Reconstructing snow avalanches in the Southeastern Pyrenees

Muntán, Elena; Garcı́a, C.; Oller, Pere; Martí, Gloria Novel; García-Reynoso, José Agustín; Gutiérrez, Emília

doi:10.5194/nhess-9-1599-2009

Cited by 78 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Snow cover is an important variable for water availability [1], it influences the radiation budget of the Earth surface [2,3], and may cause natural disasters such as avalanches or floods after the melting process [4,5]. Within Europe especially in Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, snow is an important OPEN ACCESS source of freshwater for reservoirs and the subsequent production of electricity [6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

European Snow Cover Characteristics between 2000 and 2011 Derived from Improved MODIS Daily Snow Cover Products

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mean snow cover duration was derived for the entire continent of Europe based on the MODIS daily snow cover products MOD10A1 and MYD10A1 for the period from 2000 to 2011. Dates of snow cover start and snow cover melt were also estimated. Polar darkness north of ~62°N and extensive cloud coverage affected the daily snow cover, preventing a direct derivation of the desired parameters. Combining sensor data from both MODIS platforms and applying a temporal cloud filter, cloud coverage and polar darkness were removed from the input data and accuracy remained above 90% for 87% of the area. The typical snow cover characteristics of the whole continent are illustrated and constitute a unique dataset with respect to spatial and temporal resolution. Abnormal events, glacier inventories or studies on possible impacts of climate change on snow cover characteristics are only some examples for applications where the presented results may be utilized.Keywords: snow cover duration; MODIS snow products; European snow cover; snow cover start (SCS); snow cover melt (SCM); snow cover beneath clouds

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

European Snow Cover Characteristics between 2000 and 2011 Derived from Improved MODIS Daily Snow Cover Products

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…From a spatial point of view, depending on the sampling effort, a resolution 261 of the order of 10 m can be obtained. Thus, we included data from dendrochronology in the dataset in the few cases where 262 there was enough information related to runout extent (Muntán et al, 2004(Muntán et al, , 2009. 263…”

Section: Dendrochronology 254mentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing major avalanche episodes in space and time in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries in the Catalan Pyrenees

Oller

Muntán

García-Sellés

et al. 2015

Cold Regions Science and Technology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

8With the aim of better understanding avalanche risk in the Catalan Pyrenees, the present work focuses on the analysis of 9 major (or destructive) avalanches. For such purpose major avalanche cartography was made by an exhaustive 10 photointerpretation of several flights, winter and summer field surveys and inquiries to local population. Major avalanche 11 events were used to quantify the magnitude of the episodes during which they occurred, and a Major Avalanche Activity 12Magnitude Index (MAAMI) was developed. This index is based on the number of major avalanches registered and its 13 estimated frequency in a given time period, hence it quantifies the magnitude of a major avalanche episode or winter. 14 Furthermore, it permits a comparison of the magnitude between major avalanche episodes in a given mountain range, or 15 between mountain ranges, and for a long enough period, it should allow analysis of temporal trends. Major episodes from 16 winter 1995/96 to 2013/14 were reconstructed. Their magnitude, frequency and extent were also assessed. During the last 17 19 winters, the episodes of January 22-23 and February 6-8 in 1996 were those with highest MAAMI values, followed by 18 January 30-31, 2003, January 29, 2006, and January 24-25, 2014. To analyze the whole twentieth century, a simplified 19 MAAMI was defined in order to attain the same purpose with a less complete dataset. With less accuracy, the same 20 parameters were obtained at winter time resolution throughout the twentieth century. Again, 1995/96 winter had the highest 21 MAAMI value followed by 1971/72, 1974/75 and 1937/38 winter seasons. The analysis of the spatial extent of the different 22 episodes allowed refining the demarcation of nivological regions, and improving our knowledge about the atmospheric 23 patterns that cause major episodes and their climatic interpretation. In some cases, the importance of considering a major 24 avalanche episode as the result of a previous preparatory period, followed by a triggering one was revealed. 25 Key words 26Major avalanche, major avalanche episode, Pyrenees, magnitude, frequency, hazard, risk.

show abstract

“…Si bien las consecuencias socioeconómicas que pueden implicar los episodios de avalanchas de nieve son bien conocidas (Muntán et al, 2009;García-Hernández et al, 2014;Podolskiy et al, 2014), episodios de movimientos en masa -deslizamientos, flujos, desprendimientos rocosos-, ligados en mayor o menor medida a la dinámica nival, pueden tener un gran impacto en términos de pérdidas personales y materiales (Schuster, 1996;Gokceoglu et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

El episodio de movimientos en masa asociado a los temporales de nieve de 1888 en el Macizo Asturiano

García-Hernández

Fernández

Oliva

et al. 2018

BAGE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

<p>Este estudio analiza un episodio de movimientos en masa generado en el contexto de una serie de temporales cuyas repercusiones se dejaron sentir en numerosos países europeos e incluso en la Costa Este de Estados Unidos, afectando también al norte peninsular y, muy especialmente, al territorio del Macizo Asturiano. En este ámbito el episodio consistió en cuatro temporales de nieve que se sucedieron entre el 14 de febrero y el 8 de abril de 1888, dando lugar a espesores nivales que alcanzaron los 9 m de espesor máximo en núcleos como Pajares (1000 m s.n.m.). El manejo de fuentes históricas en combinación con el trabajo de campo y las entrevistas realizadas entre la población, ha permitido esclarecer las circunstancias en las que algunos de estos eventos se dieron, estableciendo la tipología de 27 de los movimientos desencadenados y determinando que, el deslizamiento, fue el tipo de inestabilidad más común. Determinados condicionantes como la litología del sustrato y el abrupto relieve propio de las zonas más altas del Macizo, unidos a factores antrópicos como las modificaciones previamente realizadas en la topografía de determinadas áreas, influyeron en el desarrollo de los hechos. Sin embargo, los aportes de agua procedentes de la fusión nival, se muestran como el principal agente causal de este episodio de movimientos en masa en el que 28 eventos generaron daños materiales así como grandes retrasos en las comunicaciones, resultando fallecida una persona.</p>

show abstract

Reconstructing snow avalanches in the Southeastern Pyrenees

Cited by 78 publications

References 16 publications

European Snow Cover Characteristics between 2000 and 2011 Derived from Improved MODIS Daily Snow Cover Products

European Snow Cover Characteristics between 2000 and 2011 Derived from Improved MODIS Daily Snow Cover Products

Characterizing major avalanche episodes in space and time in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries in the Catalan Pyrenees

El episodio de movimientos en masa asociado a los temporales de nieve de 1888 en el Macizo Asturiano

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About