Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century

In North-western Iceland, records of slope processes were increasing during the twentieth century. Few dramatic events during the last decades highlighted the danger due to slope dynamics, leaving local populations in a risk situation that was merely unknown before 1970. The recent snow-avalanche, d...

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Main Author: A. Decaulne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2005-01-01
Series:Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Online Access:http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/5/309/2005/nhess-5-309-2005.pdf
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spelling doaj-6d73704641ec4b42ac0f9ac7da84e3942020-11-24T20:44:57ZengCopernicus PublicationsNatural Hazards and Earth System Sciences1561-86331684-99812005-01-0153309318Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth centuryA. DecaulneIn North-western Iceland, records of slope processes were increasing during the twentieth century. Few dramatic events during the last decades highlighted the danger due to slope dynamics, leaving local populations in a risk situation that was merely unknown before 1970. The recent snow-avalanche, debris-flow and rock-fall activity underlined that the most frequent processes are not these with the largest human impact. In fact, the most catastrophic events were the extreme ones, following directly from a low frequency and a high magnitude. The purpose of this paper is to draw a parallel history of natural hazard and residence spatial extension, for an accurate understanding of the present-day risk situation, as the population growth markedly increased during the same time. Different quantitative and qualitative methods are applied. Geomorphological investigations locate the main threaten areas, in the path of slope processes release evidences, i.e. suitable slope morphology and/or inherited/actual forms. By a collection of dating data, as historic records and lichenometrical analysis, the frequency of given magnitude events is known. Climatic analysis clarifies the triggering meteorological conditions of slope processes and offers an overview of climate fluctuation during the investigated period; wind speed and direction is critical to hazardous snow-avalanche departure and snowmelt is crucial for debris-flow release. The findings clearly indicate that a combination of spatial expansion of inhabited areas and a lack of slope processes knowledge at the expansion time led to a recent and progressive risk appearance due to snow avalanches (including slush flows), debris flows and rock fall in most towns and villages of North-western Iceland.http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/5/309/2005/nhess-5-309-2005.pdf
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author A. Decaulne
spellingShingle A. Decaulne
Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
author_facet A. Decaulne
author_sort A. Decaulne
title Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century
title_short Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century
title_full Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century
title_fullStr Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century
title_full_unstemmed Slope processes and related risk appearance within the Icelandic Westfjords during the twentieth century
title_sort slope processes and related risk appearance within the icelandic westfjords during the twentieth century
publisher Copernicus Publications
series Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
issn 1561-8633
1684-9981
publishDate 2005-01-01
description In North-western Iceland, records of slope processes were increasing during the twentieth century. Few dramatic events during the last decades highlighted the danger due to slope dynamics, leaving local populations in a risk situation that was merely unknown before 1970. The recent snow-avalanche, debris-flow and rock-fall activity underlined that the most frequent processes are not these with the largest human impact. In fact, the most catastrophic events were the extreme ones, following directly from a low frequency and a high magnitude. The purpose of this paper is to draw a parallel history of natural hazard and residence spatial extension, for an accurate understanding of the present-day risk situation, as the population growth markedly increased during the same time. Different quantitative and qualitative methods are applied. Geomorphological investigations locate the main threaten areas, in the path of slope processes release evidences, i.e. suitable slope morphology and/or inherited/actual forms. By a collection of dating data, as historic records and lichenometrical analysis, the frequency of given magnitude events is known. Climatic analysis clarifies the triggering meteorological conditions of slope processes and offers an overview of climate fluctuation during the investigated period; wind speed and direction is critical to hazardous snow-avalanche departure and snowmelt is crucial for debris-flow release. The findings clearly indicate that a combination of spatial expansion of inhabited areas and a lack of slope processes knowledge at the expansion time led to a recent and progressive risk appearance due to snow avalanches (including slush flows), debris flows and rock fall in most towns and villages of North-western Iceland.
url http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/5/309/2005/nhess-5-309-2005.pdf
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