Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland)
High mountain environments are increasingly affected by rockfall-related hazards, driven by climate change. Studying rockfall in these environments is, however, challenging due to the inaccessibility of mountain ridges and the complex interaction between controlling factors. In this study, the rock...
Published in: | Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
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Language: | English |
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2022
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Online Access: | https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8741818 https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818/file/8753220 |
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ftunivgent:oai:archive.ugent.be:8741818 2023-10-09T21:52:17+02:00 Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) Hendrickx, Hanne Le Roy, Gaëlle Helmstetter, Agnès Pointner, Eric Larose, Eric Braillard, Luc Nyssen, Jan Delaloye, Reynald Frankl, Amaury 2022 application/pdf https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8741818 https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818/file/8753220 eng eng https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8741818 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818/file/8753220 No license (in copyright) info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS ISSN: 0197-9337 ISSN: 1096-9837 Earth and Environmental Sciences mountain permafrost photogrammetry rockfall seismology structural predisposition terrestrial laser scanner MONT-BLANC MASSIF CLIMATE-CHANGE SLOPE INSTABILITY SEDIMENT TRANSFER SWISS-ALPS ROCKFALLS GLACIERS TEMPERATURE IMPACTS EROSION journalArticle info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2022 ftunivgent https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 2023-09-13T22:07:14Z High mountain environments are increasingly affected by rockfall-related hazards, driven by climate change. Studying rockfall in these environments is, however, challenging due to the inaccessibility of mountain ridges and the complex interaction between controlling factors. In this study, the rock wall of Grosse Grabe North Pillar in the Matter valley (Western Swiss Alps) was studied in detail over a timespan of 4 years (2017-2021). Data was collected from time-lapse photography, terrestrial laser scanning, unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry and seismic measurements. The presented dataset is unique because data collection started before the onset of the rock wall destabilization, allowing us to understand precursory indicators of large-scale events. In total, we recorded 382 rock- and cliff fall events (100-31 300 m(3)), with a total volume of 204 323 +/- 8173 m(3), resulting in a scar depth of similar to 40 m. An associated rock wall retreat rate of 71.2 +/- 2.8 mm year(-1) was calculated for the 1991-2021 period. Highly fractured south-exposed gneiss lithology is viewed as the main predisposition for the observed rock- and cliff fall events, allowing high-temperature oscillations to cause irreversible movements at fracture level. Cliff falls (10(4)-10(6) m(3)) were preluded by an outward movement of the rock wall that started to increase 1.5 years before any significant collapse of the rock wall, reaching locally up to 30 cm. All cliff fall events occurred in summer, exposing ice in the clefts. This is assumed to be the base of the permafrost from the north side. Rapid permafrost degradation is viewed as a triggering factor after its exposure, causing progressive failure of the rock wall, leading to very high rock wall retreat rates on a decadal timescale. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice permafrost Ghent University Academic Bibliography Mont Blanc ENVELOPE(69.468,69.468,-49.461,-49.461) Pillar ENVELOPE(166.217,166.217,-77.583,-77.583) High Rock ENVELOPE(-111.452,-111.452,58.917,58.917) Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Ghent University Academic Bibliography |
op_collection_id |
ftunivgent |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth and Environmental Sciences mountain permafrost photogrammetry rockfall seismology structural predisposition terrestrial laser scanner MONT-BLANC MASSIF CLIMATE-CHANGE SLOPE INSTABILITY SEDIMENT TRANSFER SWISS-ALPS ROCKFALLS GLACIERS TEMPERATURE IMPACTS EROSION |
spellingShingle |
Earth and Environmental Sciences mountain permafrost photogrammetry rockfall seismology structural predisposition terrestrial laser scanner MONT-BLANC MASSIF CLIMATE-CHANGE SLOPE INSTABILITY SEDIMENT TRANSFER SWISS-ALPS ROCKFALLS GLACIERS TEMPERATURE IMPACTS EROSION Hendrickx, Hanne Le Roy, Gaëlle Helmstetter, Agnès Pointner, Eric Larose, Eric Braillard, Luc Nyssen, Jan Delaloye, Reynald Frankl, Amaury Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) |
topic_facet |
Earth and Environmental Sciences mountain permafrost photogrammetry rockfall seismology structural predisposition terrestrial laser scanner MONT-BLANC MASSIF CLIMATE-CHANGE SLOPE INSTABILITY SEDIMENT TRANSFER SWISS-ALPS ROCKFALLS GLACIERS TEMPERATURE IMPACTS EROSION |
description |
High mountain environments are increasingly affected by rockfall-related hazards, driven by climate change. Studying rockfall in these environments is, however, challenging due to the inaccessibility of mountain ridges and the complex interaction between controlling factors. In this study, the rock wall of Grosse Grabe North Pillar in the Matter valley (Western Swiss Alps) was studied in detail over a timespan of 4 years (2017-2021). Data was collected from time-lapse photography, terrestrial laser scanning, unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry and seismic measurements. The presented dataset is unique because data collection started before the onset of the rock wall destabilization, allowing us to understand precursory indicators of large-scale events. In total, we recorded 382 rock- and cliff fall events (100-31 300 m(3)), with a total volume of 204 323 +/- 8173 m(3), resulting in a scar depth of similar to 40 m. An associated rock wall retreat rate of 71.2 +/- 2.8 mm year(-1) was calculated for the 1991-2021 period. Highly fractured south-exposed gneiss lithology is viewed as the main predisposition for the observed rock- and cliff fall events, allowing high-temperature oscillations to cause irreversible movements at fracture level. Cliff falls (10(4)-10(6) m(3)) were preluded by an outward movement of the rock wall that started to increase 1.5 years before any significant collapse of the rock wall, reaching locally up to 30 cm. All cliff fall events occurred in summer, exposing ice in the clefts. This is assumed to be the base of the permafrost from the north side. Rapid permafrost degradation is viewed as a triggering factor after its exposure, causing progressive failure of the rock wall, leading to very high rock wall retreat rates on a decadal timescale. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hendrickx, Hanne Le Roy, Gaëlle Helmstetter, Agnès Pointner, Eric Larose, Eric Braillard, Luc Nyssen, Jan Delaloye, Reynald Frankl, Amaury |
author_facet |
Hendrickx, Hanne Le Roy, Gaëlle Helmstetter, Agnès Pointner, Eric Larose, Eric Braillard, Luc Nyssen, Jan Delaloye, Reynald Frankl, Amaury |
author_sort |
Hendrickx, Hanne |
title |
Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) |
title_short |
Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) |
title_full |
Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) |
title_fullStr |
Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (Mattertal, Switzerland) |
title_sort |
timing, volume and precursory indicators of rock- and cliff fall on a permafrost mountain ridge (mattertal, switzerland) |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8741818 https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818/file/8753220 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(69.468,69.468,-49.461,-49.461) ENVELOPE(166.217,166.217,-77.583,-77.583) ENVELOPE(-111.452,-111.452,58.917,58.917) |
geographic |
Mont Blanc Pillar High Rock |
geographic_facet |
Mont Blanc Pillar High Rock |
genre |
Ice permafrost |
genre_facet |
Ice permafrost |
op_source |
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS ISSN: 0197-9337 ISSN: 1096-9837 |
op_relation |
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8741818 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8741818/file/8753220 |
op_rights |
No license (in copyright) info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5333 |
container_title |
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
_version_ |
1779315423094767616 |