Estimating rates of debris flow entrainment from ground vibrations
Geophysical Research Letters
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- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Data Release: USGS data release - Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
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Abstract
Debris flows generate seismic waves as they travel downslope and can become more dangerous
as they entrain sediment along their path. We present field observations that show a systematic relation
between the magnitude of seismic waves and the amount of erodible sediment beneath the flow. Specifically,
we observe that a debris flow traveling along a channel filled initially with sediment 0.34m thick generates
about 2 orders of magnitude less spectral power than a similar-sized flow over the same channel without
sediment fill.We adapt amodel fromfluvial seismology to explain this observation and then invert it to estimate
the level of bed sediment (and rate of entrainment) beneath a passing series of surges. Our estimates compare
favorably with previous direct measurements of entrainment rates at the site, suggesting the approach may be
a new indirect way to obtain rare field constraints needed to test models of debris flow entrainment.
Suggested Citation
Kean, J.W., Coe, J.A., Coviello, V., Smith, J.B., McCoy, S., Arattano, M., 2015, Estimating rates of debris flow entrainment from ground vibrations: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 42, no. 15, p. 6365-6372, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL064811.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Estimating rates of debris flow entrainment from ground vibrations |
| Series title | Geophysical Research Letters |
| DOI | 10.1002/2015GL064811 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 15 |
| Publication Date | August 07, 2015 |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | AGU |
| Contributing office(s) | Geologic Hazards Science Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 6365 |
| Last page | 6372 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| Other Geospatial | Chalk Cliffs |