Volcanic hazards at Mount Semeru,East Java (Indonesia), with emphasis on lahars

Mt. Semeru, the highest mountain in Java (3,676 m), is one of the few persistently active composite volcanoes on Earth, with a plain supporting about 1 million people. We present the geology of the edifice, review its historical eruptive activity, and assess hazards posed by the current activity, highlighting the lahar threat. The composite andesite cone of Semeru results from the growth of two edifices: the Mahameru ‘old’ Semeru and the Seloko ‘young’ Semeru. On the SE flank of the summit cone, a N130-trending scar, branched on the active Jonggring-Seloko vent, is the current pathway for rockslides and pyroclastic flows produced by dome growth. The eruptive activity, recorded since 1818, shows three styles: (1) The persistent vulcanian and phreatomagmatic regime consists of short-lived eruption columns several times a day; (2) increase in activity every 5 to 7 years produces several kilometer-high eruption columns, ballistic bombs and thick tephra fall around the vent, and ash fall 40 km downwind. Dome extrusion in the vent and subsequent collapses produce block-and-ash flows that travel toward the SE as far as 11 km from the summit; and (3) flank lava flows erupted on the lower SE and E flanks in 1895 and in 1941–1942. Pyroclastic flows recur every 5 years on average while large-scale lahars exceeding 5 million m³ each have occurred at least five times since 1884. Lumajang, a city home to 85,000 people located 35 km E of the summit, was devastated by lahars in 1909. In 2000, the catchment of the Curah Lengkong River on the ESE flank shows an annual sediment yield of 2.7 × 10⁵ m³ km⁻² and a denudation rate of 4 10⁵ t km⁻² yr⁻¹, comparable with values reported at other active composite cones in wet environment. Unlike catchments affected by high magnitude eruptions, sediment yield at Mt. Semeru, however, does not decline drastically within the first post-eruption years. This is due to the daily supply of pyroclastic debris shed over the summit cone, which is remobilised by runoff during the rainy season. Three hazard-prone areas are delineated at Mt. Semeru: (1) a triangle-shaped area open toward the SE has been frequently swept by dome-collapse avalanches and pyroclastic flows; (2) the S and SE valleys convey tens of rain-triggered lahars each year within a distance of 20 km toward the ring plain; (3) valleys 25 km S, SE, and the ring plain 35 km E toward Lumajang can be affected by debris avalanches and debris flows if the steep-sided summit cone fails.     

Hydraulic,physical and rheological characteristics of rain‐triggered lahars at Semeru volcano,Indonesia

Lahars (volcanic debris flows) have been responsible for 40% of all volcanic fatalities over the past century. Mount Semeru (East Java, Indonesia) is a persistently active composite volcano that threatens approximately one million people with its lahars and pyroclastic flows. Despite their regularity, the behaviour and the propagation of these rain‐triggered lahars are poorly understood. In situ samples were taken from lahars in motion at two sites in the Curah Lengkong River, on the southeast flank of Semeru, providing estimates of the particle concentration, grain size spectrum, grain density and composition. This enables us to identify flow sediment from three categories of lahars: (a) hyperconcentrated flow, (b) non‐cohesive, clast‐ and matrix‐supported debris flow, and (c) muddy flood. To understand hyperconcentrated flow sediment transport processes, it is more appropriate to sample the active flows than the post‐event lahar deposits because in situ sampling retains the full spectrum of the grain‐size distribution. Rheometrical tests on materials sampled from moving hyperconcentrated flows were carried out using a laboratory vane rheometer. Despite technical difficulties, results obtained on the <63, <180, and <400 µm fractions of the sampled sediment, suggest a purely frictional behaviour. Importantly, and contrary to previous experiments conducted with monodisperse suspensions, our results do not show any transition towards a viscous behaviour for high shear rates. These data provide important constraints for future physical and numerical modelling of lahar flows. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transverse architecture of lahar terraces,inferred from radargrams: preliminary results from Semeru Volcano,Indonesia

Semeru Volcano is the highest mountain of Java (Indonesia), and a vulcanian explosion occurs every 15 minutes on average, since 1967. Thus a constantly renewed stock of material and the heavy monsoon rainfall [3700 mm yr^?1 at 1500 m above sea level (a.s.l.)] provide a perfect setting for the study of lahars and their deposits. Hence, we examined the architecture of lahars' terraces 9·5 km from the summit in the Curah Lengkong Valley. We first used ground penetrating radar (GPR) over vertical exposures of the lahars cut‐bank terraces. This allowed us to better understand transversal radargrams across terraces, which are not visually accessible in the field. Preliminary results from a single radargram are very instructive, since (1) they prove that the lateral architecture does not correspond to that observed from banks only; (2) we could observe the presence of lenses and stratigraphic discontinuities; (3) the setting of the various units can also help reconstruct deposition processes and the chronology of different units. In order to finalize these preliminary results, we however need to perform multiple GPR radargrams and provide a complete set of results. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lahars at Merapi volcano, Central Java: an overview

Merapi volcano, in Central Java, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. At least 23 of the 61 reported eruptions since the mid-1500s have produced source deposits for lahars. The combined lahar deposits cover about 286 km² on the flanks and the surrounding piedmonts of the volcano. At Merapi, lahars are commonly rain-triggered by rainfalls having an average intensity of about 40 mm in 2 h. Most occur during the rainy season from November to April, and have average velocities of 5–7 m/s at 1000 m in elevation. A wide range of facies may be generated from a single flow, which may transform downvalley from debris flow to hyperconcentrated streamflow.Because of the high frequency and magnitude of the lahar events, lahar-related hazards are high below about 450–600 m elevation in each of the 13 rivers which drain the volcano. Hazard-zone maps for lahar were produced by Pardyanto et al. (Volcanic hazard map, Merapi volcano, Central Java (1/100,000). Geol. Surv. of Indonesia, Bandung, II, 4, 1978) and the Japanese–Indonesian Cooperation Agency (Master plan for land conservation and volcanic debris control in the area of Mt Merapi, Jakarta, 1980), but these maps are of a very small scale to meet modern zoning requirements. More recently, a few large-scale maps (1/10,000- and 1/2000-scale) and risk assessments have been completed for a few critical river systems.     

Erosion and aggradation on persistently active volcanoes—a case study from Semeru Volcano,Indonesia

Erosion processes on active volcanoes in humid climates result in some of the highest sediment yields on Earth. Episodic sediment yields after large eruptions have been evaluated, but not the long-term and continuous patterns on persistently active volcanoes. We have used high-spatial resolution satellite imagery and DEMs/DSMs along with field-based geologic mapping to assess accurately sediment budgets for the active Semeru Volcano in Java, Indonesia. Patterns of aggradation and degradation on Semeru differ from that of other active volcanoes because (1) both episodic pyroclastic density currents (PDC) and continuous supplies of tephra generate pulses of sediment, (2) sediment is transferred via cycles of aggradation and degradation that continue for >15 years in river channels after each PDC-producing eruption, and (3) rain-triggered lahars remove much greater material than fluvial transport during long, intense rainfall events. The geomorphic response of two of Semeru’s rivers to volcanic sediment migration indicates that (1) each river experiences alternating aggradation and degradation cycles following PDC-producing eruptions and (2) spatial patterns of sediment transfer are governed by geomorphic characteristics of the river reaches. Usually high degradation in the steep source reach is followed by a long bypassing middle reach. Aggradation predominates in the depositional reaches further down valley on the ring plain. Average sediment yields (10³–10⁵ t/km²/year) at persistently active volcanoes are two to three orders of magnitude lower than sediment yields after large and infrequent eruptions, but the continuous and steady sediment transfer in rivers removes more sediment on a mid-term (10 years) to long-term (30 years) basis. In contrast to the trend observed on composite cones after large and infrequent eruptions, decay of sediment yields is not exponential and river channels do not fully recover at steadily active volcanoes as episodic inputs from BAF eruptions, superimposed on the background remobilization of daily tephra, have a greater cumulative effect.     

Magma eruption rates of Merapi volcano,Central Java,Indonesia during one century (1890–1992)

The magma eruption rates of Merapi volcano form 1890 to 1992 are re-examined chronologically. For this volcano, movements of extruded lavas and domes as well as their extrusions are important because they control the modes of the subsequent activities and cause nuées ardentes and lahars. The monthly eruption rates varied widely, but the cumulative volume of lavas has increased linearly and is expressed as 0.1x10⁶ m³/month. The magma production rate of this volcano may have been constant for these 100 years. Recurrent excessive effusion of lavas is tentatively interpreted by assuming a magma reservoir. The averaged eruption rate is small in comparison with other volcanoes such as Nyramuragia, Kilauea and Vesuvio. However, it is remarkable that the activity has been continuous for these 100 years and the total amount of lava discharged during this period reached more than 10⁸ m³. A simple model for the formation of the 1992 lava dome is presented. The viscosity of the lavas is probably between 10⁶ and 10⁷ P and the length of the magma conduit is probably less than 10 km.     

The coalescence and organization of lahars at Semeru volcano, Indonesia

We present multi-parameter geophysical measurements of rainfall-induced lahars at Semeru Volcano, East Java, using two observation sites 510 m apart, 11.5 km from the summit. Our study site in the Curah Lengkong channel is composed of a 30-m wide box-valley, with a base of gravel and lava bedrock, representing an ideal geometry for high density measurements of active lahars. Instrumentation included pore-pressure sensors (stage), a broad-band seismograph (arrival times, vibrational energy, and turbulence), video footage, and direct bucket sampling. A total of 8 rainfall-induced lahars were recorded, with durations of 1–3 h, heights 0.5–2 m, and peak velocities 3–6 m/s. Flow types ranged from dilute to dense hyperconcentrated flows. These recorded flows were commonly composed of partly coalesced, discrete and unsteady gravity current packets, represented by multiple peaks within each lahar. These packets most likely originate from multiple lahar sources, and can be traced between instrument sites. Those with the highest concentrations and greatest wetted areas were often located mid-lahar at our measured reach, accelerating towards the flow front. As these lahars travel downstream, the individual packets thus coalesce and the flow develops a more organised structure. Observations of different degrees of coalescence between these discrete flow packets illustrate that a single mature debris flow may have formed from multiple dynamically independent lahars, each with different origins.     

Catastrophic precipitation‐triggered lahar at Casita volcano,Nicaragua: occurrence,bulking and transformation

A catastrophic lahar began on 30 October 1998, as hurricane precipitation triggered a small ?ank collapse of Casita volcano, a complex and probably dormant stratovolcano. The initial rockslide‐debris avalanche evolved on the ?ank to yield a watery debris ?ood with a sediment concentration less than 60 per cent by volume at the base of the volcano. Within 2·5 km, however, the watery ?ow entrained (bulked) enough sediment to transform entirely to a debris ?ow. The debris ?ow, 6 km downstream and 1·2 km wide and 3 to 6 m deep, killed 2500 people, nearly the entire populations of the communities of El Porvenir and Rolando Rodriguez. These ‘new towns’ were developed in a prehistoric lahar pathway: at least three ?ows of similar size since 8330 ¹⁴C years bp are documented by stratigraphy in the same 30‐degree sector. Travel time between perception of the ?ow and destruction of the towns was only 2·5–3·0 minutes. The evolution of the ?ow wave occurred with hydraulic continuity and without pause or any extraordinary addition of water. The precipitation trigger of the Casita lahar emphasizes the need, in volcano hazard assessments, for including the potential for non‐eruption‐related collapse lahars with the more predictable potential of their syneruption analogues. The ?ow behaviour emphasizes that volcano collapses can yield not only volcanic debris avalanches with restricted runouts, but also mobile lahars that enlarge by bulking as they ?ow. Volumes and hence inundation areas of collapse‐runout lahars can increase greatly beyond their sources: the volume of the Casita lahar bulked to at least 2·6 times the contributing volume of the ?ank collapse and 4·2 times that of the debris ?ood. At least 78 per cent of the debris ?ow matrix (sediment < ?1·0Φ; 2 mm) was entrained during ?ow. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nutrient fluxes induced by disturbance in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu

A wave flume experiment was conducted to study nutrient fluxes at water-sediment interface of Meiliang Bay under different hydrodynamic conditions. The results reveal that hydrodynamics has remarkable effects on nutrient fluxes in this area. With a bottom wave stress of 0.019 N m^?2 (equivalent to disturbance caused by wind SE 5–7 m s^?1 at the sediment sample site of Meiliang Bay), the fluxes of TN, TDN and NH₄ ⁺-N were separately 1.92 × 10^?3, ?1.81 × 10^?4 and 5.28 × 10^?4 mg m^?2 s^?1 (positive for upward and negative for downward), but for TP, TDP and SRP, the fluxes were 5.69 × 10^?4, 1.68 × 10^?4 and ?1.29 × 10^?4 mg m^?2 s^?1. In order to calculate the released amount of nutrients based on these results, statistic analysis on the long-term meteorological data was conducted. The result shows that the maximum lasting time for wind SE 5–7 m s^?1 in this area is about 15 h in summer. Further calculation shows that 111 t TN, 32 t NH₄ ⁺-N, 34 t TP and 10 t TDP can be released into water (the sediment area was 47.45% of the whole surface area), resulting in concentration increase of 0.025, 0.007, 0.007 and 0.002 mg L^?1 separately. With stronger disturbance (bottom wave stress is 0.217 N m^?2 which is equivalent to disturbance caused by wind SE 10–11 m s^?1 at the same site), there has been significant increase of nutrient fluxes (1.16 × 10^?2, 6.76 × 10^?3, 1.14 × 10^?2 and 2.14 × 10^?3 mg m^?2 s^?1 for TN, DTN and NH₄ ⁺-N and TP). The exceptions were TDP with flux having a decrease (measured to be 9.54 × 10^?5 mg m^?2 s^?1) and SRP with flux having a small increase (measured to be 5.42 × 10^?5 mg m^?2 s^?1). The same statistic analysis on meteorological data reveal that the maximum lasting time for wind SE 10–11 m s^?1 is no more than 5 h. Based on the nutrient fluxes and the wind lasting-time, similar calculations were also made suggesting that 232 t TN, 134.9 t TDN, 228 t NH₄ ⁺-N, 42.7 t TP, 2.0 t TDP and 1.1 t SRP will be released from sediment at this hydrodynamic condition resulting in the concentration increases of 0.050, 0.029, 0.049, 0.009, 0.0004 and 0.0002 mg L^?1. Therefore in shallow lakes, surface disturbance can lead to significant increase of nutrient concentrations although some components in water column had negative flux with weak disturbance (e.g. TDN and SRP in this experiment). In this case, sediment looks to be a source of nutrients. These nutrients deposited in sediment can be carried or released into water with sediment resuspension or changes of environmental conditions at water-sediment interface, which can have great effects on aquatic ecosystem and is also the characteristics of shallow lakes.     

Impacts of sediment load on Manning coefficient in supercritical shallow flow on steep slopes

The Manning equation is one of the most widely used formulae for calculating the velocity of shallow overland flow in hydrological and erosion models. Precise estimation of the Manning's friction coefficient (n) is critical to determining overland flow and soil erosion processes. Few studies have been conducted to quantify the effects of sediment load on Manning's n on steep slopes. This study was conducted to investigate the potential effects of sediment load on Manning's n in a flume with a fixed bed, under wide ranges of hydraulics and sediment loads. Slope gradient varied from 8·7 to 34·2%, unit flow rate from 0·66 to 5·26 × 10^?3 m² s^?1, and sediment load from 0 to 6·95 kg m^?1 s^?1. The Reynolds number ranged from 350 to 5899. Results showed that Manning's n varied in both sediment‐free and sediment‐laden flows ranging from 0·012 to 0·055. The apparent Manning's coefficients of sediment‐laden flow were much greater than those of sediment‐free flow. The mean Manning coefficient of sediment‐laden flow was 51·27% greater than the mean value of sediment‐free flow. For sediment‐laden flow, Manning's n could be estimated with a power function of unit flow discharge and sediment content. Further studies are needed to quantify the potential effects of sediment load on the Manning's n on erodible beds and in fields. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of sediment load on hydraulics of overland flow on steep slopes

Eroded sediment may have significant effects on the hydraulics of overland flow, but few studies have been performed to quantify these effects on steep slopes. This study investigated the potential effects of sediment load on Reynolds number, Froude number, flow depth, mean velocity, Darcy–Weisbach friction coefficient, shear stress, stream power, and unit stream power of overland flow in a sand‐glued hydraulic flume under a wide range of hydraulic conditions and sediment loads. Slope gradients were varied from 8·7 to 34·2%, unit flow rates from 0·66 to 5·26×10^?3 m² s^?1, and sediment loads from 0 to 6·95 kg m^?1 s^?1. Both Reynolds number (Re) and Froude number (Fr) decreased as sediment load increased, implying a decrease in flow turbulence. This inverse relationship should be considered in modeling soil erosion processes. Flow depth increased as sediment load increased with a mean value of 1·227 mm, caused by an increase in volume of sediment‐laden flow (contribution 62·4%) and a decrease in mean flow velocity (contribution 37·6%). The mean flow velocity decreased by up to 0·071 m s^?1 as sediment load increased. The Darcy–Weisbach friction coefficient (f) increased with sediment load, showing that the total energy consumption increased with sediment load. The effects of sediment load on f depended on flow discharge: as flow discharge increased, the influence of sediment load on f decreased due to increased flow depth and reduced relative roughness. Flow shear stress and stream power increased with sediment load, on average, by 80·5% and 60·2%, respectively; however, unit stream power decreased by an average of 11·1% as sediment load increased. Further studies are needed to extend and apply the insights obtained under these controlled conditions to real‐world overland flow conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landslide and tsunami hazard at Yate volcano,Chile as an example of edifice destruction on strike-slip fault zones

The edifice of Yate volcano, a dissected stratocone in the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone, has experienced multiple summit collapses throughout postglacial time restricted to sectors NE and SW of the summit. The largest such historic event occurred on 19th February 1965 when ～6.1–10?×?10⁶ m³ of rock and ice detached from 2,000-m elevation to the SW of the summit and transformed into a debris flow. In the upper part of the flow path, velocities are estimated to have reached 40 m s^?1. After travelling 7,500 m and descending 1,490 m, the flow entered an intermontane lake, Lago Cabrera. A wavemaker of estimated volume 9?±?3?×?10⁶ m³ generated a tsunami with an estimated amplitude of 25 m and a run-up of ～60 m at the west end of the lake where a settlement disappeared with the loss of 27 lives. The landslide followed 15 days of unusually heavy summer rain, which may have caused failure by increasing pore water pressure in rock mechanically weathered through glacial action. The preferential collapse directions at Yate result from the volcano’s construction on the dextral strike-slip Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone. Movement on the fault during the lifetime of the volcano is thought to have generated internal instabilities in the observed failure orientations, at ～10° to the fault zone in the Riedel shear direction. This mechanically weakened rock may have led to preferentially orientated glacial valleys, generating a feedback mechanism with collapse followed by rapid glacial erosion, accelerating the rate of incision into the edifice through repeated landslides. Debris flows with magnitudes similar to the 1965 event are likely to recur at Yate, with repeat times of the order of 10² years. With a warming climate, increased glacial meltwater due to snowline retreat and increasing rain, at the expense of snow, may accelerate rates of edifice collapse, with implications for landslide hazard and risk at glaciated volcanoes, in particular those in strike-slip tectonic settings where orientated structural instabilities may exist.     

Elemental and isotopic signatures of particulate organic carbon in the Zengjiang River,southern China

Riverine total suspended sediment (TSS) at the lower reach section of the Zengjiang River, a low‐turbidity river in the southern China, was sampled on a 4‐week basis from March 2002 to February 2003. The gross TSS was divided into sedimentary and suspended fractions (SED and SUS) by the sedimentation method. Organic carbon and nitrogen, ¹⁴C and ¹³C were analysed using an elemental analyser and accelerator mass spectrometer respectively. The results show that particulate organic carbon (POC) yield is 0·8 × 10⁶ g km^?2 year^?1 in the Zengjiang River drainage basin, which is about one‐tenth of that in the Zhujiang (Pearl) River drainage basin. The C/N ratio demonstrates that aquatic biomass is the major contributor to POC in the Zengjiang River. The average share of aquatic biomass in the SUS‐fraction POC and SED‐fraction POC is about 88·89% and 62·76% respectively, with a substantial seasonal variation. δ¹³C values of SUS‐fraction POC (?26·56 to ? 22·89‰) is slightly lighter than that of SED‐fraction POC (?25·05 to ? 22·20‰), indicating that the contribution of aquatic biomass to δ¹³C values is more pronounced in the SUS‐fraction POC than in the SED‐fraction POC. The ‘bomb’–¹⁴C signature is not detected in the POC of Zengjiang River, and the contribution from geological organic carbon is very little. Δ¹⁴C values of the SED‐fraction POC vary from ? 44 to ? 223‰, and the Δ¹⁴C values of the SUS‐fraction POC vary from ? 33 to ? 165‰. For most paired samples, the SED‐fraction POC is generally more depleted in ¹⁴C than that of its counterpart SUS‐fraction POC. Compared with other small mountainous rivers, the ¹⁴C enrichment of POC in the Zengjiang River indicates slight drainage basin erosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The geological evolution of Merapi volcano, Central Java, Indonesia

Merapi is an almost persistently active basalt to basaltic andesite volcanic complex in Central Java (Indonesia) and often referred to as the type volcano for small-volume pyroclastic flows generated by gravitational lava dome failures (Merapi-type nuées ardentes). Stratigraphic field data, published and new radiocarbon ages in conjunction with a new set of ⁴⁰K–⁴⁰Ar and ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages, and whole-rock geochemical data allow a reassessment of the geological and geochemical evolution of the volcanic complex. An adapted version of the published geological map of Merapi [(Wirakusumah et al. 1989), Peta Geologi Gunungapi Merapi, Jawa Tengah (Geologic map of Merapi volcano, Central Java), 1:50,000] is presented, in which eight main volcano stratigraphic units are distinguished, linked to three main evolutionary stages of the volcanic complex—Proto-Merapi, Old Merapi and New Merapi. Construction of the Merapi volcanic complex began after 170?ka. The two earliest (Proto-Merapi) volcanic edifices, Gunung Bibi (109?±?60?ka), a small basaltic andesite volcanic structure on Merapi’s north-east flank, and Gunung Turgo and Gunung Plawangan (138?±?3?ka; 135?±?3?ka), two basaltic hills in the southern sector of the volcano, predate the Merapi cone sensu stricto. Old Merapi started to grow at ~30?ka, building a stratovolcano of basaltic andesite lavas and intercalated pyroclastic rocks. This older Merapi edifice was destroyed by one or, possibly, several flank failures, the latest of which occurred after 4.8?±?1.5?ka and marks the end of the Old Merapi stage. The construction of the recent Merapi cone (New Merapi) began afterwards. Mostly basaltic andesite pyroclastic and epiclastic deposits of both Old and New Merapi (<11,792?±?90 ¹⁴C years BP) cover the lower flanks of the edifice. A shift from medium-K to high-K character of the eruptive products occurred at ~1,900 ¹⁴C years BP, with all younger products having high-K affinity. The radiocarbon record points towards an almost continuous activity of Merapi since this time, with periods of high eruption frequency interrupted by shorter intervals of apparently lower eruption rates, which is reflected in the geochemical composition of the eruptive products. The Holocene stratigraphic record reveals that fountain collapse pyroclastic flows are a common phenomenon at Merapi. The distribution and run-out distances of these flows have frequently exceeded those of the classic Merapi-type nuées ardentes of the recent activity. Widespread pumiceous fallout deposits testify the occurrence of moderate to large (subplinian) eruptions (VEI 3–4) during the mid to late Holocene. VEI 4 eruptions, as identified in the stratigraphic record, are an order of magnitude larger than any recorded historical eruption of Merapi, except for the 1872?AD and, possibly, the October–November 2010 events. Both types of eruptive and volcanic phenomena require careful consideration in long-term hazard assessment at Merapi.     

Magnetic studies at Starunia paleontological and hydrocarbon bearing site (Carpathians,Ukraine)

The Starunia oil-ozokerite deposit occurs in the Boryslav-Pokuttya Unit of the Carpathian Foredeep, which is the main oil- and gas-bearing part of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Starunia is of great interest in studying the relationship between the magnetic properties of rocks, soils and hydrocarbons due to extensive surface microseeps yielding oil and gas, mineral water, and clay pulp containing hydrocarbons. We identified a local negative magnetic anomaly (30–35 nT) with a width of about 700 m within the MAG1 profile. The magnetic high is associated with the area of the largest mud volcanoes in the Starunia structure. Magnetic susceptibility of the soil was measured on a site with three distinct landscape features: a patch of forest with phaeozem and mass-specific susceptibility (χ) of 20–45 × 10^?8 m³/kg for the surface topsoil; an area near the volcano and Nadia-1 well with visible hydrocarbon microseepage at the surface and the topsoil showing no visible evidence of hydrocarbon presence with χ = 20–50 × 10^?8 m³/kg; and a patch of lowland with gleysols and χ = 10–20 × 10^?8 m³/kg. Hydrocarbon-containing clays and soils from the alluvial sediments of the Velyky Lukavets River and bedrock clays near the Nadia-1 well demonstrated high χ values (up to 250–440 × 10^?8 m³/kg).     

Total organic carbon fluxes of the Red River system (Vietnam)

Riverine transport of organic carbon from terrestrial ecosystems to the oceans plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. The Red River is located in Southeast Asia where river discharge, sediment loads and fluxes of elements (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) associated with suspended solids have been dramatically altered over past decades as a result of reservoir impoundment and land use, population, and climate change. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations were measured monthly at four stations of the Red River system from January 2008 to December 2010. The results reveal that POC changed synchronically with total suspended solids (TSS) concentration and with the river discharge, whereas no clear trend was observed for DOC concentration. The mean value of total organic carbon (TOC = DOC + POC) flux in the delta of the Red River was 31.5 × 10¹³ ± 4.0 × 10¹³ MgC.yr^?1 (range 27.9–35.8 × 10¹³ MgC.yr^?1 which leads to a specific TOC flux of 2012 ± 255 kgC.km^?2.yr^?1 during this 2008–2010 period. About 80% of the TOC flux was transferred to the estuary during the rainy season as a consequence of the higher river water discharge. The high mean value of the POC:Chl‐a ratio (1585 ± 870 mgC.mgChl‐a^?1) and the moderate C:N ratio (7.3 ± 0.1) in the water column system suggest that organic carbon in the Red River system is mainly derived from erosion and soil leaching in the basin. The effect of two new dam impoundments in the Red River was also observable with lower TOC fluxes in 2010 compared with 2008. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully erosion in Mangatu Forest,New Zealand,estimated from digital elevation models

The methodology and errors involved in determining the amount of sediment produced during two (19·5 and 33·2 year) periods by 11 (c. 0·01 − >0·20 km²) gullies within a 4 km² area in the headwaters of the Waipaoa River basin, New Zealand, using sequential digital elevation models are described. Sediment production from all gullies within the study area was 0·99 ± 0·03 × 10⁶ t a⁻¹ (2480 ± 80 t ha⁻¹ a⁻¹) during the period from 1939 to 1958. It declined to 0·62 ± 0·02 × 10⁶ t a⁻¹ (1550 ± 50 t ha⁻¹ a⁻¹) during the period from 1958 to 1992, when many of the smaller gullies were stabilized by a programme of afforestation, which commenced in 1960. Both figures are very high by global standards. The two largest (the Tarndale and Mangatu) gully complexes together generated 73 and 95 per cent of the sediment in the specified time periods, but the latter amount is equivalent to only c. 5 per cent of the total annual sediment load of the Waipaoa River. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field observations and surface characteristics of pristine block-and-ash flow deposits from the 2006 eruption of Merapi Volcano,Java, Indonesia

A series of pristine block-and-ash flow deposits from the May–June 2006 eruption of Merapi represent an exceptional record of small-volume pyroclastic flows generated by gravitational lava-dome collapses over a period of about two months. The deposits form nine overlapping lobes reaching ~ 7 km from the summit in the Gendol River valley on the volcano's southern flank, which were produced by successive flows generated during and after the major dome-collapse event on June 14. Both, single pulse (post-June 14 events) and multiple-pulse pyroclastic flows generated by sustained dome collapses on June 14 are recognised and three types of deposits, spread over an area of 4.7 km², are distinguished, totalling 13.3 × 10⁶ m³: (1) valley-confined basal avalanche deposits (11.7 × 10⁶ m³) in the Gendol River valley, (2) overbank pyroclastic-flow and associated surge deposits (1.4 × 10⁶ m³), where parts of the basal avalanche spread laterally onto interfluves and were subsequently channeled into the surrounding river valleys and (3) dilute ash-cloud surge deposits (0.2 × 10⁶ m³) along valley margins. Variations in the distribution, surface morphology and lithology of the deposits are related to the source materials involved in individual pyroclastic-flow-forming events and varying modes of transport and deposition of the different flows. Inferred flow velocities of the largest block-and-ash flows generated on June 14 vary from 43.8–13.5 m/s for the basal avalanche and from 62.6–24.2 m/s for the ash-cloud surge. The minimum temperatures range from 400 °C for the basal avalanche to 165 °C for the overlying ash cloud. Due to the potential of being re-channeled into adjacent river valleys and flowing laterally away from the main river channel, the overbank pyroclastic flows are considered the most hazardous part of the block-and-ash flow system. The conditions that lead to their development during flow transport and deposition must be taken into account when assessing future pyroclastic flow hazards at Merapi and similar volcanoes elsewhere.     

Effect of bed topography on soil aggregates transport by rill flow

After its formation, a rill may remain in the field for months, often receiving lower flow rates than the formative discharge. The objective of this work was to evaluate the rill flow transport capacity of soil aggregates at discharges unable to erode the rill, and to analyse the influence of the rill macro‐roughness on this transport process. A non‐erodible rill was built in which roughness was reproduced in detail. In order to assess only the rill macro‐roughness, a flat channel with a similar micro‐roughness to that in the rill replica was built. Rill and channel experiments were carried out at a slope of 8 and at six discharges (8·3 × 10^?5 to 5·2 × 10^?4 m³ s^?1) in the rill, and eight discharges (1·6 × 10^?5 to 5·2 × 10^?4 m³ s^?1) in the channel. Non‐erodible aggregates of three sizes (1–2, 3–5 and 5–10 mm) were released at the inlet of the rill/channel. The number of aggregates received at the outlet was registered. The number and position of the remaining aggregates along the rill/channel were also determined. The rill flow was a major sediment transport mechanism only during the formation of the rill, as during that period the power of the flow was great enough to overcome the influence of the macro‐roughness of the rill bed. At lower discharges the transport capacity in the previously formed rill was significantly less than that in the flat channel under similar slope and discharge. This was determined to be due to local slowing of flow velocities at the exit of rill pools. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Storage,properties and seasonal variations in fine‐grained bed sediment within the main channel and headwaters of the River Sanginjoki,Finland

Lowland catchments in Finland are intensively managed, promoting erosion and sedimentation that negatively affects aquatic environments. This study quantified fine‐grained bed sediment in the main channel and upstream headwaters of the River Sanginjoki (399.93 km²) catchment, Northern Finland, using remobilization sediment sampling during the ice‐free period (May 2010–December 2011). Average bed sediment storage in river was 1332 g m^?2. Storage and seasonal variations were greater in small headwater areas (total bed sediment storage mean 1527 g m^?2, range 122–6700 g m^?2 at individual sites; storage of organic sediment: mean 414 g m^?2, range 27–3159 g m^?2) than in the main channel (total bed sediment storage: mean 1137 g m^?2, range 61–4945 g m^?2); storage of organic sediment: mean 329 g m^?2, range 13–1938 g m^?2). Average reach‐specific bed sediment storage increased from downstream to upstream tributaries. In main channel reaches, mean specific storage was 8.73 t km^?1, and mean specific storage of organic sediment 2.45 t km^?1, whereas in tributaries, it was 126.94 and 34.05 t km^?1, respectively. Total fine‐grained bed sediment storage averaged 563 t in the main channel and 6831 t in the catchment. The proportion of mean organic matter at individual sites was 15–47% and organic carbon 4–455 g C m^?2, with both being highest in small headwater tributaries. Main channel bed sediment storage comprised 52% of mean annual suspended sediment flux and stored organic carbon comprised 7% of mean annual total organic carbon load. This indicates the importance of small headwater brooks for temporary within‐catchment storage of bed sediment and organic carbon and the significance of fine‐grained sediment stored in channels for the suspended sediment budget of boreal lowland rivers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.