Tsunamis generated by landslides at the coast of conical islands: experimental benchmark dataset for mathematical model validation

This paper presents a new experimental campaign aimed at reproducing tsunamis generated by landslides at the flank of conical islands. In order to describe in high details the wave field around the island a special acquisition system, which consists of both fixed and movable wave gauges, has been employed. Indeed, each experiment has been repeated several times by changing the configuration of the movable gauges, then obtaining a single virtual experiment with high spatial resolution measurements. Fixed run-up gauges measure the waves at fixed locations to statistically quantify the repeatability of the experiments. Selected experimental results are illustrated within the paper that is mainly aimed at defining a benchmark dataset, available on request, for the development/calibration/validation of analytical and numerical models of tsunamis generated by landslides.     

Effect of antecedent-hydrological conditions on rainfall triggering of debris flows in ash-fall pyroclastic mantled slopes of Campania (southern Italy)

Mountainous areas surrounding the Campanian Plain and the Somma-Vesuvius volcano (southern Italy) are among the most risky areas of Italy due to the repeated occurrence of rainfall-induced debris flows along ash-fall pyroclastic soil-mantled slopes. In this geomorphological framework, rainfall patterns, hydrological processes taking place within multi-layered ash-fall pyroclastic deposits and soil antecedent moisture status are the principal factors to be taken into account to assess triggering rainfall conditions and the related hazard. This paper presents the outcomes of an experimental study based on integrated analyses consisting of the reconstruction of physical models of landslides, in situ hydrological monitoring, and hydrological and slope stability modeling, carried out on four representative source areas of debris flows that occurred in May 1998 in the Sarno Mountain Range. The hydrological monitoring was carried out during 2011 using nests of tensiometers and Watermark pressure head sensors and also through a rainfall and air temperature recording station. Time series of measured pressure head were used to calibrate a hydrological numerical model of the pyroclastic soil mantle for 2011, which was re-run for a 12-year period beginning in 2000, given the availability of rainfall and air temperature monitoring data. Such an approach allowed us to reconstruct the regime of pressure head at a daily time scale for a long period, which is representative of about 11 hydrologic years with different meteorological conditions. Based on this simulated time series, average winter and summer hydrological conditions were chosen to carry out hydrological and stability modeling of sample slopes and to identify Intensity-Duration rainfall thresholds by a deterministic approach. Among principal results, the opposing winter and summer antecedent pressure head (soil moisture) conditions were found to exert a significant control on intensity and duration of rainfall triggering events. Going from winter to summer conditions requires a strong increase of intensity and/or duration to induce landslides. The results identify an approach to account for different hazard conditions related to seasonality of hydrological processes inside the ash-fall pyroclastic soil mantle. Moreover, they highlight another important factor of uncertainty that potentially affects rainfall thresholds triggering shallow landslides reconstructed by empirical approaches.     

Molybdenum Mass Fractions and Isotopic Compositions of International Geological Reference Materials

The double‐spike method with multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry was used to measure the Mo mass fractions and isotopic compositions of a set of geological reference materials including the mineral molybdenite, seawater, coral, as well as igneous and sedimentary rocks. The long‐term reproducibility of the Mo isotopic measurements, based on two‐year analyses of NIST SRM 3134 reference solutions and seawater samples, was ≤ 0.07‰ (two standard deviations, 2s, n = 167) for δ^98/95Mo. Accuracy was evaluated by analyses of Atlantic seawater, which yielded a mean δ^98/95Mo of 2.03 ± 0.06‰ (2s, n = 30, relative to NIST SRM 3134 = 0‰) and mass fraction of 0.0104 ± 0.0006 μg g^?1 (2s, n = 30), which is indistinguishable from seawater samples taken world‐wide and measured in other laboratories. The comprehensive data set presented in this study serves as a reference for quality assurance and interlaboratory comparison of high‐precision Mo mass fractions and isotopic compositions.     

Anomalous Alpine fans: from the genesis to the present hazard

The present paper aims at characterising Alpine anomalous basin-fan systems, in order to develop a method for hazard assessment for such fans. The review of previous studies revealed that anomalous basin-fan systems are often associated with deep-seated slope failure and present-day hazard is associated to debris flow occurrence. Taking into account these peculiarities, a modelling approach to assess the present day hazard in anomalous fans has been developed and applied to the Sernio fan (Valtellina, northern Italy). Debris flow inundation areas have been simulated by means of a numerical model (RApid Mass MovementS (RAMMS) debris flow), which includes a routine for the sediment entrainment. The range of the model parameters was defined based on previous studies, enabling a sensitivity analysis on the debris flow runout, as well as the flow height and velocity. Numerical results point out the paramount importance of entrainment phenomena on debris flow dynamic in anomalous systems, especially with reference to the bulking factor and debris yield rate that reach very high values, typical of basins with unlimited solid supply.     

山东省优质地下水资源评价研究

地下水是水资源的重要组成部分,山东省作为我国的北方大省,近年来随着人口的增长和经济发展,地下水环境问题日渐突出,表现为水质型缺水和水源型缺水两方面。本文以山东省地下水为研究对象,对全省富水地段及已建水源地逐一进行水质评价及开采潜力评价研究,结果显示:山东省优质水占49.53%,主要分布在鲁中南山区和鲁东低山丘陵区,新圈定的优质地下水富水地段及有开采潜力水源地共计88处,优质地下水允许开采量184.095×10~4m^3/d,可满足一千余万居民生活用水需求。应急情况下富水地段(水源地)允许开采量为434.299×10~4m^3/d,应急开采潜力为279.295×10~4m^3/d,可解决两千余万人生活用水困难。     

Effects of seismic force and pore water pressure on stability of 3D unsaturated hillslopes

Natural Hazards - Three-dimensional (3D) kinematic limit analysis of unsaturated hillslopes is presented in this paper. Different from the traditional two-dimensional (2D) mechanism based on the...     

The role of hydrothermal fluids in sedimentation in saline alkaline lakes: Evidence from Nasikie Engida,Kenya Rift Valley

Saline alkaline lakes that precipitate sodium carbonate evaporites are most common in volcanic terrains in semi‐arid environments. Processes that lead to trona precipitation are poorly understood compared to those in sulphate‐dominated and chloride‐dominated lake brines. Nasikie Engida (Little Magadi) in the southern Kenya Rift shows the initial stages of soda evaporite formation. This small shallow (<2 m deep; 7 km long) lake is recharged by alkaline hot springs and seasonal runoff but unlike neighbouring Lake Magadi is perennial. This study aims to understand modern sedimentary and geochemical processes in Nasikie Engida and to assess the importance of geothermal fluids in evaporite formation. Perennial hot‐spring inflow waters along the northern shoreline evaporate and become saturated with respect to nahcolite and trona, which precipitate in the southern part of the lake, up to 6 km from the hot springs. Nahcolite (NaHCO₃) forms bladed crystals that nucleate on the lake floor. Trona (Na₂CO₃·NaHCO₃·2H₂O) precipitates from more concentrated brines as rafts and as bottom‐nucleated shrubs of acicular crystals that coalesce laterally to form bedded trona. Many processes modify the fluid composition as it evolves. Silica is removed as gels and by early diagenetic reactions and diatoms. Sulphate is depleted by bacterial reduction. Potassium and chloride, of moderate concentration, remain conservative in the brine. Clastic sedimentation is relatively minor because of the predominant hydrothermal inflow. Nahcolite precipitates when and where pCO₂ is high, notably near sublacustrine spring discharge. Results from Nasikie Engida show that hot spring discharge has maintained the lake for at least 2 kyr, and that the evaporite formation is strongly influenced by local discharge of carbon dioxide. Brine evolution and evaporite deposition at Nasikie Engida help to explain conditions under which ancient sodium carbonate evaporites formed, including those in other East African rift basins, the Eocene Green River Formation (western USA), and elsewhere.