Articles | Volume 14, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5061-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5061-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description paper
| 
18 Nov 2022
Data description paper |
| 18 Nov 2022
| 18 Nov 2022
In situ observations of the Swiss periglacial environment using GNSS instruments
Alessandro Cicoira
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Chair of Landslide Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
Climate Change, Extremes and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Center CERC, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
Andreas Biri
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Ben Buchli
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Reynald Delaloye
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Reto Da Forno
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Isabelle Gärtner-Roer
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Stephan Gruber
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Tonio Gsell
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Andreas Hasler
SensAlpin GmbH, Davos, Switzerland
Roman Lim
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Philippe Limpach
Terradata AG, Zurich, Switzerland
Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Raphael Mayoraz
Ct. Valais, Sion, Switzerland
Matthias Meyer
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Jeannette Noetzli
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
Climate Change, Extremes and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Center CERC, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
Marcia Phillips
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
Climate Change, Extremes and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Center CERC, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
Eric Pointner
Rovina und Partner AG, Visp, Switzerland
Hugo Raetzo
Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, Ittigen, Switzerland
Cristian Scapozza
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Mendrisio, Switzerland
Tazio Strozzi
GAMMA Remote Sensing and Consulting AG, Gümlingen, Switzerland
Lothar Thiele
Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Andreas Vieli
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Daniel Vonder Mühll
Personalized Health and Related Technologies, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Vanessa Wirz
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Pro Natura Schaffhausen, Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Jan Beutel
Department of Computer Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Francisco José Cuesta-Valero, Hugo Beltrami, Stephan Gruber, Almudena García-García, and J. Fidel González-Rouco
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Élise G. Devoie, Stephan Gruber, and Jeffrey M. McKenzie
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 3365–3377, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3365-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3365-2022, 2022
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Aldo Bertone, Chloé Barboux, Xavier Bodin, Tobias Bolch, Francesco Brardinoni, Rafael Caduff, Hanne H. Christiansen, Margaret M. Darrow, Reynald Delaloye, Bernd Etzelmüller, Ole Humlum, Christophe Lambiel, Karianne S. Lilleøren, Volkmar Mair, Gabriel Pellegrinon, Line Rouyet, Lucas Ruiz, and Tazio Strozzi
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The Cryosphere, 16, 2505–2526, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2505-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2505-2022, 2022
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Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Nina Brunner, Reynald Delaloye, Wilfried Haeberli, Andreas Kääb, and Patrick Thee
The Cryosphere, 16, 2083–2101, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2083-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2083-2022, 2022
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Martin Hoelzle, Christian Hauck, Tamara Mathys, Jeannette Noetzli, Cécile Pellet, and Martin Scherler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 1531–1547, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-1531-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-1531-2022, 2022
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Tazio Strozzi, Andreas Wiesmann, Andreas Kääb, Thomas Schellenberger, and Frank Paul
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-44, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-44, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Alessandro De Pedrini, Christian Ambrosi, and Cristian Scapozza
Geogr. Helv., 77, 21–37, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-77-21-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-77-21-2022, 2022
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Dorota Czerski, Daphné Giacomazzi, and Cristian Scapozza
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Adrien Wehrlé, Martin P. Lüthi, Andrea Walter, Guillaume Jouvet, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 15, 5659–5674, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021, 2021
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We developed a novel automated method for the detection and the quantification of ocean waves generated by glacier calving. This method was applied to data recorded with a terrestrial radar interferometer at Eqip Sermia, Greenland. Results show a high calving activity at the glacier front sector ending in deep water linked with more frequent meltwater plumes. This suggests that rising subglacial meltwater plumes strongly affect glacier calving in deep water, but weakly in shallow water.
Cristian Scapozza, Chantal Del Siro, Christophe Lambiel, and Christian Ambrosi
Geogr. Helv., 76, 401–423, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-76-401-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-76-401-2021, 2021
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Exposure ages make it possible to determine the time of weathering of a rock surface. They can be determined from rebound values measured with the Schmidt hammer and calibrated on surfaces of known age, defined in this study thanks to historical cartography and two mule tracks built in 300 and 1250 CE, which allowed us to reconstruct glacier fluctuations over the last 3 centuries in Val Scaradra and to define the time of deglaciation and rock glacier development in the Splügenpass region.
Philipp Mamot, Samuel Weber, Saskia Eppinger, and Michael Krautblatter
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1125–1151, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1125-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1125-2021, 2021
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The mechanical response of permafrost degradation on high-mountain rock slope stability has not been calculated in a numerical model yet. We present the first approach for a model with thermal and mechanical input data derived from laboratory and field work, and existing concepts. This is applied to a test site at the Zugspitze, Germany. A numerical sensitivity analysis provides the first critical stability thresholds related to the rock temperature, slope angle and fracture network orientation.
James C. Ferguson and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 15, 3377–3399, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3377-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3377-2021, 2021
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Debris-covered glaciers have a greater extent than their debris-free counterparts due to insulation from the debris cover. However, the transient response to climate change remains poorly understood. We use a numerical model that couples ice dynamics and debris transport and varies the climate signal. We find that debris cover delays the transient response, especially for the extent. However, adding cryokarst features near the terminus greatly enhances the response.
Niccolò Tubini, Stephan Gruber, and Riccardo Rigon
The Cryosphere, 15, 2541–2568, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2541-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2541-2021, 2021
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We present a new method to compute temperature changes with melting and freezing – a fundamental challenge in cryosphere research – extremely efficiently and with guaranteed correctness of the energy balance for any time step size. This is a key feature since the integration time step can then be chosen according to the timescale of the processes to be studied, from seconds to days.
John Mohd Wani, Renoj J. Thayyen, Chandra Shekhar Prasad Ojha, and Stephan Gruber
The Cryosphere, 15, 2273–2293, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2273-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2273-2021, 2021
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We study the surface energy balance from a cold-arid permafrost environment in the Indian Himalayan region. The GEOtop model was used for the modelling of surface energy balance. Our results show that the variability in the turbulent heat fluxes is similar to that reported from the seasonally frozen ground and permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau. Further, the low relative humidity could be playing a critical role in the surface energy balance and the permafrost processes.
Andreas Kääb, Tazio Strozzi, Tobias Bolch, Rafael Caduff, Håkon Trefall, Markus Stoffel, and Alexander Kokarev
The Cryosphere, 15, 927–949, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-927-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-927-2021, 2021
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We present a map of rock glacier motion over parts of the northern Tien Shan and time series of surface speed for six of them over almost 70 years.
This is by far the most detailed investigation of this kind available for central Asia.
We detect a 2- to 4-fold increase in rock glacier motion between the 1950s and present, which we attribute to atmospheric warming.
Relative to the shrinking glaciers in the region, this implies increased importance of periglacial sediment transport.
Sebastián Vivero, Reynald Delaloye, and Christophe Lambiel
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-8, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-8, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
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We use repeated drone flights to measure the velocities of a rock glacier located in the western Swiss Alps. The results are validated by comparing with simultaneous GPS measurements. Between 2016 and 2019, the rock glacier doubled its overall frontal velocity, from 5 m to more than 10 m per year. These high velocities and the development of a scarp feature indicate a rock glacier destabilisation phase. Finally, this work highlights the use of drones for rock glacier monitoring.
Antoine Guillemot, Laurent Baillet, Stéphane Garambois, Xavier Bodin, Agnès Helmstetter, Raphaël Mayoraz, and Eric Larose
The Cryosphere, 15, 501–529, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-501-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-501-2021, 2021
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Among mountainous permafrost landforms, rock glaciers are composed of boulders, fine frozen materials, water and ice in various proportions. Displacement rates of active rock glaciers can reach several m/yr, contributing to emerging risks linked to gravitational hazards. Thanks to passive seismic monitoring, resonance effects related to seasonal freeze–thawing processes of the shallower layers have been monitored and modeled. This method is an accurate tool for studying rock glaciers at depth.
Rupesh Subedi, Steven V. Kokelj, and Stephan Gruber
The Cryosphere, 14, 4341–4364, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4341-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4341-2020, 2020
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Permafrost beneath tundra near Lac de Gras (Northwest Territories, Canada) contains more ice and less organic carbon than shown in global compilations. Excess-ice content of 20–60 %, likely remnant Laurentide basal ice, is found in upland till. This study is based on 24 boreholes up to 10 m deep. Findings highlight geology and glacial legacy as determinants of a mosaic of permafrost characteristics with potential for thaw subsidence up to several metres in some locations.
Ethan Welty, Michael Zemp, Francisco Navarro, Matthias Huss, Johannes J. Fürst, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Johannes Landmann, Horst Machguth, Kathrin Naegeli, Liss M. Andreassen, Daniel Farinotti, Huilin Li, and GlaThiDa Contributors
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 3039–3055, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3039-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3039-2020, 2020
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Knowing the thickness of glacier ice is critical for predicting the rate of glacier loss and the myriad downstream impacts. To facilitate forecasts of future change, we have added 3 million measurements to our worldwide database of glacier thickness: 14 % of global glacier area is now within 1 km of a thickness measurement (up from 6 %). To make it easier to update and monitor the quality of our database, we have used automated tools to check and track changes to the data over time.
Bin Cao, Stephan Gruber, Donghai Zheng, and Xin Li
The Cryosphere, 14, 2581–2595, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2581-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2581-2020, 2020
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This study reports that ERA5-Land (ERA5L) soil temperature bias in permafrost regions correlates with the bias in air temperature and with maximum snow height. While global reanalyses are important drivers for permafrost study, ERA5L soil data are not well suited for directly informing permafrost research decision making due to their warm bias in winter. To address this, future soil temperature products in reanalyses will require permafrost-specific alterations to their land surface models.
Philipp Mamot, Samuel Weber, Maximilian Lanz, and Michael Krautblatter
The Cryosphere, 14, 1849–1855, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1849-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1849-2020, 2020
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A failure criterion for ice-filled rock joints is a prerequisite to accurately assess the stability of permafrost rock slopes. In 2018 a failure criterion was proposed based on limestone. Now, we tested the transferability to other rocks using mica schist and gneiss which provide the maximum expected deviation of lithological effects on the shear strength. We show that even for controversial rocks the failure criterion stays unaltered, suggesting that it is applicable to mostly all rock types.
Isabelle Gärtner-Roer and Christoph Graf
Geogr. Helv., 75, 135–137, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-75-135-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-75-135-2020, 2020
Stephan Gruber
The Cryosphere, 14, 1437–1447, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1437-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1437-2020, 2020
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A simple method to record heave and subsidence of the land surface at specific field locations is described. Hourly observations from three sites, over two winters and one summer, are analyzed and discussed. The data are rich in features that point to the influence of freezing and thawing and of wetting and drying of the soil. This type of observation may offer new insight into the processes of heat and mass transfer in soil and help to monitor climate change impacts.
Tazio Strozzi, Dora Carreon-Freyre, and Urs Wegmüller
Proc. IAHS, 382, 179–182, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-382-179-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-382-179-2020, 2020
Luigi Tosi, Cristina Da Lio, Sandra Donnici, Tazio Strozzi, and Pietro Teatini
Proc. IAHS, 382, 689–695, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-382-689-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-382-689-2020, 2020
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The Venice coastland forms the major low-lying area in Italy and encompasses a variety of environments, such as farmlands, estuaries, deltas, lagoons and urbanized areas. Since most of the territory lies at a ground elevation below or slightly above the mean sea-level, also a few mm/yr of land subsidence can seriously impacts on the coastal system. In this study, we present an analysis of the vulnerability to relative sea-level rise (RSLR) considering an uneven land subsidence distribution.
Andrea Walter, Martin P. Lüthi, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 14, 1051–1066, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1051-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1051-2020, 2020
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Glacier calving plays a key role in the dynamic mass loss of ocean-terminating glaciers in Greenland. Source areas and volumes of 900 individual calving events were analysed for size and timing related to environmental forcings. We found that calving volume distribution and style vary along the calving front and are controlled by the water depth and front geometry. We suggest that in deep water both oceanic melt and subaquatic calving contribute substantially to the frontal mass loss.
Michael Zemp, Matthias Huss, Nicolas Eckert, Emmanuel Thibert, Frank Paul, Samuel U. Nussbaumer, and Isabelle Gärtner-Roer
The Cryosphere, 14, 1043–1050, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1043-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1043-2020, 2020
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Comprehensive assessments of global glacier mass changes have been published at multi-annual intervals, typically in IPCC reports. For the years in between, we present an approach to infer timely but preliminary estimates of global-scale glacier mass changes from glaciological observations. These ad hoc estimates for 2017/18 indicate that annual glacier contributions to sea-level rise exceeded 1 mm sea-level equivalent, which corresponds to more than a quarter of the currently observed rise.
Guillaume Jouvet, Eef van Dongen, Martin P. Lüthi, and Andreas Vieli
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 9, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-1-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-1-2020, 2020
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We report the first-ever in situ measurements of ice flow motion using a remotely controlled drone. We used a quadcopter to land on a highly crevassed area of Eqip Sermia Glacier, Greenland. The drone measured 70 cm of ice displacement over more than 4 h thanks to an accurate onboard GPS. Our study demonstrates that drones have great potential for geoscientists, especially to deploy sensors in hostile environments such as glaciers.
Christoph Rohner, David Small, Jan Beutel, Daniel Henke, Martin P. Lüthi, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 13, 2953–2975, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2953-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2953-2019, 2019
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The recent increase in ice flow and calving rates of ocean–terminating glaciers contributes substantially to the mass loss of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Using in situ reference observations, we validate the satellite–based method of iterative offset tracking of Sentinel–1A data for deriving flow speeds. Our investigations highlight the importance of spatial resolution near the fast–flowing calving front, resulting in significantly higher ice velocities compared to large–scale operational products.
Bin Cao, Xiaojing Quan, Nicholas Brown, Emilie Stewart-Jones, and Stephan Gruber
Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 4661–4679, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-4661-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-4661-2019, 2019
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GlobSim is a tool for simulating land-surface processes and phenomena at point locations globally, even where no site-specific meteorological observations exist. This is important because simulation can add insight to the analysis of observations or help in anticipating climate-change impacts and because site-specific simulation can help in model evaluation.
Joe R. Melton, Diana L. Verseghy, Reinel Sospedra-Alfonso, and Stephan Gruber
Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 4443–4467, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-4443-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-4443-2019, 2019
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Soils in cold regions store large amounts of carbon that could be released to the atmosphere if the soils thaw. To best simulate these soils, we explored different configurations and parameterizations of the CLASS-CTEM model and compared to observations. The revised model with a deeper soil column, new soil depth dataset, and inclusion of moss simulated greatly improved annual thaw depths and ground temperatures. We estimate subgrid-scale features limit further improvements against observations.
Coline Mollaret, Christin Hilbich, Cécile Pellet, Adrian Flores-Orozco, Reynald Delaloye, and Christian Hauck
The Cryosphere, 13, 2557–2578, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2557-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2557-2019, 2019
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We present a long-term multisite electrical resistivity tomography monitoring network (more than 1000 datasets recorded from six mountain permafrost sites). Despite harsh and remote measurement conditions, the datasets are of good quality and show consistent spatio-temporal variations yielding significant added value to point-scale borehole information. Observed long-term trends are similar for all permafrost sites, showing ongoing permafrost thaw and ground ice loss due to climatic conditions.
Samuel Weber, Jan Beutel, Reto Da Forno, Alain Geiger, Stephan Gruber, Tonio Gsell, Andreas Hasler, Matthias Keller, Roman Lim, Philippe Limpach, Matthias Meyer, Igor Talzi, Lothar Thiele, Christian Tschudin, Andreas Vieli, Daniel Vonder Mühll, and Mustafa Yücel
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 11, 1203–1237, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-1203-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-1203-2019, 2019
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In this paper, we describe a unique 10-year or more data record obtained from in situ measurements in steep bedrock permafrost in an Alpine environment on the Matterhorn Hörnligrat, Zermatt, Switzerland, at 3500 m a.s.l. By documenting and sharing these data in this form, we contribute to facilitating future research based on them, e.g., in the area of analysis methodology, comparative studies, assessment of change in the environment, natural hazard warning and the development of process models.
Robert Kenner, Jeannette Noetzli, Martin Hoelzle, Hugo Raetzo, and Marcia Phillips
The Cryosphere, 13, 1925–1941, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1925-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1925-2019, 2019
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A new permafrost mapping method distinguishes between ice-poor and ice-rich permafrost. The approach was tested for the entire Swiss Alps and highlights the dominating influence of the factors elevation and solar radiation on the distribution of ice-poor permafrost. Our method enabled the indication of mean annual ground temperatures and the cartographic representation of permafrost-free belts, which are bounded above by ice-poor permafrost and below by permafrost-containing excess ice.
Jérome Faillettaz, Martin Funk, Jan Beutel, and Andreas Vieli
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 1399–1413, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-19-1399-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-19-1399-2019, 2019
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We developed a new strategy for real-time early warning of
gravity-driven slope failures (such as landslides, rockfalls, glacier break-off, etc.). This method enables us to investigate natural slope stability based on continuous monitoring and interpretation of seismic waves generated by the potential instability. Thanks to a pilot experiment, we detected typical patterns of precursory events prior to slide events, demonstrating the potential of this method for real-word applications.
Nico Mölg, Tobias Bolch, Andrea Walter, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 13, 1889–1909, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1889-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1889-2019, 2019
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Debris can partly protect glaciers from melting. But many debris-covered glaciers change similar to debris-free glaciers. To better understand the debris influence we investigated 150 years of evolution of Zmutt Glacier in Switzerland. We found an increase in debris extent over time and a link to glacier flow velocity changes. We also found an influence of debris on the melt locally, but only a small volume change reduction over the whole glacier, also because of the influence of ice cliffs.
Cristian Scapozza, Christian Ambrosi, Massimiliano Cannata, and Tazio Strozzi
Geogr. Helv., 74, 125–139, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-74-125-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-74-125-2019, 2019
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A glacial lake outburst flood hazard assessment by satellite Earth observation and numerical modelling was done for the lakes linked to the Thangothang Chhu glacier, Chomolhari area (Bhutan), combining detailed geomorphological mapping, landslide and rock glacier inventories, as well as surface displacements quantified by satellite InSAR. Outburst scenario modelling revealed that only a flood wave can have an impact on the two human settlements located downslope of the glacier.
Alessandro Cicoira, Jan Beutel, Jérome Faillettaz, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 13, 927–942, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-927-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-927-2019, 2019
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Rock glacier flow varies on multiple timescales. The variations have been linked to climatic forcing, but a quantitative understanding is still missing.
We use a 1-D numerical modelling approach coupling heat conduction to a creep model in order to study the influence of temperature variations on rock glacier flow. Our results show that heat conduction alone cannot explain the observed variations. Other processes, likely linked to water, must dominate the short-term velocity signal.
Matthias Meyer, Samuel Weber, Jan Beutel, and Lothar Thiele
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 171–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-171-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-171-2019, 2019
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Monitoring rock slopes for a long time helps to understand the impact of climate change on the alpine environment. Measurements of seismic signals are often affected by external influences, e.g., unwanted anthropogenic noise. In the presented work, these influences are automatically identified and removed to enable proper geoscientific analysis. The methods presented are based on machine learning and intentionally kept generic so that they can be equally applied in other (more generic) settings.
Mario Kummert and Reynald Delaloye
Geogr. Helv., 73, 357–371, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-73-357-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-73-357-2018, 2018
Philipp Mamot, Samuel Weber, Tanja Schröder, and Michael Krautblatter
The Cryosphere, 12, 3333–3353, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3333-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3333-2018, 2018
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Most of the observed failures in permafrost-affected alpine rock walls are likely triggered by the mechanical destabilisation of warming bedrock permafrost including ice-filled joints. We present a systematic study of the brittle shear failure of ice and rock–ice contacts along rock joints in a simulated depth ≤ 30 m and at temperatures from −10 to −0.5 °C. Warming and sudden reduction in rock overburden due to the detachment of an upper rock mass lead to a significant drop in shear resistance.
Nico Mölg, Tobias Bolch, Philipp Rastner, Tazio Strozzi, and Frank Paul
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 10, 1807–1827, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-1807-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-1807-2018, 2018
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Knowledge about the size and location of glaciers is essential to understand impacts of climatic changes on the natural environment. Therefore, we have produced an inventory of all glaciers in some of the largest glacierized mountain regions worldwide. Many large glaciers are covered by a rock (debris) layer, which also changes their reaction to climatic changes. Thus, we have also mapped this debris layer for all glaciers. We have mapped almost 28000 glaciers covering ~35000 km2.
Regula Frauenfelder, Ketil Isaksen, Matthew J. Lato, and Jeannette Noetzli
The Cryosphere, 12, 1531–1550, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1531-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1531-2018, 2018
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On 26 June 2008, a rock avalanche with a volume of ca. 500 000 m3 detached in the north-east facing slope of Polvartinden, a high-alpine peak in northern Norway. Ice was observed in the failure zone shortly after the rock avalanche, leading to the assumption that degrading permafrost might have played an important role in the detaching of the Signaldalen rock avalanche. Here, we present a four-year series of temperature measurements from the site and subsequent temperature modelling results.
Rémy Mercenier, Martin P. Lüthi, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 12, 721–739, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-721-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-721-2018, 2018
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This study investigates the effect of geometrical properties on the stress state and flow regime in the vicinity of the calving front of grounded tidewater glaciers. Our analysis shows that the stress state for simple geometries can be determined solely by the water depth relative to ice thickness. This scaled relationship allows for a simple parametrization to predict calving rates of grounded tidewater glaciers that is simple, physics-based and in good agreement with observations.
Benjamin Mewes, Christin Hilbich, Reynald Delaloye, and Christian Hauck
The Cryosphere, 11, 2957–2974, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2957-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2957-2017, 2017
Bin Cao, Stephan Gruber, and Tingjun Zhang
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 2905–2923, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-2905-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-2905-2017, 2017
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To derive the air temperature in mountain enviroments, we propose a new downscaling method with a spatially variable magnitude of surface effects. Our findings suggest that the difference between near-surface air temperature and upper-air temerpature is a good proxy of surface effects. It can be used to improve downscaling results, especially in valleys with strong surface effects and cold air pooling during winter.
Florian Frank, Brian W. McArdell, Nicole Oggier, Patrick Baer, Marc Christen, and Andreas Vieli
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 801–815, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-801-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-801-2017, 2017
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This study describes a sensitivity analysis of the RAMMS debris-flow entrainment model, which is intended to help solve problems related to predicting the runout of debris flows. The results indicate that the entrainment model predicts plausible erosion volumes in comparison with field data. These eroded volumes are sensitive to the initial landslide volume, suggesting that this tool may be useful for both reconstruction of historical events and modeling of debris flow scenarios.
Anna Haberkorn, Nander Wever, Martin Hoelzle, Marcia Phillips, Robert Kenner, Mathias Bavay, and Michael Lehning
The Cryosphere, 11, 585–607, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-585-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-585-2017, 2017
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The effects of permafrost degradation on rock slope stability in the Alps affect people and infrastructure. Modelling the evolution of permafrost is therefore of great importance. However, the snow cover has generally not been taken into account in model studies of steep, rugged rock walls. Thus, we present a distributed model study on the influence of the snow cover on rock temperatures. The promising results are discussed against detailed rock temperature measurements and snow depth data.
Samuel Weber, Jan Beutel, Jérome Faillettaz, Andreas Hasler, Michael Krautblatter, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 11, 567–583, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-567-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-567-2017, 2017
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We present a 8-year continuous time series of measured fracture kinematics and thermal conditions on steep permafrost bedrock at Hörnligrat, Matterhorn. Based on this unique dataset and a conceptual model for strong fractured bedrock, we develop a novel quantitative approach that allows to separate reversible from irreversible fracture kinematics and assign the dominant forcing. A new index of irreversibility provides useful indication for the occurrence and timing of irreversible displacements.
Tazio Strozzi, Andreas Kääb, and Thomas Schellenberger
The Cryosphere, 11, 553–566, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-553-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-553-2017, 2017
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The strong atmospheric warming observed since the 1990s in polar regions requires quantifying the contribution to sea level rise of glaciers and ice caps, but for large areas we do not have much information on ice dynamic fluctuations. The recent increase in satellite data opens up new possibilities to monitor ice flow. We observed over Stonebreen on Edgeøya (Svalbard) a strong increase since 2012 in ice surface velocity along with a decrease in volume and an advance in frontal extension.
Stephan Gruber, Renate Fleiner, Emilie Guegan, Prajjwal Panday, Marc-Olivier Schmid, Dorothea Stumm, Philippus Wester, Yinsheng Zhang, and Lin Zhao
The Cryosphere, 11, 81–99, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-81-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-81-2017, 2017
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We review what can be inferred about permafrost in the mountains of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. This is important because the area of permafrost exceeds that of glaciers in this region. Climate change will produce diverse permafrost-related impacts on vegetation, water quality, geohazards, and livelihoods. To mitigate this, a better understanding of high-elevation permafrost in subtropical latitudes as well as the pathways connecting environmental change and human livelihoods, is needed.
Johann Müller, Andreas Vieli, and Isabelle Gärtner-Roer
The Cryosphere, 10, 2865–2886, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2865-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2865-2016, 2016
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Rock glaciers are landforms indicative of permafrost creep and received considerable attention concerning their dynamical and thermal changes. We use a holistic approach to analyze and model the current and long-term dynamical development of two rock glaciers in the Swiss Alps. The modeling results show the impact of variations in temperature and sediment–ice supply on rock glacier evolution and describe proceeding signs of degradation due to climate warming.
Antoine Marmy, Jan Rajczak, Reynald Delaloye, Christin Hilbich, Martin Hoelzle, Sven Kotlarski, Christophe Lambiel, Jeannette Noetzli, Marcia Phillips, Nadine Salzmann, Benno Staub, and Christian Hauck
The Cryosphere, 10, 2693–2719, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2693-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2693-2016, 2016
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This paper presents a new semi-automated method to calibrate the 1-D soil model COUP. It is the first time (as far as we know) that this approach is developed for mountain permafrost. It is applied at six test sites in the Swiss Alps. In a second step, the calibrated model is used for RCM-based simulations with specific downscaling of RCM data to the borehole scale. We show projections of the permafrost evolution at the six sites until the end of the century and according to the A1B scenario.
Rachel Luethi and Marcia Phillips
Geogr. Helv., 71, 121–131, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-71-121-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-71-121-2016, 2016
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Long-term borehole temperature monitoring in mountain permafrost environments is challenging under the hostile conditions reigning there. On the basis of data measured in the SLF borehole network we show situations where ground temperature data should be interpreted with caution. A selection of recently observed problems are discussed, and advantages and possible drawbacks of various solutions including data correction, measurement redundancy or alternate instrumentation are presented.
Martin P. Lüthi and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 10, 995–1002, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-995-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-995-2016, 2016
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Glaciers flowing into the ocean sometimes release huge pieces of ice and
cause violent tsunami waves which, upon landfall, can cause severe
destruction. During an exceptionally well-documented event at Eqip Sermia,
west Greenland, the collapse of a 200 m high ice cliff caused a tsunami wave
of 50 m height, traveling at a speed exceeding 100 km h−1. This tsunami wave
was filmed from a tour boat, and was simultaneously observed with several
instruments, as was the run-up of 15 m on the shore.
V. Wirz, S. Gruber, R. S. Purves, J. Beutel, I. Gärtner-Roer, S. Gubler, and A. Vieli
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 103–123, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-103-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-103-2016, 2016
F. Frank, B. W. McArdell, C. Huggel, and A. Vieli
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 2569–2583, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-15-2569-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-15-2569-2015, 2015
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The sudden onset of large and erosive debris flows has been observed recently in different catchments in Switzerland, implicating the importance of erosion for debris flow modelling. Therefore, an erosion model was established based on field data (relationship between maximum shear stress and erosion depth and rate) of several debris flows measured at the Illgraben. Erosion model tests at the Spreitgraben showed considerable improvements in runout pattern as well as hydrograph propagation.
L. Tosi, T. Strozzi, C. Da Lio, and P. Teatini
Proc. IAHS, 372, 199–205, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-372-199-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-372-199-2015, 2015
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Eighty regular TerraSAR-X acquisitions over the 2008-2011 period significantly improve the subsidence monitoring at the Venice coastland. Settlements of 30-35 mm/yr have been detected at the three lagoon inlets in correspondence of the MoSE works. The Venice and Chioggia historical centers show local sinking bowls up to 10 mm/yr connected with the construction of new large buildings or restoration works. In the city of Venice, the mean subsidence of 1.1±1.0 mm/yr confirms its general stability.
M.-O. Schmid, P. Baral, S. Gruber, S. Shahi, T. Shrestha, D. Stumm, and P. Wester
The Cryosphere, 9, 2089–2099, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-2089-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-2089-2015, 2015
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The extent and distribution of permafrost in the mountainous parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region are largely unknown. This article provides a first-order assessment of the two available permafrost maps in the HKH region based on the mapping of rock glaciers in Google Earth. The Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground Ice Conditions does not reproduce mapped conditions in the HKH region adequately, whereas the Global Permafrost Zonation Index does so with more success.
I. Beck, R. Ludwig, M. Bernier, T. Strozzi, and J. Boike
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 409–421, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-409-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-409-2015, 2015
A. Hasler, M. Geertsema, V. Foord, S. Gruber, and J. Noetzli
The Cryosphere, 9, 1025–1038, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1025-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1025-2015, 2015
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In this paper we describe surface and thermal offsets derived from distributed measurements at seven field sites in British Columbia. Key findings are i) a small variation of the surface offsets between surface types; ii) small thermal offsets at all sites; iii) a clear influence of the micro-topography due to snow cover effects; iv) a north--south difference of the surface offset of 4°C in vertical bedrock and of 1.5–-3°C on open gentle slopes; v) only small macroclimatic differences.
C. Scapozza
Geogr. Helv., 70, 135–139, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-70-135-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-70-135-2015, 2015
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In the scientific literature, “protalus ramparts” can designate both a nivo-gravitational landform (also called “pronival ramparts”) and a permafrost-related landform. Thanks to a selection of eight major diagnostic criteria defined from observations carried out in the Swiss Alps, it was highlighted that the structure, ice content and creep dynamics of protalus ramparts are the same as many rock glaciers. Protalus rampart were therefore defined simply as a (small) active talus rock glacier.
C. Ambrosi and C. Scapozza
Geogr. Helv., 70, 121–133, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-70-121-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-70-121-2015, 2015
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Some examples of 3-D digital mapping for Quaternary geological and geomorphological cartography are presented in this paper. Examples concern in particular the Quaternary geological cartography around the well-know Flims rockslide area (Graubünden), performed in the framework of the GeoCover project launched by the Swiss Geological Survey, and the landslide and glacial/periglacial landform mapping and inventorying in the southern Swiss Alps (Ticino) for assessing the slope tectonic activity.
J. Fiddes, S. Endrizzi, and S. Gruber
The Cryosphere, 9, 411–426, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-411-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-411-2015, 2015
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This paper demonstrates a new land surface modelling approach that uses globally available data sets to generate high-resolution simulation results of land surface processes. We successfully simulate a highly resolution-dependent variable, ground surface temperatures, over the entire Swiss Alps at high resolution. We use a large evaluation data set to test the model. We suggest that this scheme represents a useful step in application of numerical models over large areas in heterogeneous terrain.
B. Staub, A. Marmy, C. Hauck, C. Hilbich, and R. Delaloye
Geogr. Helv., 70, 45–62, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-70-45-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-70-45-2015, 2015
F. Magnin, P. Deline, L. Ravanel, J. Noetzli, and P. Pogliotti
The Cryosphere, 9, 109–121, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-109-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-109-2015, 2015
S. Endrizzi, S. Gruber, M. Dall'Amico, and R. Rigon
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 2831–2857, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2831-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2831-2014, 2014
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GEOtop is a fine scale grid-based simulator that represents the heat and water budgets at and below the soil surface, reproduces the highly non-linear interactions between the water and energy balance during soil freezing and thawing and simulates snow cover. The core components of GEOtop 2.0. are described. Based on a synthetic simulation, it is shown that the interaction of processes represented in GEOtop 2.0. can result in phenomena that are relevant for applications involving frozen soils.
M. Schäfer, F. Gillet-Chaulet, R. Gladstone, R. Pettersson, V. A. Pohjola, T. Strozzi, and T. Zwinger
The Cryosphere, 8, 1951–1973, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1951-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1951-2014, 2014
V. Wirz, J. Beutel, S. Gruber, S. Gubler, and R. S. Purves
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 2503–2520, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-14-2503-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-14-2503-2014, 2014
R. Gladstone, M. Schäfer, T. Zwinger, Y. Gong, T. Strozzi, R. Mottram, F. Boberg, and J. C. Moore
The Cryosphere, 8, 1393–1405, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1393-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1393-2014, 2014
J. Fiddes and S. Gruber
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 387–405, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-387-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-387-2014, 2014
E. M. Enderlin, I. M. Howat, and A. Vieli
The Cryosphere, 7, 1579–1590, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1579-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1579-2013, 2013
S. Gubler, S. Endrizzi, S. Gruber, and R. S. Purves
Geosci. Model Dev., 6, 1319–1336, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-6-1319-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-6-1319-2013, 2013
E. M. Enderlin, I. M. Howat, and A. Vieli
The Cryosphere, 7, 1007–1015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1007-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1007-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Domain: ESSD – Land | Subject: Geophysics and geodesy
Regional-scale shear-wave velocity profiles for ground response analyses and uncertainty evaluations – the Piedmont region (northwest Italy) database
Seismic survey in an urban area: the activities of the EMERSITO INGV emergency group in Ancona (Italy) following the 2022 Mw 5.5 Costa Marchigiana–Pesarese earthquake
Satellite Altimetry-based Extension of global-scale in situ river discharge Measurements (SAEM)
Advancing geodynamic research in Antarctica: reprocessing GNSS data to infer consistent coordinate time series (GIANT-REGAIN)
Airborne gravimetry with quantum technology: observations from Iceland and Greenland
GravIS: mass anomaly products from satellite gravimetry
cigFacies: a massive-scale benchmark dataset of seismic facies and its application
The Italian Archive of Historical Earthquake Data, ASMI
A high-quality Data Set for seismological studies in the East Anatolian Fault Zone, Türkiye
Synthetic ground motions in heterogeneous geologies from various sources: the HEMEWS-3D database
cigChannel: A massive-scale 3D seismic dataset with labeled paleochannels for advancing deep learning in seismic interpretation
HUST-Grace2024: a new GRACE-only gravity field time series based on more than 20 years of satellite geodesy data and a hybrid processing chain
A new repository of electrical resistivity tomography and ground-penetrating radar data from summer 2022 near Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard
Enriching the GEOFON seismic catalog with automatic energy magnitude estimations
AIUB-GRACE gravity field solutions for G3P: processing strategies and instrument parameterization
GPS displacement dataset for the study of elastic surface mass variations
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time series and velocities about a slowly convergent margin processed on high-performance computing (HPC) clusters: products and robustness evaluation
TRIMS LST: a daily 1 km all-weather land surface temperature dataset for China's landmass and surrounding areas (2000–2022)
Comprehensive data set of in situ hydraulic stimulation experiments for geothermal purposes at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory (Sweden)
An earthquake focal mechanism catalog for source and tectonic studies in Mexico from February 1928 to July 2022
Global physics-based database of injection-induced seismicity
The Weisweiler passive seismological network: optimised for state-of-the-art location and imaging methods
A global historical twice-daily (daytime and nighttime) land surface temperature dataset produced by Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer observations from 1981 to 2021
Moho depths beneath the European Alps: a homogeneously processed map and receiver functions database
DL-RMD: a geophysically constrained electromagnetic resistivity model database (RMD) for deep learning (DL) applications
The ULR-repro3 GPS data reanalysis and its estimates of vertical land motion at tide gauges for sea level science
In situ stress database of the greater Ruhr region (Germany) derived from hydrofracturing tests and borehole logs
The European Preinstrumental Earthquake Catalogue EPICA, the 1000–1899 catalogue for the European Seismic Hazard Model 2020
Rescue and quality control of historical geomagnetic measurement at Sheshan observatory, China
A newly integrated ground temperature dataset of permafrost along the China–Russia crude oil pipeline route in Northeast China
Permafrost changes in the northwestern Da Xing'anling Mountains, Northeast China, in the past decade
British Antarctic Survey's aerogeophysical data: releasing 25 years of airborne gravity, magnetic, and radar datasets over Antarctica
Cesare Comina, Guido Maria Adinolfi, Carlo Bertok, Andrea Bertea, Vittorio Giraud, and Pierluigi Pieruccini
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2175–2191, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2175-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2175-2025, 2025
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Estimates of earthquake ground motion rely on evaluating soil and rock profiles, with shear-wave velocity (Vs) as a key factor. Uncertainty in Vs impacts seismic hazard predictions. Stochastic procedures model this uncertainty but must be calibrated using detailed geological data and Vs databases. This paper provides a new Vs profile database for Piedmont (northwest Italy), integrating geological modelling and geophysical data and supporting similar studies in other regions.
Daniela Famiani, Fabrizio Cara, Giuseppe Di Giulio, Giovanna Cultrera, Francesca Pacor, Sara Lovati, Gaetano Riccio, Maurizio Vassallo, Giulio Brunelli, Antonio Costanzo, Antonella Bobbio, Marta Pischiutta, Rodolfo Puglia, Marco Massa, Rocco Cogliano, Salomon Hailemikael, Alessia Mercuri, Giuliano Milana, Luca Minarelli, Alessandro Di Filippo, Lucia Nardone, Simone Marzorati, Chiara Ladina, Debora Pantaleo, Carlo Calamita, Maria Grazia Ciaccio, Antonio Fodarella, Stefania Pucillo, Giuliana Mele, Carla Bottari, Gaetano De Luca, Luigi Falco, Antonino Memmolo, Giulia Sgattoni, and Gabriele Tarabusi
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2087–2112, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2087-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2087-2025, 2025
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This paper describes data and preliminary analyses made by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) emergency task force EMERSITO, devoted to site effects and seismic microzonation studies, following the 9 November 2022 strong earthquake localized in the Adriatic Sea (Italy). Considering the affected area, EMERSITO deployed, from November 2022 to February 2023, a temporary seismic network of 11 stations (net code 6N) which sampled different geological units in the urban area of Ancona.
Peyman Saemian, Omid Elmi, Molly Stroud, Ryan Riggs, Benjamin M. Kitambo, Fabrice Papa, George H. Allen, and Mohammad J. Tourian
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2063–2085, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2063-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2063-2025, 2025
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Our study addresses the need for better river discharge data, crucial for water management, by expanding global gauge networks with satellite data. We used satellite altimetry to estimate river discharge for over 8700 stations worldwide, filling gaps in existing records. Our data set, SAEM, supports a better understanding of water systems, helping to manage water resources more effectively, especially in regions with limited monitoring infrastructure.
Eric Buchta, Mirko Scheinert, Matt A. King, Terry Wilson, Achraf Koulali, Peter J. Clarke, Demián Gómez, Eric Kendrick, Christoph Knöfel, and Peter Busch
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1761–1780, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1761-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1761-2025, 2025
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Geodetic GPS measurements in Antarctica have been used to track bedrock displacement, which is vital for understanding geodynamic processes such as plate motion and glacial isostatic adjustment. However, the potential of GPS data has been limited by its partially fragmented availability and unreliable metadata. A new dataset, which spans the period from 1995 to 2021, offers consistently processed coordinate time series for 286 GPS sites and promises to enhance future geodynamic research.
Tim Enzlberger Jensen, Bjørnar Dale, Andreas Stokholm, René Forsberg, Alexandre Bresson, Nassim Zahzam, Alexis Bonnin, and Yannick Bidel
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1667–1684, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1667-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1667-2025, 2025
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The availability of data from two airborne gravity campaigns using sensors based on both classical and quantum technology is presented. Data are made available by the European Space Agency as raw, intermediate, and final data products. Here “raw” refers to the sensor output, while “final” refers to the along-track gravity estimates. This makes the data relevant for users interested in applications ranging from data processing and quantum studies to geophysical studies using gravity observations.
Christoph Dahle, Eva Boergens, Ingo Sasgen, Thorben Döhne, Sven Reißland, Henryk Dobslaw, Volker Klemann, Michael Murböck, Rolf König, Robert Dill, Mike Sips, Ulrike Sylla, Andreas Groh, Martin Horwath, and Frank Flechtner
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 611–631, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-611-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-611-2025, 2025
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GRACE and GRACE-FO are unique observing systems to quantify mass changes at the Earth’s surface from space. Time series of these mass changes are of high value for various applications, e.g., in hydrology, glaciology, and oceanography. GravIS (Gravity Information Service) provides easy access to user-friendly, regularly updated mass anomaly products. The portal visualizes and describes these data, aiming to highlight their significance for understanding changes in the climate system.
Hui Gao, Xinming Wu, Xiaoming Sun, Mingcai Hou, Hang Gao, Guangyu Wang, and Hanlin Sheng
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 595–609, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-595-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-595-2025, 2025
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We propose three strategies for field seismic data curation, knowledge-guided synthesization, and generative adversarial network (GAN)-based generation to construct a massive-scale, feature-rich, and high-realism benchmark dataset of seismic facies and evaluate its effectiveness in training a deep-learning model for automatic seismic facies classification.
Andrea Rovida, Mario Locati, Andrea Antonucci, and Romano Camassi
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-467, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-467, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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ASMI, the Italian Archive of Historical Earthquake Data, is a data collection that provides seismological data on more than 6600 earthquakes that occurred in Italy and surrounding between 461 BC and today, based on more than 460 data sources. ASMI distributes in diverse ways and formats earthquake parameters, sets of macroseismic intensity, together with the bibliographical reference of the data source and, if possible the data source itself.
Leonardo Colavitti, Dino Bindi, Gabriele Tarchini, Davide Scafidi, Matteo Picozzi, and Daniele Spallarossa
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-448, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-448, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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This work describes a dataset of 5 years of earthquakes with magnitude range 2.0–5.5 from January 2019 along the East Anatolian Fault, Türkiye. All events were located using the Non-Linear Location algorithm, providing reliable horizontal locations and depths. The distributed product includes Fourier Amplitude Spectra, Peak Ground Acceleration and Peak Ground Velocity; we strongly believe that the creation of high-quality, open-source datasets is crucial for any seismological investigation.
Fanny Lehmann, Filippo Gatti, Michaël Bertin, and Didier Clouteau
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3949–3972, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3949-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3949-2024, 2024
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Numerical simulations are a promising approach to characterizing the intensity of ground motion in the presence of geological uncertainties. However, the computational cost of 3D simulations can limit their usability. We present the first database of seismic-induced ground motion generated by an earthquake simulator for a collection of 30 000 heterogeneous geologies. The HEMEWS-3D dataset can be helpful for geophysicists, seismologists, and machine learning scientists, among others.
Guangyu Wang, Xinming Wu, and Wen Zhang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-131, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-131, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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Seismic paleochannel interpretation is essential for hydrocarbon exploration and paleoclimate studies but remains labor-intensive. Deep learning (DL) is promising to automate it but hindered by the lack of labeled data. We propose a workflow to simulate various channels and realistic seismic volumes, yielding the largest 3D seismic dataset with diverse channel labels. Its effectiveness is proven by field applications. The dataset, codes and DL models are released to advance further research.
Hao Zhou, Lijun Zheng, Yaozong Li, Xiang Guo, Zebing Zhou, and Zhicai Luo
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3261–3281, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3261-2024, 2024
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The satellite gravimetry mission Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its follower GRACE-FO play a vital role in monitoring mass transportation on Earth. Based on the latest observation data derived from GRACE and GRACE-FO and an updated data processing chain, a new monthly temporal gravity field series, HUST-Grace2024, was determined.
Francesca Pace, Andrea Vergnano, Alberto Godio, Gerardo Romano, Luigi Capozzoli, Ilaria Baneschi, Marco Doveri, and Alessandro Santilano
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3171–3192, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3171-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3171-2024, 2024
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We present the geophysical data set acquired close to Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard islands) for the characterization of glacial and hydrological processes and features. The data have been organized in a repository that includes both raw and processed (filtered) data and some representative results of 2D models of the subsurface. This data set can foster multidisciplinary scientific collaborations among many disciplines: hydrology, glaciology, climatology, geology, geomorphology, etc.
Dino Bindi, Riccardo Zaccarelli, Angelo Strollo, Domenico Di Giacomo, Andres Heinloo, Peter Evans, Fabrice Cotton, and Frederik Tilmann
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1733–1745, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1733-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1733-2024, 2024
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The size of an earthquake is often described by a single number called the magnitude. Among the possible magnitude scales, the seismic moment (Mw) and the radiated energy (Me) scales are based on physical parameters describing the rupture process. Since these two magnitude scales provide complementary information that can be used for seismic hazard assessment and for seismic risk mitigation, we complement the Mw catalog disseminated by the GEOFON Data Centre with Me values.
Neda Darbeheshti, Martin Lasser, Ulrich Meyer, Daniel Arnold, and Adrian Jäggi
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1589–1599, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1589-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1589-2024, 2024
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This paper discusses strategies to improve the GRACE gravity field monthly solutions computed at the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern. We updated the input observations and background models, as well as improving processing strategies in terms of instrument data screening and instrument parameterization.
Athina Peidou, Donald F. Argus, Felix W. Landerer, David N. Wiese, and Matthias Ellmer
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1317–1332, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1317-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1317-2024, 2024
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This study recommends a framework for preparing and processing vertical land displacements derived from GPS positioning for future integration with Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE-Follow On (GRACE-FO) measurements. We derive GPS estimates that only reflect surface mass signals and evaluate them against GRACE (and GRACE-FO). We also quantify uncertainty of GPS vertical land displacement estimates using various uncertainty quantification methods.
Lavinia Tunini, Andrea Magrin, Giuliana Rossi, and David Zuliani
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1083–1106, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1083-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1083-2024, 2024
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This study presents 20-year time series of more than 350 GNSS stations located in NE Italy and surroundings, together with the outgoing velocities. An overview of the input data, station information, data processing and solution quality is provided. The documented dataset constitutes a crucial and complete source of information about the deformation of an active but slowly converging margin over the last 2 decades, also contributing to the regional seismic hazard assessment of NE Italy.
Wenbin Tang, Ji Zhou, Jin Ma, Ziwei Wang, Lirong Ding, Xiaodong Zhang, and Xu Zhang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 387–419, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-387-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-387-2024, 2024
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This paper reported a daily 1 km all-weather land surface temperature (LST) dataset for Chinese land mass and surrounding areas – TRIMS LST. The results of a comprehensive evaluation show that TRIMS LST has the following special features: the longest time coverage in its class, high image quality, and good accuracy. TRIMS LST has already been released to the scientific community, and a series of its applications have been reported by the literature.
Arno Zang, Peter Niemz, Sebastian von Specht, Günter Zimmermann, Claus Milkereit, Katrin Plenkers, and Gerd Klee
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 295–310, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-295-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-295-2024, 2024
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We present experimental data collected in 2015 at Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory. We created six cracks in a rock mass by injecting water into a borehole. The cracks were monitored using special sensors to study how the water affected the rock. The goal of the experiment was to figure out how to create a system for generating heat from the rock that is better than what has been done before. The data collected from this experiment are important for future research into generating energy from rocks.
Quetzalcoatl Rodríguez-Pérez and F. Ramón Zúñiga
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4781–4801, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4781-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4781-2023, 2023
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We present a comprehensive catalog of focal mechanisms for earthquakes in Mexico and neighboring areas spanning February 1928 to July 2022. The catalog comprises a wide range of earthquake magnitudes and depths and includes data from diverse geological environments. We collected and revised focal mechanism data from various sources and methods. The catalog is a valuable resource for future studies on earthquake source mechanisms, tectonics, and seismic hazard in the region.
Iman R. Kivi, Auregan Boyet, Haiqing Wu, Linus Walter, Sara Hanson-Hedgecock, Francesco Parisio, and Victor Vilarrasa
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3163–3182, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3163-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3163-2023, 2023
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Induced seismicity has posed significant challenges to secure deployment of geo-energy projects. Through a review of published documents, we present a worldwide, multi-physical database of injection-induced seismicity. The database contains information about in situ rock, tectonic and geologic characteristics, operational parameters, and seismicity for various subsurface energy-related activities. The data allow for an improved understanding and management of injection-induced seismicity.
Claudia Finger, Marco P. Roth, Marco Dietl, Aileen Gotowik, Nina Engels, Rebecca M. Harrington, Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun, Klaus Reicherter, Thomas Oswald, Thomas Reinsch, and Erik H. Saenger
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2655–2666, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2655-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2655-2023, 2023
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Passive seismic analyses are a key technology for geothermal projects. The Lower Rhine Embayment, at the western border of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, is a geologically complex region with high potential for geothermal exploitation. Here, we report on a passive seismic dataset recorded with 48 seismic stations and a total extent of 20 km. We demonstrate that the network design allows for the application of state-of-the-art seismological methods.
Jia-Hao Li, Zhao-Liang Li, Xiangyang Liu, and Si-Bo Duan
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2189–2212, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2189-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2189-2023, 2023
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The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is the only sensor that has the advantages of frequent revisits (twice per day), relatively high spatial resolution (4 km at the nadir), global coverage, and easy access prior to 2000. This study developed a global historical twice-daily LST product for 1981–2021 based on AVHRR GAC data. The product is suitable for detecting and analyzing climate changes over the past 4 decades.
Konstantinos Michailos, György Hetényi, Matteo Scarponi, Josip Stipčević, Irene Bianchi, Luciana Bonatto, Wojciech Czuba, Massimo Di Bona, Aladino Govoni, Katrin Hannemann, Tomasz Janik, Dániel Kalmár, Rainer Kind, Frederik Link, Francesco Pio Lucente, Stephen Monna, Caterina Montuori, Stefan Mroczek, Anne Paul, Claudia Piromallo, Jaroslava Plomerová, Julia Rewers, Simone Salimbeni, Frederik Tilmann, Piotr Środa, Jérôme Vergne, and the AlpArray-PACASE Working Group
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2117–2138, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2117-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2117-2023, 2023
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We examine the spatial variability of the crustal thickness beneath the broader European Alpine region by using teleseismic earthquake information (receiver functions) on a large amount of seismic waveform data. We compile a new Moho depth map of the broader European Alps and make our results freely available. We anticipate that our results can potentially provide helpful hints for interdisciplinary imaging and numerical modeling studies.
Muhammad Rizwan Asif, Nikolaj Foged, Thue Bording, Jakob Juul Larsen, and Anders Vest Christiansen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 1389–1401, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1389-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1389-2023, 2023
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To apply a deep learning (DL) algorithm to electromagnetic (EM) methods, subsurface resistivity models and/or the corresponding EM responses are often required. To date, there are no standardized EM datasets, which hinders the progress and evolution of DL methods due to data inconsistency. Therefore, we present a large-scale physics-driven model database of geologically plausible and EM-resolvable subsurface models to incorporate consistency and reliability into DL applications for EM methods.
Médéric Gravelle, Guy Wöppelmann, Kevin Gobron, Zuheir Altamimi, Mikaël Guichard, Thomas Herring, and Paul Rebischung
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 497–509, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-497-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-497-2023, 2023
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We produced a reanalysis of GNSS data near tide gauges worldwide within the International GNSS Service. It implements advances in data modelling and corrections, extending the record length by about 7 years. A 28 % reduction in station velocity uncertainties is achieved over the previous solution. These estimates of vertical land motion at the coast supplement data from satellite altimetry or tide gauges for an improved understanding of sea level changes and their impacts along coastal areas.
Michal Kruszewski, Gerd Klee, Thomas Niederhuber, and Oliver Heidbach
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 5367–5385, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5367-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5367-2022, 2022
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The authors assemble an in situ stress magnitude and orientation database based on 429 hydrofracturing tests that were carried out in six coal mines and two coal bed methane boreholes between 1986 and 1995 within the greater Ruhr region (Germany). Our study summarises the results of the extensive in situ stress test campaign and assigns quality to each data record using the established quality ranking schemes of the World Stress Map project.
Andrea Rovida, Andrea Antonucci, and Mario Locati
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 5213–5231, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5213-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5213-2022, 2022
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EPICA is the 1000–1899 catalogue compiled for the European Seismic Hazard Model 2020 and contains 5703 earthquakes with Mw ≥ 4.0. It relies on the data of the European Archive of Historical Earthquake Data (AHEAD), both macroseismic intensities from historical seismological studies and parameters from regional catalogues. For each earthquake, the most representative datasets were selected and processed in order to derive harmonised parameters, both from intensity data and parametric catalogues.
Suqin Zhang, Changhua Fu, Jianjun Wang, Guohao Zhu, Chuanhua Chen, Shaopeng He, Pengkun Guo, and Guoping Chang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 5195–5212, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5195-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5195-2022, 2022
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The Sheshan observatory has nearly 150 years of observation history, and its observation data have important scientific value. However, with time, these precious historical data face the risk of damage and loss. We have carried out a series of rescues on the historical data of the Sheshan observatory. New historical datasets were released, including the quality-controlled absolute hourly mean values of three components (D, H, and Z) from 1933 to 2019.
Guoyu Li, Wei Ma, Fei Wang, Huijun Jin, Alexander Fedorov, Dun Chen, Gang Wu, Yapeng Cao, Yu Zhou, Yanhu Mu, Yuncheng Mao, Jun Zhang, Kai Gao, Xiaoying Jin, Ruixia He, Xinyu Li, and Yan Li
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 5093–5110, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5093-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5093-2022, 2022
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A permafrost monitoring network was established along the China–Russia crude oil pipeline (CRCOP) route at the eastern flank of the northern Da Xing'anling Mountains in Northeast China. The resulting datasets fill the gaps in the spatial coverage of mid-latitude mountain permafrost databases. Results show that permafrost warming has been extensively observed along the CRCOP route, and local disturbances triggered by the CRCOPs have resulted in significant permafrost thawing.
Xiaoli Chang, Huijun Jin, Ruixia He, Yanlin Zhang, Xiaoying Li, Xiaoying Jin, and Guoyu Li
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 3947–3959, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3947-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3947-2022, 2022
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Based on 10-year observations of ground temperatures in seven deep boreholes in Gen’he, Mangui, and Yituli’he, a wide range of mean annual ground temperatures at the depth of 20 m (−2.83 to −0.49 ℃) and that of annual maximum thawing depth (about 1.1 to 7.0 m) have been revealed. This study demonstrates that most trajectories of permafrost changes in Northeast China are ground warming and permafrost degradation, except that the shallow permafrost is cooling in Yituli’he.
Alice C. Frémand, Julien A. Bodart, Tom A. Jordan, Fausto Ferraccioli, Carl Robinson, Hugh F. J. Corr, Helen J. Peat, Robert G. Bingham, and David G. Vaughan
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 3379–3410, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3379-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3379-2022, 2022
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This paper presents the release of large swaths of airborne geophysical data (including gravity, magnetics, and radar) acquired between 1994 and 2020 over Antarctica by the British Antarctic Survey. These include a total of 64 datasets from 24 different surveys, amounting to >30 % of coverage over the Antarctic Ice Sheet. This paper discusses how these data were acquired and processed and presents the methods used to standardize and publish the data in an interactive and reproducible manner.
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Short summary
This paper documents a monitoring network of 54 positions, located on different periglacial landforms in the Swiss Alps: rock glaciers, landslides, and steep rock walls. The data serve basic research but also decision-making and mitigation of natural hazards. It is the largest dataset of its kind, comprising over 209 000 daily positions and additional weather data.
This paper documents a monitoring network of 54 positions, located on different periglacial...
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