scholarly journals Geomorphology and InSAR-Tracked Surface Displacements in an Ice-Rich Yedoma Landscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. van Huissteden ◽  
K. Teshebaeva ◽  
Y. Cheung ◽  
R. Í. Magnússon ◽  
H. Noorbergen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visible Spectrum ◽  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Ground Ice ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Surface Displacements ◽  
Tussock Tundra ◽  
Geomorphological Processes ◽  
Lake Basins

Ice-ridge Yedoma terrain is susceptible to vertical surface displacements by thaw and refreeze of ground ice, and geomorphological processes of mass wasting, erosion and sedimentation. Here we explore the relation between a 3 year data set of InSAR measurements of vertical surface displacements during the thaw season, and geomorphological features in an area in the Indigirka Lowlands, Northeast Siberia. The geomorphology is presented in a geomorphological map, based on interpretation of high resolution visible spectrum satellite imagery, field surveys and available data from paleo-environmental research. The main landforms comprise overlapping drained thaw lake basins and lakes, erosion remnants of Late Pleistocene Yedoma deposits, and a floodplain of a high-sinuosity anastomosing river with ancient river terrace remnants. The spatial distribution of drained thaw lake basins and Yedoma erosion remnants in the study area and its surroundings is influenced by neotectonic movements. The 3 years of InSAR measurement include 2 years of high snowfall and extreme river flooding (2017–2018) and 1 year of modest snowfall, early spring and warm summer (2019). The magnitude of surface displacements varies among the years, and show considerable spatial variation. Distinct spatial clusters of displacement trajectories can be discerned, which relate to geomorphological processes and ground ice conditions. Strong subsidence occurred in particular in 2019. In the wet year of 2017, marked heave occurred at Yedoma plateau surfaces, likely by ice accumulation at the top of the permafrost driven by excess precipitation. The spatial variability of surface displacements is high. This is explored by statistical analysis, and is attributed to the interaction of various processes. Next to ground ice volume change, also sedimentation (peat, colluvial deposition) and shrinkage or swelling of soils with changing water content may have contributed. Tussock tundra areas covered by the extreme 2017 and 2018 spring floods show high subsidence rates and an increase of midsummer thaw depths. We hypothesize that increased flood heights along Siberian lowland rivers potentially induce deeper thaw and subsidence on floodplain margins, and also lowers the drainage thresholds of thaw lakes. Both mechanisms tend to increase floodplain area. This may increase CH4 emission from floodplains, but also may enhance carbon storage in floodplain sedimentary environments.

scholarly journals Handling Complex Missing Data Using Random Forest Approach for an Air Quality Monitoring Dataset: A Case Study of Kuwait Environmental Data (2012 to 2018)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1333
Author(s):  
Ahmad R. Alsaber ◽  
Jiazhu Pan ◽  
Adeeba Al-Hurban 
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Missing Data ◽  
Random Forest ◽  
Missing Values ◽  
Imputation Method ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Air Quality Data

In environmental research, missing data are often a challenge for statistical modeling. This paper addressed some advanced techniques to deal with missing values in a data set measuring air quality using a multiple imputation (MI) approach. MCAR, MAR, and NMAR missing data techniques are applied to the data set. Five missing data levels are considered: 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. The imputation method used in this paper is an iterative imputation method, missForest, which is related to the random forest approach. Air quality data sets were gathered from five monitoring stations in Kuwait, aggregated to a daily basis. Logarithm transformation was carried out for all pollutant data, in order to normalize their distributions and to minimize skewness. We found high levels of missing values for NO2 (18.4%), CO (18.5%), PM10 (57.4%), SO2 (19.0%), and O3 (18.2%) data. Climatological data (i.e., air temperature, relative humidity, wind direction, and wind speed) were used as control variables for better estimation. The results show that the MAR technique had the lowest RMSE and MAE. We conclude that MI using the missForest approach has a high level of accuracy in estimating missing values. MissForest had the lowest imputation error (RMSE and MAE) among the other imputation methods and, thus, can be considered to be appropriate for analyzing air quality data.

Decennial multi-approach monitoring of thermo-hydro-mechanical processes, Kammstollen outdoor laboratory, Zugspitze (Germany)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Scandroglio ◽  
Till Rehm ◽  
Jonas K. Limbrock ◽  
Andreas Kemna ◽  
Markus Heinze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Permafrost Degradation ◽  
Earth Surface ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Permafrost Rock ◽  
Austrian Alps

<p>The warming of alpine bedrock permafrost in the last three decades and consequent reduction of frozen areas has been well documented. Its consequences like slope stability reduction put humans and infrastructures at high risk. 2020 in particular was the warmest year on record at 3000m a.s.l. embedded in the warmest decade.</p><p>Recently, the development of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) as standard technique for quantitative permafrost investigation allows extended monitoring of this hazard even allowing including quantitative 4D monitoring strategies (Scandroglio et al., in review). Nevertheless thermo-hydro-mechanical dynamics of steep bedrock slopes cannot be totally explained by a single measurement technique and therefore multi-approach setups are necessary in the field to record external forcing and improve the deciphering of internal responses.</p><p>The Zugspitze Kammstollen is a 850m long tunnel located between 2660 and 2780m a.s.l., a few decameters under the mountain ridge. First ERT monitoring was conducted in 2007 (Krautblatter et al., 2010) and has been followed by more than one decade of intensive field work. This has led to the collection of a unique multi-approach data set of still unpublished data. Continuous logging of environmental parameters such as rock/air temperatures and water infiltration through joints as well as a dedicated thermal model (Schröder and Krautblatter, in review) provide important additional knowledge on bedrock internal dynamics. Summer ERT and seismic refraction tomography surveys with manual and automated joints’ displacement measurements on the ridge offer information on external controls, complemented by three weather stations and a 44m long borehole within 1km from the tunnel.</p><p>Year-round access to the area enables uninterrupted monitoring and maintenance of instruments for reliable data collection. “Precisely controlled natural conditions”, restricted access for researchers only and logistical support by Environmental Research Station Schneefernerhaus, make this tunnel particularly attractive for developing benchmark experiments. Some examples are the design of induced polarization monitoring, the analysis of tunnel spring water for isotopes investigation, and the multi-annual mass monitoring by means of relative gravimetry.</p><p>Here, we present the recently modernized layout of the outdoor laboratory with the latest monitoring results, opening a discussion on further possible approaches of this extensive multi-approach data set, aiming at understanding not only permafrost thermal evolution but also the connected thermo-hydro-mechanical processes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Krautblatter, M. et al. (2010) ‘Temperature-calibrated imaging of seasonal changes in permafrost rock walls by quantitative electrical resistivity tomography (Zugspitze, German/Austrian Alps)’, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 115(2), pp. 1–15. doi: 10.1029/2008JF001209.</p><p>Scandroglio, R. et al. (in review) ‘4D-Quantification of alpine permafrost degradation in steep rock walls using a laboratory-calibrated ERT approach (in review)’, Near Surface Geophysics.</p><p>Schröder, T. and Krautblatter, M. (in review) ‘A high-resolution multi-phase thermo-geophysical model to verify long-term electrical resistivity tomography monitoring in alpine permafrost rock walls (Zugspitze, German/Austrian Alps) (submitted)’, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.</p>

Relaxation of the south flank after the 7.2-magnitude Kalapana earthquake, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

1994 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-141
Author(s):  
John J. Dvorak ◽  
Fred W. Klein ◽  
Donald A. Swanson
Keyword(s):  
Rift Zone ◽  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Kilauea Volcano ◽  
Adjacent Segment ◽  
The South ◽  
Surface Displacements ◽  
Kīlauea Volcano ◽  
Parkfield Earthquake ◽  
Largest Aftershock ◽  
Large Earthquakes

Abstract An M = 7.2 earthquake on 29 November 1975 caused the south flank of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, to move seaward several meters: a catastrophic release of compression of the south flank caused by earlier injections of magma into the adjacent segment of a rift zone. The focal mechanisms of the mainshock, the largest foreshock, and the largest aftershock suggest seaward movement of the upper block. The rate of aftershocks decreased in a familiar hyperbolic decay, reaching the pre-1975 rate of seismicity by the mid-1980s. Repeated rift-zone intrusions and eruptions after 1975, which occurred within 25 km of the summit area, compressed the adjacent portion of the south flank, apparently masking continued seaward displacement of the south flank. This is evident along a trilateration line that continued to extend, suggesting seaward displacement, immediately after the M = 7.2 earthquake, but then was compressed during a series of intrusions and eruptions that began in September 1977. Farther to the east, trilateration measurements show that the portion of the south flank above the aftershock zone, but beyond the area of compression caused by the rift-zone intrusions and eruptions, continued to move seaward at a decreasing rate until the mid-1980s, mimicking the decay in aftershock rate. Along the same portion of the south flank, the pattern of vertical surface displacements can be explained by continued seaward movement of the south flank and development of two eruptive fissures along the east rift zone, each of which extended from a depth of ∼3 km to the surface. The aftershock rate and continued seaward movement of the south flank are reminiscent of crustal response to other large earthquakes, such as the 1966 M = 6 Parkfield earthquake and the 1983 M = 6.5 Coalinga earthquake.

The effect of multiple splay fault rupture on tsunamis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris van Zelst ◽  
Leonhard Rannabauer ◽  
Alice-Agnes Gabriel ◽  
Ylona van Dinther
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Tsunami Hazard ◽  
Fault Rupture ◽  
Geophysical Research ◽  
Large Wave ◽  
Surface Displacements ◽  
Seismic Cycles ◽  
Splay Faults ◽  
Splay Fault ◽  
The Waves

<p>Earthquake rupture on splay faults in subduction zones could pose a significant tsunami hazard, as they could accommodate more vertical displacement and are situated closer to the coast. To better understand this tsunami hazard, we model splay fault rupture dynamics and tsunami propagation and inundation constrained by a geodynamic seismic cycle (SC) model; building on work presented in Van Zelst et al. (2019). This two-dimensional modelling framework considers geodynamics, seismic cycles, dynamic ruptures, and tsunamis together for the first time. The SC model provides six blind splay fault geometries, self-consistent stress and strength conditions, and heterogeneous material properties in the domain. We find that all six splay faults are activated when the megathrust ruptures. The largest splay fault closest to the nucleation region ruptures immediately when the main rupture front passes the branching point. The other splay faults are activated through dynamic stress transfer from the main megathrust rupture or reflected waves from the surface. Splay fault rupture results in distinct peaks in the vertical surface displacements with a smaller wavelength and larger amplitudes. The effect of the vertical surface displacements also translates into the resulting tsunami, which consists of one large wave for the megathrust-only model and seven waves for the model including splay faults. Here, six of the waves can be attributed to the splay faults and the seventh wave results from the shallow tip of the megathrust. The waves from the rupture including splay faults have larger amplitudes and result in two episodes of coastal flooding. The first episode is due to the large wave caused by rupture on the largest splay fault nearest to the coast. The second flooding episode results from the combination and interference of the waves caused by the rest of the splay faults and the shallow megathrust tip. In contrast, the tsunami caused by rupture on only the megathrust has only one episode of flooding. Our results suggest that larger-than-expected tsunamis could be attributed to rupture on large splay faults. When multiple smaller splay faults rupture their effect on the tsunami might be hard to distinguish from a pure megathrust rupture. Considering the significant effects splay fault rupture can have on a tsunami, it is important to understand splay fault activation and to consider them in hazard assessment.</p><p>References:</p><p>Van Zelst, I., Wollherr, S., Madden, E. H. , Gabriel, A.-A., and Van Dinther, Y. (2019). Modeling megathrust earthquakes across scales: one-way coupling from geodynamics and seismic cycles to dynamic rupture. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 124, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JB017539</p><p></p>

scholarly journals Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) overview and investigation into connection speed

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-73
Author(s):  
Mithun Sharma ◽  
Shilpi Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Data Communication ◽  
Visible Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Wireless Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Input Variables ◽  
Six Sigma Methodology ◽  
Problem Solving Process

Abstract The overarching aim was to reduce the frequency of connection failures that occur due to the connection speed and reliability, and identify, characterise and optimise the key process input variables (KPIVs). An experimental research approach with an inbuilt planned manipulation to one or more variables in the experimental data set was adopted. Key elements of the Six-Sigma methodology were applied to resolve the issue of high failures due to connection speed and reliability between two Li-Fi transceivers. KPIVs were successfully identified, characterised and optimised to implement a permanent corrective action to ensure a reduction in connection failures from 17% to 0%. The alignment between two Li-Fi transceivers along with Li-Fi cut-out was found to be critical in achieving good connection speed and reliability. The interference due to ambient visible spectrum lighting found to be statistically insignificant. This study explored the application and benefits of accessible wireless data communication technologies. Moreover, it sheds light on the probable factors that may influence Li-Fi connection speed and areas for future research. The current research provides a Six-Sigma based solution to high connection failure rates while using an infrared-based Li-Fi transceiver. Results also offer insights into the analytical tools that were found to be effective during the problem-solving process.

scholarly journals Shifts in early spring wind regime in North-East Europe (1955–2007)

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-287
Author(s):  
S. Keevallik ◽  
T. Soomere
Keyword(s):  
Air Flow ◽  
Circulation Type ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Regime Shifts ◽  
Summer Circulation ◽  
Data Set ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Detection Technology ◽  
The 1960S

Abstract. Changes of the winter-to-spring switch-time of the upper air flow regime at 850 and 500 hPa levels over the north-eastern Baltic Sea are analyzed based on a data set extending until 2007. The long-term variation of the air flow in early spring (March) exhibits multiple regime shifts. The shifts are extracted by means of a vector analysis of the monthly mean air flow as well as the statistical shift detection technology. In the middle of the 1960s the average air flow turned from NW (WNW) to W (WSW) at the 500 (850) hPa level. The original regime was restored in the mid-1990s. The regime shifts in the average air flow in March can be interpreted as changes in the transition time from winter to summer circulation type.

scholarly journals Pluri-decadal (1955–2014) evolution of glacier–rock glacier transitional landforms in the central Andes of Chile (30–33° S)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Monnier ◽  
C. Kinnard
Keyword(s):  
Central Andes ◽  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Horizontal Surface ◽  
Rock Glacier ◽  
Surface Displacements ◽  
Short Time Span ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Vertical Displacements ◽  
Rock Glaciers ◽  
Elevation Model

Abstract. This study deals with relationships between debris-covered glaciers and rock glaciers in the central Andes of Chile. Three glacier–rock glacier transitional landforms are investigated over the last decades in order to highlight and question the significance of their landscape evolution and dynamics. We use series of historical air photos and Geoeye satellite images together with common remote sensing operations including imagery orthorectification, digital elevation model generation, and cross-correlation image matching. At each site, the following items were monitored: rock glacier morphology, thermokarst area, horizontal surface displacements and vertical surface displacements. The evolution of the landforms is remarkable given the short time span of the study, with horizontal surface displacements up to more than 3 m yr−1 and vertical displacements up to more than ±1 m yr−1. The landforms studied reveal different evolutional significance: (i) overlap of glacier and rock glacier development; (ii) glacier–rock glacier transformation; (iii) glacier–rock glacier collision. Insights are gained for the second case: the transformation may take place by the division and mixing of the buried ice body into distinct flow lobes and/or the apparent upward progression of the rock glacier morphology by the successive incorporation of debris-covered glacier patches.

scholarly journals Land Surface Subsidence Due to Mining-Induced Tremors in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Poland)—Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 3923
Author(s):  
Paweł Sopata ◽  
Tomasz Stoch ◽  
Artur Wójcik ◽  
Dawid Mrocheń
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mass ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Continuous Monitoring ◽  
Geological Structure ◽  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Coal Basin ◽  
Surface Displacements ◽  
Upper Silesian Coal Basin ◽  
Mining Tremors

Seismic phenomena threaten land-based buildings, structures, and infrastructure and can transform land topography. There are two basic types of seismic phenomena, namely, tectonic and anthropogenic, which differ mainly in epicenter depth, surface impact range, and magnitude (energy). This article shows how a land surface was changed by a series of seven rock mass tremors of magnitude ML = 2.3–2.6 in March–May 2017. Their immediate cause was the “momentary” acceleration of void clamping, which was activated by local and short-term seismic phenomena caused by human activity. The induced seismic events resulted from the geological structure of the rock mass, which in the specific region of examination was classified as being highly prone to mining tremors. The authors focused on describing vertical surface displacements in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in the south of Poland. The surface deformations were identified using DInSAR technology, which allows quasi-continuous monitoring of large areas of land surface. The present research used freely available data from the Copernicus Program and seismic data from the European Plate Observing System.

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