Tree-ring-based reconstruction of high-magnitude snow avalanches in Piatra Craiului Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania)

Pop, Olimpiu; Munteanu, Anca; Meseşan, Flaviu; Gavrilă, Ionela-Georgiana; Timofte, Cosmin; Holobâcă, Iulian-Horea

doi:10.1080/04353676.2017.1405715

Cited by 14 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 39 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Numerous studies reconstructed avalanche chronologies in the United States using tree-ring methods (Burrows and Burrows, 1976;Butler et al, 1987;Carrara, 1979;Hebertson and Jenkins, 2003;Potter, 1969;Rayback, 1998). Butler and Sawyer (2008) provided a review of current methodologies and types of tree-ring responses used in avalanche dendrochronological studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A regional spatiotemporal analysis of large magnitude snow avalanches using tree rings

Peitzsch

Hendrikx

Stahle

et al. 2021

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Snow avalanches affect transportation corridors and settlements worldwide. In many mountainous regions, robust records of avalanche frequency and magnitude are sparse or non-existent. However, dendrochronological methods can be used to fill this gap and infer historical avalanche patterns. In this study, we developed a tree-ring-based avalanche chronology for large magnitude avalanche events (size ≥∼D3) using dendrochronological techniques for a portion of the US northern Rocky Mountains. We used a strategic sampling design to examine avalanche activity through time and across nested spatial scales (i.e., from individual paths, four distinct subregions, and the region). We analyzed 673 samples in total from 647 suitable trees collected from 12 avalanche paths from which 2134 growth disturbances were identified over the years 1636 to 2017 CE. Using existing indexing approaches, we developed a regional avalanche activity index to discriminate avalanche events from noise in the tree-ring record. Large magnitude avalanches, common across the region, occurred in 30 individual years and exhibited a median return interval of approximately 3 years (mean = 5.21 years). The median large magnitude avalanche return interval (3–8 years) and the total number of avalanche years (12–18) varies throughout the four subregions, suggesting the important influence of local terrain and weather factors. We tested subsampling routines for regional representation, finding that sampling 8 random paths out of a total of 12 avalanche paths in the region captures up to 83 % of the regional chronology, whereas four paths capture only 43 % to 73 %. The greatest value probability of detection for any given path in our dataset is 40 %, suggesting that sampling a single path would capture no more than 40 % of the regional avalanche activity. Results emphasize the importance of sample size, scale, and spatial extent when attempting to derive a regional large magnitude avalanche event chronology from tree-ring records.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A regional spatiotemporal analysis of large magnitude snow avalanches using tree rings

Peitzsch

Hendrikx

Stahle

et al. 2021

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…During the last decade, several tree-ring-based snow avalanche reconstructions (Table 2) have been undertaken in the Southern Carpathians (Voiculescu & Onaca, 2012;Meseșan et al, 2014;Pop et al, 2015;2017a;2017b;Chiroiu et al 2015;Voiculescu et al, 2016;Todea et al, 2020). Some of the event years reconstructed in the present paper were also found in other mountain ranges, such as the 1997 avalanche (in Parâng, Șureanu, and Piatra Craiului Mountains) and the 2005 avalanche (Parâng, Șureanu and Făgăraș Mountains).…”

Section: Snow Avalanche Reconstructionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Active geomorphic hazards in the Sâmbăta Valley, Făgăraș Mountains (Romania): A tree-ring based approach

Chiroiu¹,

Onaca²,

Matica³

et al. 2022

Geographica Pannonica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The present study addresses, for the first time, the problem of spatio-temporal reconstruction of geomorphic processes using tree-rings in the Sâmbăta Valley (Romanian Carpathians). The dendrogeomorphic analysis was conducted in two different sites, one affected by snow avalanches and the other by rockfall. A total number of 130 Picea Abies were sampled in the two sites. The results yield 13 major snow avalanches between 1950 and 2020 and a return period of 3.3 years. The winters with the highest activity index were 1988, 1997 and 2012. The rockfall reconstruction highlights several years of intense activity: 1952, 1955, 2003 and 2012. Thus, the results of the present study provide evidence of active geomorphic processes in the studied area, indicating that tourists are highly exposed to geomorphic hazards, as both sites interfere with popular hiking trails. (Because Sâmbăta Valley is one of the most intensely frequented by tourists in the Făgăraș Mountains, it is a need for warning signs to be installed on the exposed trails.

show abstract

“…Choosing a suitable sampling size to reconstruct SAs in an area is still subjective by the expert judgement and depends on various sampling strategies applied, available trees for sampling, sample type which may be obtained (discs, wedges or cores), various resources involved during field-sampling (time, experts, equipment, etc.). ring-based chronologies either from Parâng Mountains (Pop et al, 2016;Meseşan et al, 2019) and other mountain ranges in the Southern and Eastern Carpathians (Voiculescu and Onaca, 2013;Chiroiu et al, 2015;Pop et al, 2017;Pop et al, 2020). In that regard, further investigations on other avalanche paths in Parâng Mountains are needed, in order to analyse the weather conditions and patterns that are likely favourable to the triggering of SAs at a regional scale in the Carpathian Range.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Snow–avalanche history reconstructed with tree rings in Parâng Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania)

2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Snow avalanches are a common phenomenon in Parâng Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania) perturbing tourism activities and associated infrastructures, damaging forests, and causing fatalities. Its past history is an essential information to gather while assessing the hazard zonation areas. Usually, in Romania snow–avalanche activity occurring in forested areas are neither monitored, nor recorded by historical archives. In these areas, environmental archives such as tree rings may provide useful information about the past avalanche activity. The purpose of the present study is to reconstruct snow–avalanche history with tree rings along a path located below Cârja Peak (2405 m a.s.l.), an area where past snow–avalanche activity still remains underestimated. In this sense, 57 Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees showing clear signs of disturbance by snow avalanches were sampled and the growth anomalies associated with the mechanical impact produced by snow avalanches on trees were identified within their rings and served to reconstruct past events. The reconstructed chronology covers the period 1994–2018 showing the occurrence of a minimum of 11 major events, with an average return period of 2.1 years. Tree–ring records provided the most consistent avalanche event chronology in the study area. Although the limited extension of the chronology back in time, a better understanding of snow–avalanche history which may be gained through dendrochronological reconstructions represent nonetheless useful and pertinent information to consider before the implementation and development of infrastructure in this mountain avalanche–prone area.

show abstract

Tree-ring-based reconstruction of high-magnitude snow avalanches in Piatra Craiului Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania)

Cited by 14 publications

References 39 publications

A regional spatiotemporal analysis of large magnitude snow avalanches using tree rings

A regional spatiotemporal analysis of large magnitude snow avalanches using tree rings

Active geomorphic hazards in the Sâmbăta Valley, Făgăraș Mountains (Romania): A tree-ring based approach

Snow–avalanche history reconstructed with tree rings in Parâng Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About