How can seismology provide a better understanding of mountain cryosphere hazards? ...

• Main Authors: Chmiel, Małgorzata, Walter, Fabian, Pralong, Antoine, Husmann, Lena, Kienholz, Christian, Preiswerk, Lukas, Gassner, Johannes, Meier, Lorenz, Brenguier, Florent, Funk, Martin
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: unknown
• Published: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences 2023
• Subjects: Eiger; permafrost
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.57757/iugg23-2456; https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_5018296

<!--!introduction!--> Glacier and slope instabilities pose significant hazards in mountain areas, with a high potential impact on the population. Forecasting glacier and slope instabilities remains challenging as sensing technology focusing on the surface might fail to detect damage and changes in subsurface elastic properties leading to large-scale failures. Seismic methods, such as seismic interferometry, can help address this observational gap by quantifying changes in material integrity. Here, we discuss two case studies in which seismology elucidates the development of cryospheric hazards: a hanging glacier instability and permafrost degradation on an active rockslide. We first analyze seismic data from Switzerland's Eiger hanging glacier before a 15,000 m 3 break-off event. Our approach, based on an analysis of multiple icequake waveforms, allows us to measure seismic source migration. Combined with an analytical model based on damage mechanics our results quantify crevasse extension between ... : The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023) ...