A Geological itinerary through the Spanish Pyrenees

Snow makes a great contribution to the hydrological cycle in cold regions. The parameter to characterize available the water from the snow cover is the well-known snow water equivalent (SWE). This paper presents a near-surface-based radar for determining the SWE from the measured complex spectral reflectance of the snowpack. The method is based in a stepped-frequency continuous wave radar (SFCW), implemented in a coherent software defined radio (SDR), in the range from 150 MHz to 6 GHz. An electromagnetic model to solve the electromagnetic reflectance of a snowpack, including the frequency and wetness dependence of the complex relative dielectric permittivity of snow layers, is shown. Using the previous model, an approximated method to calculate the SWE is proposed. The results are presented and compared with those provided by a cosmic-ray neutron SWE gauge over the 2019–2020 winter in the experimental AEMet Formigal-Sarrios test site. This experimental field is located in the Spanish Pyrenees at an elevation of 1800 m a.s.l. The results suggest the viability of the approximate method. Finally, the feasibility of an auxiliary snow height measurement sensor based on a 120 GHz frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar sensor, is shown.

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A Case Study of a Large Unstable Mass Stabilization: “El Portalet” Pass at the Central Spanish Pyrenees

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11167176 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (16) ◽

pp. 7176

Author(s):

Guillermo Cobos ◽

Miguel Ángel Eguibar ◽

Francisco Javier Torrijo ◽

Julio Garzón-Roca

Keyword(s):

Water Table ◽

Critical Factor ◽

Slope Stabilization ◽

Survey Techniques ◽

Geotechnical Investigations ◽

Spanish Pyrenees ◽

Parking Lot ◽

Unstable Slope ◽

Total Stability

This case study presents the engineering approach conducted for stabilizing a landslide that occurred at “El Portalet” Pass in the Central Spanish Pyrenees activated due to the construction of a parking lot. Unlike common slope stabilization cases, measures projected here were aimed at slowing and controlling the landslide, and not completely stopping the movement. This decision was taken due to the slow movement of the landslide and the large unstable mass involved. The degree of success of the stabilization measures was assessed by stability analyses and data obtained from different geotechnical investigations and satellite survey techniques such as GB-SAR and DinSAR conducted by different authors in the area under study. The water table was found to be a critical factor in the landslide’s stability, and the tendency of the unstable slope for null movement (total stability) was related to the water table lowering process, which needs more than 10 years to occur due to regional and climatic issues. Results showed a good performance of the stabilization measures to control the landslide, demonstrating the effectiveness of the approach followed, and which became an example of a good response to the classical engineering duality cost–safety.

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Large-scale engineering geological mapping in the Spanish Pyrenees

International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts ◽

10.1016/0148-9062(91)92963-y ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 28 (2-3) ◽

pp. A164

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Geological Mapping ◽

Engineering Geological Mapping ◽

Spanish Pyrenees

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The stratigraphy of a proximal late Hercynian pyroclastic sequence: the Vilancós region of the Pyrenees

Geological Magazine ◽

10.1017/s0016756800018318 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 128 (2) ◽

pp. 111-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J. S. Gilbert

Keyword(s):

Explosive Eruptions ◽

Rhyolite Lava ◽

Geochemical Fingerprinting ◽

Garnet Composition ◽

Spanish Pyrenees ◽

Volcanic Formation ◽

Flow Deposit ◽

Hercynian Orogeny ◽

Mass Flow Deposits ◽

Crustal Differentiation

AbstractVolcanic activity, the result of crustal differentiation during the Hercynian orogeny, generated eight explosive eruptions in the Vilancós region of the Spanish Pyrenees. The volcanic products comprise the Erill Castell Volcanic Formation of Stephanian age, which crops out as a 20 km long, WNW-trending strip < 2 km wide dipping steeply to the south.The Vilancós region represents a small fragment of an originally extensive regional terrain of silicic centres.The explosive eruptions mainly generated strongly peraluminous and phenocrystal garnet-bearing subaerial ignimbrite facies. Proximal intra-formational breccias represent a substantial volume of the preserved erupted product and one phreatoplinian deposit is exposed. Mass-flow deposits are common, and small-volume basalt, andesite and rhyolite lava flows, minor tuffs and palaesols also occur.Electron microprobe data show that each garnet-bearing member of the Vilancós region has a distinct garnet composition. This is used as geochemical fingerprinting tool to aid mapping and correlation between proximal intra-formational breccias and ignimbrite of the same eruption. Within one debris-flow deposit (the Vilancós Breccia Member) at least three garnet populations occur. Two of these are derived from pyroclastic members within the mapped region, the other comes from an unexposed rhyolite lava source.

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