Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland.
Long run‐out rock avalanches are one of the most hazardous geomorphic processes, and risk assessments of the potential threat they pose are often reliant on numerical modelling of their potential run‐out distance. The development of such models requires a thorough understanding of past flow behaviou...
Published in: | Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
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2018
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Online Access: | http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/ http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/1/25473.pdf https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 |
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ftunivdurham:oai:dro.dur.ac.uk.OAI2:25473 2023-05-15T16:28:41+02:00 Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. Benjamin, J. Rosser, N.J. Dunning, S.A. Hardy, R.J. Kelfoun, K. Szczuciński, W. 2018-12-01 application/pdf http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/ http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/1/25473.pdf https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 unknown John Wiley dro:25473 issn:0197-9337 issn: 1096-9837 doi:10.1002/esp.4469 http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/ https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/1/25473.pdf This is the accepted version of the following article: Benjamin, J., Rosser, N.J., Dunning, S.A., Hardy, R.J., Kelfoun, K. & Szczuciński, W. (2018). Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out: application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 43(15): 3057-3073, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving. Earth surface processes and landforms, 2018, Vol.43(15), pp.3057-3073 [Peer Reviewed Journal] Article PeerReviewed 2018 ftunivdurham https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 2020-06-04T22:24:47Z Long run‐out rock avalanches are one of the most hazardous geomorphic processes, and risk assessments of the potential threat they pose are often reliant on numerical modelling of their potential run‐out distance. The development of such models requires a thorough understanding of past flow behaviour inferred from deposits emplaced by previous events. Despite this, few records exist of multiple rock avalanches that occurred in conditions sufficiently consistent to develop a set of more generalised, and hence transferrable, rules. We conduct field and imagery‐based mapping and use numerical modelling to investigate the emplacement of 20 adjacent rock avalanches on the southern flanks of the Nuussuaq peninsula, West Greenland. The rock avalanches run out towards the Vaigat Strait, and are sourced from a range of coastal mountains of relatively uniform geology. We calibrate a three‐dimensional continuum dynamic flow code, VolcFlow, with data from a modern, well‐constrained event that occurred at Paatuut (AD 2000). The best‐fit model assumes a constant retarding stress with a collisional stress coefficient, simulating run‐out to within ±0.3% of that observed. This calibration was then used to model the emplacement of deposits from five other neighbouring rock avalanches before simulating the general characteristics of a further 14 rock avalanche deposits on simplified topography. Our findings illustrate that a single calibration of VolcFlow can account for the observed deposit morphology of a uniquely large collection of rock avalanche deposits, emplaced by a series of events spanning a large volume range. Although the prevailing approach of tuning models to a specific case may be useful for detailed back‐analysis of that event, we show that more generally applied models, even using a single pair of rheological parameters, can be used to model potential rock avalanches of varied volumes in a region and, therefore, to assess the risks that they pose. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Nuussuaq Durham University: Durham Research Online Greenland Nuussuaq ENVELOPE(-51.918,-51.918,66.626,66.626) Paatuut ENVELOPE(-52.750,-52.750,70.250,70.250) Vaigat ENVELOPE(-52.947,-52.947,70.200,70.200) Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 43 15 3057 3073 |
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Open Polar |
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Durham University: Durham Research Online |
op_collection_id |
ftunivdurham |
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unknown |
description |
Long run‐out rock avalanches are one of the most hazardous geomorphic processes, and risk assessments of the potential threat they pose are often reliant on numerical modelling of their potential run‐out distance. The development of such models requires a thorough understanding of past flow behaviour inferred from deposits emplaced by previous events. Despite this, few records exist of multiple rock avalanches that occurred in conditions sufficiently consistent to develop a set of more generalised, and hence transferrable, rules. We conduct field and imagery‐based mapping and use numerical modelling to investigate the emplacement of 20 adjacent rock avalanches on the southern flanks of the Nuussuaq peninsula, West Greenland. The rock avalanches run out towards the Vaigat Strait, and are sourced from a range of coastal mountains of relatively uniform geology. We calibrate a three‐dimensional continuum dynamic flow code, VolcFlow, with data from a modern, well‐constrained event that occurred at Paatuut (AD 2000). The best‐fit model assumes a constant retarding stress with a collisional stress coefficient, simulating run‐out to within ±0.3% of that observed. This calibration was then used to model the emplacement of deposits from five other neighbouring rock avalanches before simulating the general characteristics of a further 14 rock avalanche deposits on simplified topography. Our findings illustrate that a single calibration of VolcFlow can account for the observed deposit morphology of a uniquely large collection of rock avalanche deposits, emplaced by a series of events spanning a large volume range. Although the prevailing approach of tuning models to a specific case may be useful for detailed back‐analysis of that event, we show that more generally applied models, even using a single pair of rheological parameters, can be used to model potential rock avalanches of varied volumes in a region and, therefore, to assess the risks that they pose. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Benjamin, J. Rosser, N.J. Dunning, S.A. Hardy, R.J. Kelfoun, K. Szczuciński, W. |
spellingShingle |
Benjamin, J. Rosser, N.J. Dunning, S.A. Hardy, R.J. Kelfoun, K. Szczuciński, W. Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. |
author_facet |
Benjamin, J. Rosser, N.J. Dunning, S.A. Hardy, R.J. Kelfoun, K. Szczuciński, W. |
author_sort |
Benjamin, J. |
title |
Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. |
title_short |
Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. |
title_full |
Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. |
title_fullStr |
Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. |
title_sort |
transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out : application to 20 rock avalanches on the nuussuaq peninsula, west greenland. |
publisher |
John Wiley |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/ http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/1/25473.pdf https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-51.918,-51.918,66.626,66.626) ENVELOPE(-52.750,-52.750,70.250,70.250) ENVELOPE(-52.947,-52.947,70.200,70.200) |
geographic |
Greenland Nuussuaq Paatuut Vaigat |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Nuussuaq Paatuut Vaigat |
genre |
Greenland Nuussuaq |
genre_facet |
Greenland Nuussuaq |
op_source |
Earth surface processes and landforms, 2018, Vol.43(15), pp.3057-3073 [Peer Reviewed Journal] |
op_relation |
dro:25473 issn:0197-9337 issn: 1096-9837 doi:10.1002/esp.4469 http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/ https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 http://dro.dur.ac.uk/25473/1/25473.pdf |
op_rights |
This is the accepted version of the following article: Benjamin, J., Rosser, N.J., Dunning, S.A., Hardy, R.J., Kelfoun, K. & Szczuciński, W. (2018). Transferability of a calibrated numerical model of rock avalanche run-out: application to 20 rock avalanches on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 43(15): 3057-3073, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4469 |
container_title |
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
container_volume |
43 |
container_issue |
15 |
container_start_page |
3057 |
op_container_end_page |
3073 |
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1766018366777065472 |