circulation connects fluvial and coastal gravel conveyors and directional deposition of coastal landforms in the Dead Sea basin
Initial shape reconstruction of a volcanic island as a tool for quantifying long-term coastal erosion: the case of Corvo Island (Azores)
Geospatial modelling of large-wood supply to rivers: a state-of-the-art model comparison in Swiss mountain river catchments
On the use of Convolutional Deep Learning to predict shoreline change
Mobile evaporite enhances the cycle of physical–chemical erosion in badlands
Revealing the relation between spatial patterns of rainfall return levels and landslide density
Constraints on long-term cliff retreat and intertidal weathering at weak rock coasts using cosmogenic 10Be, nearshore topography and numerical modelling
Impacts of human modifications on material transport in deltas
Evolution of an Alpine proglacial river during 7 decades of deglaciation
Phenomenological model of suspended sediment transport in a small catchment
Alpine hillslope failure in the western US: Insights from the Chaos Canyon landslide, Rocky Mountain National Park USA
Water level fluctuations drive bank instability in a hypertidal estuary
The story of a summit nucleus: hillslope boulders and their effect on erosional patterns and landscape morphology in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera
Pristine levels of suspended sediment in large German river channels during the Anthropocene?
An Arctic delta reduced-complexity model and its reproduction of key geomorphological structures
Marsh induced backwater: the influence of non-fluvial sedimentation on a delta's channel morphology and kinematics
Coexistence of two dune scales in a lowland river
Spatial and temporal variations in rockwall erosion rates around Pigne d’Arolla, Switzerland, derived from cosmogenic 10Be in medial moraines at five adjacent valley glaciers
Stochastic properties of coastal flooding events – Part 2: Probabilistic analysis
Development of the morphodynamics on Little Ice Age lateral moraines in 10 glacier forefields of the Eastern Alps since the 1950s
Modeling the inhibition effect of straw checkerboard barriers on wind-blown sand
Exploring the transition between water- and wind-dominated landscapes in Deep Springs, California, as an analog for transitioning landscapes on Mars
Geology and vegetation control landsliding on forest-managed slopes in scarplands
Optimization of passive acoustic bedload monitoring in rivers by signal inversion
On the use of packing models for the prediction of fluvial sediment porosity
Entrainment and deposition of boulders in a gravel bed river
Geomorphological and hydrological controls on sediment export in earthquake-affected catchments in the Nepal Himalaya
Coupling between downstream variations of channel width and local pool–riffle bed topography
A combined approach of experimental and numerical modeling for 3D hydraulic features of a step-pool unit
Effects of seasonal variations in vegetation and precipitation on catchment erosion rates along a climate and ecological gradient: Insights from numerical modelling
Combining seismic signal dynamic inversion and numerical modeling improves landslide process reconstruction
Response of modern fluvial sediments to regional tectonic activity along the upper Min River, eastern Tibet
Geophysical evidence of massive hyperconcentrated push waves with embedded toma hills caused by the Flims rockslide, Switzerland
Comparison of calibration characteristics of different acoustic impact systems for measuring bedload transport in mountain streams
Sam Anderson, Nicole Gasparini, and Joel Johnson
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 995–1011, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-995-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-995-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We measured rock strength and amount of fracturing in the two different rock types, sandstones and carbonates, in Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico, USA. Where there is more carbonate bedrock, hills and channels steepen in Last Chance Canyon. This is because the carbonate-type bedrock tends to be more thickly bedded, is less fractured, and is stronger. The carbonate bedrock produces larger boulders than the sandstone bedrock, which can protect the more fractured sandstone bedrock from erosion.
Jens M. Turowski, Gunnar Pruß, Anne Voigtländer, Andreas Ludwig, Angela Landgraf, Florian Kober, and Audrey Bonnelye
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 979–994, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-979-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-979-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Rivers can cut into rocks, and their strength modulates the river's erosion rates. Yet, which properties of the rock control its response to erosive action is poorly understood. Here, we describe parallel experiments to measure rock erosion rates under fluvial impact erosion and the rock's geotechnical properties such as fracture strength, elasticity, and density. Erosion rates vary over a factor of a million between different rock types. We use the data to improve current theory.
Koji Ohata, Hajime Naruse, and Norihiro Izumi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 961–977, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-961-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-961-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the influence of sediment transport modes on the formation of bedforms using theoretical analysis. The results of the theoretical analysis were verified with published data of plane beds obtained by fieldwork and laboratory experiments. We found that suspended sand particles can promote the formation of plane beds on a fine-grained bed, which suggests that the presence of suspended particles suppresses the development of dunes under submarine sediment-laden gravity currents.
Matan Ben-Asher, Florence Magnin, Sebastian Westermann, Josué Bock, Emmanuel Malet, Johan Berthet, Ludovic Ravanel, and Philip Deline
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 899–915, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-899-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-899-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Quantitative knowledge of water availability on high mountain rock slopes is very limited. We use a numerical model and field measurements to estimate the water balance at a steep rock wall site. We show that snowmelt is the main source of water at elevations >3600 m and that snowpack hydrology and sublimation are key factors. The new information presented here can be used to improve the understanding of thermal, hydrogeological, and mechanical processes on steep mountain rock slopes.
Jessica Droujko, Srividya Hariharan Sudha, Gabriel Singer, and Peter Molnar
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 881–897, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-881-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-881-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We combined data from satellite images with data measured from a kayak in order to understand the propagation of fine sediment in the Vjosa River. We were able to find some storm-activated and some permanent sources of sediment. We also estimated how much fine sediment is carried into the Adriatic Sea by the Vjosa River: approximately 2.5 Mt per year, which matches previous findings. With our work, we hope to show the potential of open-access satellite images.
Kate C. P. Leary, Leah Tevis, and Mark Schmeeckle
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 835–847, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-835-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-835-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Despite the importance of bedforms (e.g., ripples, dunes) to sediment transport, the details of sediment transport on a sub-bedform scale are poorly understood. This paper investigates sediment transport in the downstream and cross-stream directions over bedforms with straight crests. We find that the patterns of bedload transport are highly variable on the sub-bedform scale, which is important for our understanding of the evolution of bedforms with complex crest geometries.
Paul A. Carling, John D. Jansen, Teng Su, Jane Lund Andersen, and Mads Faurschou Knudsen
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 817–833, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-817-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-817-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Many steep glaciated rock walls collapsed when the Ice Age ended. How ice supports a steep rock wall until the ice decays is poorly understood. A collapsed rock wall was surveyed in the field and numerically modelled. Cosmogenic exposure dates show it collapsed and became ice-free ca. 18 ka ago. The model showed that the rock wall failed very slowly because ice was buttressing the slope. Dating other collapsed rock walls can improve understanding of how and when the last Ice Age ended.
Paul A. Jarvis, Clement Narteau, Olivier Rozier, and Nathalie M. Vriend
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 803–815, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-803-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-803-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Sand dune migration velocity is inversely proportional to dune size. Consequently, smaller, faster dunes can collide with larger, slower downstream dunes. Such collisions can result in either coalescence or ejection, whereby the dunes exchange mass but remain separate. Our numerical simulations show that the outcome depends probabilistically on the dune size ratio, which we describe through an empirical function. Our numerical predictions compare favourably against experimental observations.
Adrian Ringenbach, Peter Bebi, Perry Bartelt, Andreas Rigling, Marc Christen, Yves Bühler, Andreas Stoffel, and Andrin Caviezel
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 779–801, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-779-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-779-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Swiss researchers carried out repeated rockfall experiments with rocks up to human sizes in a steep mountain forest. This study focuses mainly on the effects of the rock shape and lying deadwood. In forested areas, cubic-shaped rocks showed a longer mean runout distance than platy-shaped rocks. Deadwood especially reduced the runouts of these cubic rocks. The findings enrich standard practices in modern rockfall hazard zoning assessments and strongly urge the incorporation of rock shape effects.
Colin K. Bloom, Corinne Singeisen, Timothy Stahl, Andrew Howell, and Chris Massey
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 757–778, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-757-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-757-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Earthquakes can cause damaging coastal cliff retreat, but we have a limited understanding of how these infrequent events influence multidecadal retreat. This makes hazard planning a challenge. In this study, we use historic aerial images to measure coastal cliff-top retreat at a site in New Zealand. We find that earthquakes account for close to half of multidecadal retreat at this site, and our results have helped us to develop tools for estimating the influence of earthquakes at other sites.
Rishitosh K. Sinha, Dwijesh Ray, Tjalling De Haas, Susan J. Conway, and Axel Noblet
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 713–730, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-713-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-713-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our detailed investigation of Martian gullies formed in different substrates in 29 craters distributed between 30°–75° S latitude suggests that they can be differentiated from one another in terms of (1) morphology and length of alcoves and (2) mean gradient of the gully fans. The comparison between the Melton ratio, alcove length, and fan gradient of Martian and terrestrial gullies suggests that Martian gullies were likely formed by terrestrial debris-flow-like processes in the past.
Christopher J. Skinner and Thomas J. Coulthard
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 695–711, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-695-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-695-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape evolution models allow us to simulate the way the Earth's surface is shaped and help us to understand relevant processes, in turn helping us to manage landscapes better. The models typically represent the land surface using a grid of square cells of equal size, averaging heights in those squares. This study shows that the size chosen by the modeller for these grid cells is important, with larger sizes making sediment output events larger but less frequent.
Hossein Hosseiny, Claire C. Masteller, Jedidiah E. Dale, and Colin B. Phillips
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 681–693, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-681-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-681-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
It is of great importance to engineers and geomorphologists to predict the rate of bed load in rivers. In this contribution, we used a large dataset of measured data and developed an artificial neural network (ANN), a machine learning algorithm, for bed load prediction. The ANN model predicted the bed load flux close to measured values and better than the ones obtained from four standard bed load models with varying degrees of complexity.
Ian Delaney, Leif Anderson, and Frédéric Herman
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 663–680, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-663-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-663-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a two-dimensional subglacial sediment transport model that evolves a sediment layer in response to subglacial sediment transport conditions. The model captures sediment transport in supply- and transport-limited regimes across a glacier's bed and considers both the creation and transport of sediment. Model outputs show how the spatial distribution of sediment and water below a glacier can impact the glacier's discharge of sediment and erosion of bedrock.
Sam Y. J. Huang, Steven Y. J. Lai, Ajay B. Limaye, Brady Z. Foreman, and Chris Paola
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 615–632, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-615-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-615-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We use experiments and a model to study the effects of confinement width and the inflow-to-sediment discharge ratio on the evolution of submarine braided channels. We find that confinement width controls most of the morphological changes. These trends are consistent for submarine braided channels both with and without confinement width effects and similar to fluvial braided rivers. Furthermore, we built a model that can simulate the flow bifurcation and confluence of submarine braided channels.
Alice Lefebvre and Julia Cisneros
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 575–591, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-575-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-575-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Underwater dunes are found in various environments with strong hydrodynamics and sandy sediment. Using a numerical model, we investigated how the dune shape influences flow velocity and turbulence. We propose a classification with three types of dunes, depending on their mean lee side angles (low-angle dunes, intermediate-angle dunes and high-angle dunes). We discuss the implications of this classification on the interaction between dune morphology, flow and sediment transport.
Haggai Eyal, Moshe Armon, Yehouda Enzel, and Nadav G. Lensky
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 547–574, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-547-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-547-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Extracting paleoenvironmets from sedimentologic and geomorphic records is a main goal in Earth sciences. We study a chain of processes connecting causative Mediterranean cyclones, coeval floods, storm waves generated by mesoscale funneled wind, and coastal gravel transport. This causes northward dispersion of gravel along the modern Dead Sea coast, which has also persisted since the late Pleistocene, resulting in beach berms and fan deltas always being deposited north of channel mouths.
Rémi Bossis, Vincent Regard, and Sébastien Carretier
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 529–545, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-529-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-529-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a method to calculate the volume of rock eroded by the sea on volcanic islands, by reconstructing their pre-erosion shape and size. The method has been applied on Corvo Island (Azores). We show that before the island was eroded, it was roughly 8 km wide and 1 km high. The island has lost more than 6 km3 of rock and 80 % of its surface. We also show that the erosion of sea cliffs is mainly due to the moderate and most frequent waves.
Nicolas Steeb, Virginia Ruiz-Villanueva, Alexandre Badoux, Christian Rickli, Andrea Mini, Markus Stoffel, and Dieter Rickenmann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 487–509, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-487-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-487-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Various models have been used in science and practice to estimate how much large wood (LW) can be supplied to rivers. This contribution reviews the existing models proposed in the last 35 years and compares two of the most recent spatially explicit models by applying them to 40 catchments in Switzerland. Differences in modelling results are discussed, and results are compared to available observations coming from a unique database.
Eduardo Gomez-de la Pena, Giovanni Coco, Colin Whittaker, and Jennifer Montano
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-958, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-958, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Predicting how shorelines change over time is a major challenge in coastal research. We here have turned to Deep Learning (DL), a data-driven modeling approach, to predict the movement of shorelines using observations from a camera system in New Zealand. The DL models here implemented succeeded in capturing the variability and distribution of the observed shoreline data. Overall, these findings indicate that DL has the potential to enhance the accuracy of current shoreline change predictions.
Ci-Jian Yang, Pei-Hao Chen, Erica D. Erlanger, Jens M. Turowski, Sen Xu, Tse-Yang Teng, Jiun-Chuan Lin, and Jr-Chuang Huang
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 475–486, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-475-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-475-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Observations of the interaction between extreme physical erosion and chemical weathering dynamics are limited. We presented major elements of stream water in the badland catchment at 3 h intervals during a 3 d typhoon. The excess sodium in the evaporite deposits causes material dispersion through deflocculation, which enhances the suspended sediment flux. Moreover, we observed a shift from predominantly evaporite weathering at peak precipitation to silicate weathering at peak discharge.
Slim Mtibaa and Haruka Tsunetaka
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 461–474, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-461-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-461-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We explore the relation between the spatial patterns of rainfall return levels for various timespans (1–72 h) and landslide density during a rainfall event that triggered widespread landslides. We found that landslide density increases with increased rainfall return levels for the various examined timespans. Accordingly, we conclude that whether rainfall intensities reached exceptional return levels for a wide time range is a key determinant of the spatial distribution of landslides.
Jennifer R. Shadrick, Dylan H. Rood, Martin D. Hurst, Matthew D. Piggott, Klaus M. Wilcken, and Alexander J. Seal
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 429–450, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-429-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-429-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses a coastal evolution model to interpret cosmogenic beryllium-10 concentrations and topographic data and, in turn, quantify long-term cliff retreat rates for four chalk sites on the south coast of England. By using a process-based model, clear distinctions between intertidal weathering rates have been recognised between chalk and sandstone rock coast sites, advocating the use of process-based models to interpret the long-term behaviour of rock coasts.
Jayaram Hariharan, Kyle Wright, Andrew Moodie, Nelson Tull, and Paola Passalacqua
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 405–427, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-405-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-405-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We simulate the transport of material through numerically simulated river deltas under natural and human-modified (embankment construction and channel dredging) scenarios to understand their impacts on material transport. Human modifications reduce the total area visited by passive particles and alter the amount of time spent within the delta relative to natural conditions. This work can help us understand how future construction may impact land building or ecosystem restoration projects.
Livia Piermattei, Tobias Heckmann, Sarah Betz-Nutz, Moritz Altmann, Jakob Rom, Fabian Fleischer, Manuel Stark, Florian Haas, Camillo Ressl, Michael H. Wimmer, Norbert Pfeifer, and Michael Becht
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 383–403, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-383-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-383-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Alpine rivers have experienced strong changes over the last century. In the present study, we explore the potential of historical multi-temporal elevation models, combined with recent topographic data, to quantify 66 years (from 1953 to 2019) of river changes in the glacier forefield of an Alpine catchment. Thereby, we quantify the changes in the river form as well as the related sediment erosion and deposition.
Amande Roque-Bernard, Antoine Lucas, Eric Gayer, Pascal Allemand, Céline Dessert, and Eric Lajeunesse
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 363–381, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-363-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-363-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment transport in rivers is an important matter in Earth surface dynamics. We offer a new framework of understanding of the suspended sediment transport through observatory chronicles and a simple model that is able to catch the behavior during a flood event as well as time series in a steep river catchment. We validate our approach in both tropical and alpine environments, which also offers additional estimates of the size of the suspended sediment.
Matthew C. Morriss, Benjamin Lehmann, Benjamin Campforts, George Brencher, Brianna Rick, Leif Anderson, Alexander L. Handwerger, Irina Overeem, and Jeffrey Moore
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-697, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-697, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this manuscript, we investigated the June 28th, 2022 collapse of the Chaos Canyon landslide in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. We found the landslide was moving prior to its collapse, took place at peak spring snowmelt, and temperature modeling indicates the potential presence of permafrost, indicating this collapse could be due to permafrost thaw. We hypothesize this landslide could be part of the broader landscape evolution changes to alpine terrain caused by a warming climate.
Andrea Gasparotto, Stephen E. Darby, Julian Leyland, and Paul A. Carling
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 343–361, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-343-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-343-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study the processes leading to bank failures in the hypertidal Severn Estuary are studied employing numerical models and field observations. Results highlight that the periodic fluctuations in water levels drive an imbalance in the resisting (hydrostatic pressure) versus driving (pore water pressure) forces causing a frequent oscillation of bank stability between stable (at high tide) and unstable states (at low tide) both on semidiurnal bases and in the spring–neap transition.
Emma Lodes, Dirk Scherler, Renee van Dongen, and Hella Wittmann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 305–324, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-305-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-305-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We explored the ways that boulders and bedrock affect the shapes of hills and valleys by testing how quickly they erode compared to soil. We found that bedrock and boulders mostly erode more slowly than soil and predict that fracture patterns affect where they exist. We also found that streams generally follow fault orientations. Together, our data imply that fractures influence landscapes by weakening bedrock, causing it to erode faster and to eventually form a valley where a stream may flow.
Thomas O. Hoffmann, Yannik Baulig, Stefan Vollmer, Jan H. Blöthe, Karl Auerswald, and Peter Fiener
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 287–303, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-287-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-287-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We analyzed more than 440 000 measurements from suspended sediment monitoring to show that suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in large rivers in Germany strongly declined by 50 % between 1990 and 2010. We argue that SSC is approaching the natural base level that was reached during the mid-Holocene. There is no simple explanation for this decline, but increased sediment retention in upstream headwaters is presumably the major reason for declining SSC in the large river channels studied.
Ngai-Ham Chan, Moritz Langer, Bennet Juhls, Tabea Rettelbach, Paul Overduin, Kimberly Huppert, and Jean Braun
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 259–285, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-259-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-259-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Arctic river deltas influence how nutrients and soil organic carbon, carried by sediments from the Arctic landscape, are retained or released into the Arctic Ocean. Under climate change, the deltas themselves and their ecosystems are becoming more vulnerable. We build upon previous models to reproduce for the first time an important feature ubiquitous to Arctic deltas and simulate its future under climate warming. This can impact the future of Arctic deltas and the carbon release they moderate.
Kelly Sanks, John Shaw, Samuel Zapp, José Silvestre, Ripul Dutt, and Kyle Straub
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-545, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-545, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
River deltas encompass many depositional environments (like channels and wetlands) that interact to produce coastal environments that change through time. The processes leading to sedimentation in wetlands are often neglected from physical delta models. We show that wetland sedimentation constrains flow to the channels, changes sedimentation rates, and produces channels more akin to field-scale deltas. These results have implications for management of these vulnerable coastal landscapes.
Judith Yttje Zomer, Bart Vermeulen, and Antonius J. F. Hoitink
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2023-12, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2023-12, 2023
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary bedforms, that are superimposed on large, primary dunes, likely play a large role in fluvial systems. This study demonstrates they can be omnipresent. Especially during peak flows, they grow large and can have steep slopes, likely affecting flood risk and sediment transport dynamics. Primary dune morphology determines whether they continuously or intermittently migrate. During discharge peaks, the secondary bedforms can become the dominant dune scale.
Katharina Wetterauer and Dirk Scherler
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-630, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-630, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In glacial landscapes, debris supply rates vary spatially and temporally. Rockwall erosion rates derived from cosmogenic 10Be concentrations in medial moraine debris at five adjacent Swiss glaciers indicate an increase in erosion from the end of the Little Ice Age towards deglaciation, but temporally more stable rates over the last ~100 years. Rockwall erosion rates are higher where rockwalls are steep and north-facing, suggesting a potential slope and temperature control.
Byungho Kang, Rusty A. Feagin, Thomas Huff, and Orencio Durán Vinent
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-238, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-238, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We provide a detailed characterization of the frequency, intensity and duration of flooding events at a site along the Texas coast that demonstrates the suitability of relatively simple wave run-up models to estimate the frequency and intensity of coastal flooding. Our results validate and expands the first probabilistic model of coastal flooding driven by wave run-up, which can then be used in coastal risk management and coastal response to sea level rise.
Sarah Betz-Nutz, Tobias Heckmann, Florian Haas, and Michael Becht
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 203–226, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-203-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-203-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The geomorphic activity of LIA lateral moraines is of high interest due to its implications for the sediment fluxes and hazards within proglacial areas. We derived multitemporal models from historical aerial images and recent drone images to investigate the morphodynamics on moraine slopes over time. We found that the highest erosion rates occur on the steepest moraine slopes, which stay active for decades, and that the slope angle explains morphodynamics better than the time since deglaciation.
Haojie Huang
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 167–181, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-167-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-167-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Straw checkerboard barriers (SCBs) have been widely used in anti-desertification projects. However, research on this mechanism and its laying length are still lacking. The significance of our work is to analyze some results, which seem simple but lack a theoretical basis from the perspective of turbulence through this model. This study may provide theoretical support for the minimum laying length of SCBs in anti-desertification projects.
Taylor Dorn and Mackenzie Day
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 149–165, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-149-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-149-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary surfaces are shaped by both wind and water, and their resulting surface features are commonly observed by aerial images. Deep Springs playa, CA, provides a comparable wet-to-dry-transitioning landscape as experienced in Mars' past. Our results, made through collected weather data and drone footage, show that some features, when observed solely by aerial imagery, might be interpreted as being formed by wind when in fact other processes were more influential in their formation.
Daniel Draebing, Tobias Gebhard, and Miriam Pheiffer
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 71–88, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-71-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-71-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Scarpland formation produced low-inclined slopes susceptible to deep-seated landsliding on geological scales. These landslide-affected slopes are often used for forestry activities today, and interaction between geology and vegetation controls shallow landsliding. Our data show that Feuerletten clays control deep-seated landsliding processes that can be reactivated. When trees are sufficiently dense to provide lateral root cohesion, trees can prevent the occurrence of shallow landslides.
Mohamad Nasr, Adele Johannot, Thomas Geay, Sebastien Zanker, Jules Le Guern, and Alain Recking
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-68, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-68, 2023
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrophones are used to monitor sediment transport in the river by listing to the acoustic noise generated by particles impacts on the riverbed. However, this acoustic noise is modified by the river flow and can cause misleading information about sediment transport. This article proposes a model that corrects the measured acoustic signal. Testing the model showed that the corrected signal is better correlated with bedload flux in the river.
Christoph Rettinger, Mina Tabesh, Ulrich Rüde, Stefan Vollmer, and Roy M. Frings
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-72, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-72, 2023
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
Packing models promise efficient and accurate porosity predictions of fluvial sediment deposits. In this study, three packing models were reviewed, calibrated, and validated. Only two of the models were able to handle the continuous and large grain size distributions typically encountered in rivers. We showed that an extension by a cohesion model is necessary, and developed guidelines for successful predictions in different rivers.
Pascal Allemand, Eric Lajeunesse, Olivier Devauchelle, and Vincent J. Langlois
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 21–32, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-21-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-21-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We recorded yearly images of a bar of the Vieux-Habitants river, a river located on Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe). These images, combined with measurements of the river discharge, allow us to monitor the evolution of the population of boulders. We estimate the smallest discharge that can move the boulders and calculate the effective transport time. We show that the likelihood of a given boulder remaining at the same location decreases exponentially, with an effective residence time of 17 h.
Emma L. S. Graf, Hugh D. Sinclair, Mikaël Attal, Boris Gailleton, Basanta Raj Adhikari, and Bishnu Raj Baral
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1347, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1347, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Using satellite images, we show that, unlike other examples of earthquake affected rivers, the rivers of Central Nepal experienced little increase in sedimentation following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. Instead, a catastrophic flood occurred in 2021 that buried towns and agricultural land under up to 10 meters of sediment. We show that, in this example, intense storms remobilised glacial sediment from high elevations causing much greater impact than flushing of earthquake-induced landslides.
Shawn M. Chartrand, A. Mark Jellinek, Marwan A. Hassan, and Carles Ferrer-Boix
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1–20, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Rivers with alternating patterns of shallow and deep flows are commonly observed where a river widens and then narrows, respectively. But what if width changes over time? We use a lab experiment to address this question and find it is possible to decrease and then increase river width at a specific location and observe that flows deepen and then shallow consistent with expectations. Our observations can inform river restoration and climate adaptation programs that emphasize river corridors.
Chendi Zhang, Yuncheng Xu, Marwan A. Hassan, Mengzhen Xu, and Pukang He
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1253–1272, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1253-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1253-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Step-pool morphology is common in mountain streams. The geomorphic processes of step-pool features closely interact with hydraulic properties, which have limited access due to measurement difficulties. We established a combined approach using both physical experiments and numerical simulations to acquire detailed three-dimensional hydraulics for step-pool morphology, which improves the understanding of the links between hydraulics and morphology for a step-pool feature.
Hemanti Sharma and Todd A. Ehlers
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-65, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-65, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
Seasonality in precipitation (P) and vegetation (V) jointly influence catchment erosion (E), although which factor plays the dominant role is unclear. In this study, we performed a sensitivity analysis of E to P-V seasonality through numerical modeling. Our results suggest that P variations strongly influence seasonal variations in E. While the effect of seasonal V variations is secondary but significant. This is more pronounced in moderate and least pronounced in extreme environmental settings.
Yan Yan, Yifei Cui, Xinghui Huang, Jiaojiao Zhou, Wengang Zhang, Shuyao Yin, Jian Guo, and Sheng Hu
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1233–1252, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1233-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1233-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Landslides present a significant hazard for humans, but continuous landslide monitoring is not yet possible due to their unpredictability. Our study has demonstrated that combing landslide seismic signal analysis, dynamic inversion, and numerical simulation provides a comprehensive and accurate method for studying the landslide process. The approach outlined in this study could be used to support hazard prevention and control in sensitive areas.
Wei Shi, Hanchao Jiang, Hongyan Xu, Siyuan Ma, Jiawei Fan, Siqi Zhang, Qiaoqiao Guo, and Xiaotong Wei
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1195–1209, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1195-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1195-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Alpine valleys reduce the preservation potential of Quaternary sediment in bedrock valley regions, which seriously hinders the study of modern tectonic activity. We report a new method to reveal regional tectonic activity by analyzing fluvial sediments in tectonically active regions. Our analyses identify three segments of different tectonic activities along the upper Min River, eastern Tibet. This method provides a key framework to reveal tectonic activity in other regions of the world.
Sibylle Knapp, Michael Schwenk, and Michael Krautblatter
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1185–1193, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1185-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1185-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Flims area in the Swiss Alps has fascinated the researchers with its complex geological history ever since. Especially the order of events related to the Tamins and Flims rockslides has long been debated. This paper presents novel results based on up to 160 m deep geophysical profiles, which show onlaps of the Bonaduz Formation onto the Tamins deposits (Ils Aults) and thus indicate that the Tamins rockslide occurred first. The consecutive evolution of this landscape is shown in four phases.
Dieter Rickenmann, Lorenz Ammann, Tobias Nicollier, Stefan Boss, Bruno Fritschi, Gilles Antoniazza, Nicolas Steeb, Zheng Chen, Carlos Wyss, and Alexandre Badoux
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1165–1183, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1165-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1165-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Swiss plate geophone system has been installed and tested in more than 20 steep gravel-bed streams. It is an indirect bedload transport measuring system. We compare the performance of this system with three alternative surrogate measuring systems, using calibration measurements with direct bedload samples from three field sites and an outdoor flume facility. Three of the four systems resulted in robust calibration relations between signal impulse counts and transported bedload mass.
Cited articles
Anderson, R. S., Anderson, L. S., Armstrong, W. H., Rossi, M. W., and Crump,
S. E.: Glaciation of alpine valleys: The glacier – debris-covered glacier
– rock glacier continuum, Geomorphology, 311, 127–142, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.03.015,
2018. a
Ballantyne, C. K.: Paraglacial Geomorphology, in: Encyclopedia of
Quaternary Science: Second Edition, Pergamon, vol. 21, 553–565,
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53643-3.00089-3, 2013. a, b, c
Ballantyne, C. K. and Benn, D. I.: Paraglacial Slope Adjustment and
Resedimentation Following Recent Glacier Retreat, Fabergstolsdalen, Norway,
Arctic Alpine Res., 26, 255–269, https://doi.org/10.2307/1551938, 1994. a
Benn, D. I. and Ballantyne, C. K.: Reconstructing the transport history of
glacigenic sediments: a new approach based on the co-variance of clast form
indices, Sediment. Geol., 91, 215–227,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0037-0738(94)90130-9, 1994. a, b, c, d
Benn, D. I. and Owen, L. A.: Himalayan glacial sedimentary environments: A
framework for reconstructing and dating the former extent of glaciers in high
mountains, Quatern. Int., 97-98, 3–25,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1040-6182(02)00048-4,
2002. a, b, c
Bolch, T., Kulkarni, A., Kääb, A., Huggel, C., Paul, F., Cogley,
J. G., Frey, H., Kargel, J. S., Fujita, K., Scheel, M., Bajracharya, S., and
Stoffel, M.: The state and fate of himalayan glaciers, Science, 336, 310–314,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215828, 2012. a
Brun, F., Berthier, E., Wagnon, P., Kääb, A., and Treichler, D.:
A spatially resolved estimate of High Mountain Asia glacier mass balances
from 2000 to 2016, Nat. Geosci., 10, 668–673, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2999, 2017. a
Cai, F. and Ugai, K.: Numerical Analysis of Rainfall Effects on Slope
Stability, Int. J. Geomech., 4, 69–78,
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1532-3641(2004)4:2(69),
2004. a
Carenzo, M., Pellicciotti, F., Mabillard, J., Reid, T., and Brock, B. W.: An
enhanced temperature index model for debris-covered glaciers accounting for
thickness effect, Adv. Water Resour., 94, 457–469,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2016.05.001,
2016. a
Corominas, J., Copons, R., Vilaplana, J. M., Altimir, J., and Amigó,
J.: Integrated Landslide Susceptibility Analysis and Hazard Assessment in
the Principality of Andorra, Nat. Hazards, 30, 421–435,
https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NHAZ.0000007094.74878.d3, 2003. a, b, c
Dai, F. C. and Lee, C. F.: Landslide characteristics and slope instability
modeling using GIS, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, Geomorphology, 42, 213–228,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(01)00087-3,
2002. a
De Haas, T., Braat, L., Leuven, J. R., Lokhorst, I. R., and Kleinhans,
M. G.:
Effects of debris flow composition on runout, depositional mechanisms, and
deposit morphology in laboratory experiments, J. Geophys.
Res.-Earth, 120, 1949–1972, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JF003525, 2015. a
Deline, P.: Change in surface debris cover on Mont Blanc massif glaciers
after
the “Little Ice Age” termination, Holocene, 15, 302–309,
https://doi.org/10.1191/0959683605hl809rr, 2005. a
Deline, P., Gruber, S., Delaloye, R., Fischer, L., Geertsema, M., Giardino,
M.,
Hasler, A., Kirkbride, M., Krautblatter, M., Magnin, F., McColl, S., Ravanel,
L., and Schoeneich, P.: Ice Loss and Slope Stability in High-Mountain
Regions, in: Snow and Ice-Related Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, Elsevier,
521–561, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394849-6.00015-9,
2014. a
Evans, S. and Hungr, O.: The assessment of rockfall hazard at the base of
talus slopes, Can. Geotech. J., 30, 620–636,
https://doi.org/10.1139/t93-054, 1993. a
Frauenfelder, R., Laustela, M., and Kääb, A.: Relative age
dating of Alpine rockglacier surfaces, Z. Geomorphol., 49, 145–166,
available at:
https://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/zfg/detail/49/64937/Relative_age_dating_of_Alpine_rockglacier_surfaces
(last access: 8 May 2019), 2005. a
Gardelle, J., Berthier, E., and Arnaud, Y.: Slight mass gain of Karakoram
glaciers in the early twenty-first century, Nat. Geosci., 5, 322–325,
https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1450, 2012. a
Gibson, M. J., Glasser, N. F., Quincey, D. J., Mayer, C., Rowan, A. V., and
Irvine-Fynn, T. D.: Temporal variations in supraglacial debris distribution
on Baltoro Glacier, Karakoram between 2001 and 2012, Geomorphology, 295,
572–585, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.08.012,
2017a. a, b
Gibson, M. J., Glasser, N. F., Quincey, D. J., Rowan, A. V., and Irvine-Fynn,
T. D.: Changes in glacier surface cover on Baltoro glacier, Karakoram, north
Pakistan, 2001–2012, J. Maps, 13, 100–108,
https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2016.1264319, 2017b. a
Gruber, S., Fleiner, R., Guegan, E., Panday, P., Schmid, M.-O., Stumm, D.,
Wester, P., Zhang, Y., and Zhao, L.: Review article: Inferring permafrost and
permafrost thaw in the mountains of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, The
Cryosphere, 11, 81–99, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-81-2017, 2017. a
Heimsath, A. M. and McGlynn, R.: Quantifying periglacial erosion in the
Nepal high Himalaya, Geomorphology, 97, 5–23,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.02.046, 2008. a
Herreid, S., Pellicciotti, F., Ayala, A., Chesnokova, A., Kienholz, C., Shea,
J., and Shrestha, A.: Satellite observations show no net change in the
percentage of supraglacial debris-covered area in northern Pakistan from 1977
to 2014, J. Glaciol., 61, 524–536, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J227,
2015. a
Immerzeel, W. W., Van Beek, L. P., and Bierkens, M. F.: Climate change
will
affect the asian water towers, Science, 328, 1382–1385,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1183188, 2010. a
Immerzeel, W. W., Kraaijenbrink, P. D., Shea, J. M., Shrestha, A. B.,
Pellicciotti, F., Bierkens, M. F., and De Jong, S. M.: High-resolution
monitoring of Himalayan glacier dynamics using unmanned aerial vehicles,
Remote Sens. Environ., 150, 93–103, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2014.04.025,
2014a. a, b, c, d
Immerzeel, W. W., Petersen, L., Ragettli, S., and Pellicciotti, F.: The
importance of observed gradients of air temperature and precipitation for
modeling runoff from a glacierized watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas,
Water Resour. Res., 50, 2212–2226, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR014506,
2014b. a, b
Iverson, R. M.: The physics of debris flows, Rev. Geophys., 35,
245–296, https://doi.org/10.1029/97RG00426, 1997. a
Kääb, A., Berthier, E., Nuth, C., Gardelle, J., and Arnaud, Y.:
Contrasting patterns of early twenty-first-century glacier mass change in
the Himalayas, Nature, 488, 495–498, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11324, 2012. a, b
Kirkbride, M. P.: Ice-marginal geomorphology and Holocene expansion of
debris-covered Tasman Glacier, New Zealand, 211–217, available at:
http://hydrologie.org/redbooks/a264/iahs_264_0211.pdf (last access:
8 May 2019), 2000. a
Kirkbride, M. P. and Deline, P.: The formation of supraglacial debris covers
by primary dispersal from transverse englacial debris bands, Earth Surf.
Proc. Land., 38, 1779–1792, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3416,
2013. a, b, c
Kirkby, M. J.: Measurement and Theory of Soil Creep, J. Geol., 75,
359–378, https://doi.org/10.1086/627267, 1967. a
Kraaijenbrink, P., Meijer, S. W., Shea, J. M., Pellicciotti, F., De Jong,
S. M., and Immerzeel, W. W.: Seasonal surface velocities of a Himalayan
glacier derived by automated correlation of unmanned aerial vehicle imagery,
Ann. Glaciol., 57, 103–113, https://doi.org/10.3189/2016AoG71A072,
2016. a, b, c
Kraaijenbrink, P. D., Bierkens, M. F., Lutz, A. F., and Immerzeel, W. W.:
Impact of a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius on Asia's
glaciers, Nature, 549, 257–260, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature23878, 2017. a, b
Leprince, S., Ayoub, F., Klinger, Y., and Avouac, J. P.: Co-Registration of
Optically Sensed Images and Correlation (COSI-Corr): An operational
methodology for ground deformation measurements, in: International
Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), 23–28 July 2007, Barcelona, Spain, 1943–1946, IEEE,
https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS.2007.4423207, 2007. a, b
Lucieer, A., Jong, S. M., and Turner, D.: Mapping landslide displacements
using Structure from Motion (SfM) and image correlation of multi-temporal UAV
photography, Prog. Phys. Geog., 38, 97–116,
https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133313515293,
2014. a
Lukas, S., Graf, A., Coray, S., and Schlüchter, C.: Genesis, stability
and preservation potential of large lateral moraines of Alpine valley
glaciers - towards a unifying theory based on Findelengletscher,
Switzerland, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 38, 27–48,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.01.022,
2012. a, b
Lukas, S., Benn, D. I., Boston, C. M., Brook, M., Coray, S., Evans, D. J.,
Graf, A., Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A., Kirkbride, M. P., Krabbendam, M., Lovell,
H., Machiedo, M., Mills, S. C., Nye, K., Reinardy, B. T., Ross, F. H., and
Signer, M.: Clast shape analysis and clast transport paths in glacial
environments: A critical review of methods and the role of lithology,
Earth-Sci. Rev., 121, 96–116, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.02.005, 2013. a, b, c
Macfarlane, A. M., Hodges, K. V., and Lux, D.: A structural analysis of the
Main Central Thrust zone, Langtang National Park, central Nepal Himalaya,
Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 104, 1389–1402,
https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1992)104<1389:ASAOTM>2.3.CO;2,
1992. a
Matsuoka, N.: Solifluction rates, processes and landforms: A global review,
Earth-Sci. Rev., 55, 107–134, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0012-8252(01)00057-5,
2001. a
McCarthy, M., Pritchard, H., Willis, I., and King, E.: Ground-penetrating
radar measurements of debris thickness on Lirung Glacier, Nepal, J.
Glaciol., 63, 543–555, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2017.18,
2017. a, b
Mihalcea, C., Mayer, C., Diolaiuti, G., Lambrecht, A., Smiraglia, C., and
Tartari, G.: Ice ablation and meteorological conditions on the
debris-covered area of Baltoro glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan, Ann.
Glaciol., 43, 292–300, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756406781812104, 2006. a
Mihalcea, C., Brock, B. W., Diolaiuti, G., D'Agata, C., Citterio, M.,
Kirkbride, M. P., Cutler, M. E., and Smiraglia, C.: Using ASTER satellite
and ground-based surface temperature measurements to derive supraglacial
debris cover and thickness patterns on Miage Glacier (Mont Blanc Massif,
Italy), Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 52, 341–354,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2007.03.004, 2008. a
Miles, E. S., Pellicciotti, F., Willis, I. C., Steiner, J. F., Buri, P., and
Arnold, N. S.: Refined energy-balance modelling of a supraglacial pond,
Langtang Khola, Nepal, Ann. Glaciol., 57, 29–40,
https://doi.org/10.3189/2016AoG71A421,
2016. a
Miles, E. S., Steiner, J. F., and Brun, F.: Highly variable aerodynamic
roughness length (z0) for a hummocky debris-covered glacier, J.
Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 122, 8447–8466,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD026510,
2017a. a
Miles, E. S., Willis, I. C., Arnold, N. S., Steiner, J., and Pellicciotti,
F.:
Spatial, seasonal and interannual variability of supraglacial ponds in the
Langtang Valley of Nepal, 1999–2013, J. Glaciol., 63, 88–105,
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.120, 2017b. a, b, c
Nicholson, L. and Benn, D. I.: Calculating ice melt beneath a debris layer
using meteorological data, J. Glaciol., 52, 463–470,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756506781828584, 2006. a
Nield, J. M., King, J., Wiggs, G. F., Leyland, J., Bryant, R. G., Chiverrell,
R. C., Darby, S. E., Eckardt, F. D., Thomas, D. S., Vircavs, L. H., and
Washington, R.: Estimating aerodynamic roughness over complex surface
terrain, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 12948–12961,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD020632, 2013. a
Nuimura, T., Fujita, K., and Sakai, A.: Downwasting of the debris-covered
area
of Lirung Glacier in Langtang Valley, Nepal Himalaya, from 1974 to 2010,
Quatern. Int., 455, 93–101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.06.066,
2017. a, b
Östrem, G.: Ice Melting under a Thin Layer of Moraine, and the
Existence
of Ice Cores in Moraine Ridges, Geogr. Ann., 41, 228–230,
https://doi.org/10.1080/20014422.1959.11907953,
1959. a
Pfeffer, W. T., Arendt, A. A., Bliss, A., Bolch, T., Cogley, J. G., Gardner,
A. S., Hagen, J. O., Hock, R., Kaser, G., Kienholz, C., Miles, E. S.,
Moholdt, G., Mölg, N., Paul, F., Radić, V., Rastner, P., Raup,
B. H., Rich, J., Sharp, M. J., Andreassen, L. M., Bajracharya, S., Barrand,
N. E., Beedle, M. J., Berthier, E., Bhambri, R., Brown, I., Burgess, D. O.,
Burgess, E. W., Cawkwell, F., Chinn, T., Copland, L., Cullen, N. J., Davies,
B., De Angelis, H., Fountain, A. G., Frey, H., Giffen, B. A., Glasser,
N. F., Gurney, S. D., Hagg, W., Hall, D. K., Haritashya, U. K., Hartmann, G.,
Herreid, S., Howat, I., Jiskoot, H., Khromova, T. E., Klein, A., Kohler, J.,
König, M., Kriegel, D., Kutuzov, S., Lavrentiev, I., Le Bris, R., Li,
X., Manley, W. F., Mayer, C., Menounos, B., Mercer, A., Mool, P., Negrete,
A., Nosenko, G., Nuth, C., Osmonov, A., Pettersson, R., Racoviteanu, A.,
Ranzi, R., Sarikaya, M. A., Schneider, C., Sigurdsson, O., Sirguey, P.,
Stokes, C. R., Wheate, R., Wolken, G. J., Wu, L. Z., and Wyatt, F. R.: The
randolph glacier inventory: A globally complete inventory of glaciers,
J. Glaciol., 60, 537–552, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J176,
2014. a, b
Powers, M. C.: A New Roundness Scale for Sedimentary Particles, J.
Sediment. Res., 23, 117–119,
https://doi.org/10.1306/D4269567-2B26-11D7-8648000102C1865D, 1953. a
Ragettli, S., Pellicciotti, F., Immerzeel, W. W., Miles, E. S., Petersen, L.,
Heynen, M., Shea, J. M., Stumm, D., Joshi, S., and Shrestha, A.: Unraveling
the hydrology of a Himalayan catchment through integration of high resolution
in situ data and remote sensing with an advanced simulation model, Adv.
Water Resour., 78, 94–111, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.01.013, 2015. a
Reheis, M. J.: Source, transportation and deposition of debris on Arapaho
Glacier, Front Range, Colorado, USA, J. Glaciol., 14, 407–420,
1975. a
Rickenmann, D.: Runout prediction methods, in: Debris-flow Hazards and
Related Phenomena, edited by: Jakob, M. and Hungr, O., chap. 13, 305–324,
Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg,
https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-27129-5_13, 2005. a
Rounce, D. R. and McKinney, D. C.: Debris thickness of glaciers in the
Everest area (Nepal Himalaya) derived from satellite imagery using a
nonlinear energy balance model, The Cryosphere, 8, 1317–1329,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1317-2014, 2014. a
Rounce, D. R., King, O., McCarthy, M., Shean, D. E., and Salerno, F.:
Quantifying Debris Thickness of Debris-Covered Glaciers in the Everest
Region of Nepal Through Inversion of a Subdebris Melt Model, J.
Geophys. Res.-Earth, 123, 1094–1115,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JF004395, 2018. a
Rowan, A. V., Egholm, D. L., Quincey, D. J., and Glasser, N. F.: Modelling
the feedbacks between mass balance, ice flow and debris transport to predict
the response to climate change of debris-covered glaciers in the Himalaya,
Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 430, 427–438, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2015.09.004,
2015. a
Schauwecker, S., Rohrer, M., Huggel, C., Kulkarni, A., Ramanathan, A. L.,
Salzmann, N., Stoffel, M., and Brock, B.: Remotely sensed debris thickness
mapping of Bara Shigri Glacier, Indian Himalaya, J. Glaciol., 61,
675–688, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J102, 2015. a
Scherler, D., Bookhagen, B., and Strecker, M. R.: Spatially variable
response
of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover, Nat.
Geosci., 4, 156–159, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1068, 2011. a
Schomacker, A.: What controls dead-ice melting under different climate
conditions? A discussion, Earth-Sci. Rev., 90, 103–113,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2008.08.003,
2008. a
Shukla, A., Gupta, R. P., and Arora, M. K.: Estimation of debris cover and
its
temporal variation using optical satellite sensor data: A case study in
Chenab basin, Himalaya, J. Glaciol., 55, 444–452,
https://doi.org/10.3189/002214309788816632, 2009. a
Soldati, M., Corsini, A., and Pasuto, A.: Landslides and climate change in
the Italian Dolomites since the Late glacial, Catena, 55, 141–161,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0341-8162(03)00113-9, 2004. a
Steiner, J. F., Pellicciotti, F., Buri, P., Miles, E. S., Immerzeel, W. W.,
and Reid, T. D.: Modelling ice-cliff backwasting on a debris-covered glacier
in the Nepalese Himalaya, J. Glaciol., 61, 889–907,
https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG14J194, 2015. a
Steiner, J. F., Litt, M., Stigter, E. E., Shea, J., Bierkens, M. F. P., and
Immerzeel, W. W.: The Importance of Turbulent Fluxes in the Surface Energy
Balance of a Debris-Covered Glacier in the Himalayas, Front. Earth
Sci., 6, 144, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2018.00144,
2018. a
Stokes, C. R., Popovnin, V., Aleynikov, A., Gurney, S. D., and Shahgedanova,
M.: Recent glacier retreat in the Caucasus Mountains, Russia, and associated
increase in supraglacial debris cover and supra-/proglacial lake
development, Ann. Glaciol., 46, 195–203,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756407782871468, 2007.
a
Thompson, S., Benn, D. I., Mertes, J., and Luckman, A.: Stagnation and mass
loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: Processes, patterns and rates,
J. Glaciol., 62, 467–485, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37, 2016. a
van Rijn, L. C.: Sediment Transport, Part I: Bed Load Transport, J.
Hydraul. Eng., 110, 1431–1456,
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1984)110:10(1431), 1984. a
van Woerkom, T. and Kraaijenbrink, P.: Lateral moraine elevation differences
along a debris covered moraine, Data set, Zenodo,
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2682541, 2019. a
Watanabe, T., Dali, L., and Shiraiwa, T.: Slope denudation and the supply of
debris to cones in Langtang Himal, Central Nepal Himalaya, Geomorphology,
26, 185–197, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(98)00058-0, 1998. a, b
Watson, C. S., Quincey, D. J., Carrivick, J. L., and Smith, M. W.: The
dynamics of supraglacial water storage in the Everest region, central
Himalaya, Global Planet. Change, 142, 14–27,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2016.04.008, 2016. a
Wirbel, A., Jarosch, A. H., and Nicholson, L.: Modelling debris transport
within glaciers by advection in a full-Stokes ice flow model, The Cryosphere,
12, 189–204, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-189-2018, 2018. a
Short summary
Using data obtained from multiple UAV flights over a debris-covered glacier in the Himalaya between 2013 and 2018, we show that the adjacent moraines erode at rates of up to 16 cm per year, contributing to this debris cover. With retreating ice and resulting instability of moraines, this causes the glacier to cover a narrow zone along the lateral moraines in ever-thicker layers of rocks, resulting in a possible future decrease of local melt.
Using data obtained from multiple UAV flights over a debris-covered glacier in the Himalaya...