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.     

The phytoplankton bloom response to wind events and upwelled nutrients during the CoOP WEST study

In the coastal waters off northern California, seasonal wind-driven upwelling supplies abundant nutrients to be processed by phytoplankton productivity. As part of the Coastal Ocean Processes: Wind Events and Shelf Transport (CoOP WEST) study, nutrients, CO₂, size-fractionated chlorophyll, and phytoplankton community structure were measured in the upwelling region off Bodega Bay, CA, during May–June 2000, 2001 and 2002. The ability of this ecosystem to assimilate nitrate (NO₃) and silicic acid/silicate (Si(OH)₄) and accumulate particulate material (i.e. phytoplankton) was realized in all 3 years, following short events of upwelling-favorable winds, followed by periods of relaxed winds. This was observed as phytoplankton blooms, dominated by chlorophyll in cells greater than 5 μm in diameter, that reduced the ambient nutrients to zero. These communities were located over the near-shore shelf (<100 m depth) and were dominated by diatoms. An optimal window of 3–7 days of relaxed winds, following an upwelling pulse, was required for chlorophyll accumulation. The large-celled phytoplankton that result are likely important players in coastal new production and carbon cycling.     

The cratering history of asteroid (2867) Steins

The cratering history of main belt asteroid (2867) Steins has been investigated using OSIRIS imagery acquired during the Rosetta flyby that took place on the 5th of September 2008. For this purpose, we applied current models describing the formation and evolution of main belt asteroids, that provide the rate and velocity distributions of impactors. These models coupled with appropriate crater scaling laws, allow the cratering history to be estimated. Hence, we derive Steins’ cratering retention age, namely the time lapsed since its formation or global surface reset. We also investigate the influence of various factors—like bulk structure and crater erasing—on the estimated age, which spans from a few hundred Myrs to more than 1 Gyr, depending on the adopted scaling law and asteroid physical parameters. Moreover, a marked lack of craters smaller than about 0.6 km has been found and interpreted as a result of a peculiar evolution of Steins cratering record, possibly related either to the formation of the 2.1 km wide impact crater near the south pole or to YORP reshaping.     

Estimation of debris‐flow magnitude in the Eastern Italian Alps

The estimation of debris‐?ow magnitude is an essential step in the assessment of debris‐?ow hazard. Although different methods have been developed for the assessment of debris‐?ow magnitude, this is still a dif?cult task because of the complexity of ?ow processes and the lack of data to test estimation procedures in many mountainous regions. Data on debris‐?ow magnitude from 127 basins in the Eastern Italian Alps have been collected from scienti?c and technical journals, technical reports, historical documents gathered from local archives, and ?eld surveys. These data were used to develop and test different predictive approaches, encompassing regression equations, geomorphological surveys and probabilistic analysis of time series. Regression techniques were used to correlate debris‐?ow magnitude to morphometric parameters and geological characteristics of the basins. Values of the channel debris yield rate (contribution per unit length of channel), proposed in the literature, were compared with data from the study area for identifying reference values for channel stretches of different morphological characteristics. Although limited to the few basins in which suf?cient data were available, the probabilistic analysis of time series of debris‐?ow magnitude provides indications about the relations between magnitude and frequency of debris ?ows. Some observations about the capability and drawbacks of considered methods are presented and the combined use of different approaches for the estimation of debris‐?ow magnitude is suggested. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shallow landslide hazard assessment using a physically based model and digital elevation data

 A model for the analysis of topographic influence on shallow landslide initiation is applied to an experimental mountain basin where high-resolution digital elevation data are available: the Cordon catchment (5 km²) located in northern Italy. The model delineates those areas most prone to shallow landsliding due to surface topographic effects on hydrologic response. The model is composed of two parts: a steady-state model for shallow sub-surface runoff and an infinite-slope Coulomb failure model which assumes that the soil is cohesionless at failure. An inventory of landslide scars is used to document sites of instability and to provide a test of model performance by comparing observed landslide locations with model predictions. The model reproduces the observed distribution of landslide locations in a consistent way, although spatial variations in soil strength and transmissivity, which are not accounted for in the model, influence specific distribution of landslide areas within regions of similar topographic control. Received: 15 October 1996 · Accepted: 25 June 1997     

Release of neutral sodium atoms from the surface of Mercury induced by meteoroid impacts

Meteoroid impact has been shown to be a source of sodium, and most likely of other elements, on the Moon. The same process could be also relevant for Mercury. In this work we calculate the vapor and neutral Na production rates on Mercury due to the impacts of meteoroids in the radius range of 10⁻⁸-10⁻¹ m. We limit our calculations to this size range, because meteoroids with radius larger than 10⁻¹ m have not to be found important for the daily production of the exosphere. This work is based on a new dynamical model of the meteoroid flux at the heliocentric distance of Mercury, regarding objects in the size range 10⁻²-10⁻¹ m. This size range, never investigated before, is not affected by nongravitational forces, such as the Poynting-Robertson effect, which is dominant for particles smaller than 10⁻² m. In order to evaluate the release of neutral sodium atoms also for smaller meteoroids we have used the distribution reported by M.J. Cintala [1992. Impact-induced thermal effects in the lunar and mercurian regoliths. J. Geophys. Res. 97, 947-973] calculated for particle size range 10⁻⁸-10⁻³ m. We have extrapolated this distribution up to 10⁻² m and we have based the impact calculations on a new surface composition assuming 90% plagioclase and 10% pyroxene. The results of our model are that (i) the total mass of vapor produced by the impact of meteoroids in the size range 10⁻⁸-10⁻¹ m is 4.752×¹⁰⁸ g per year, and (ii) the production rate of neutral sodium atoms is 1.5×¹⁰²² s⁻¹.     

GIS morphometric indicators for the analysis of sediment dynamics in mountain basins

Watershed management and headwater reconstruction programs require a reliable knowledge of sediment dynamics. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide the framework for the implementation of different complex techniques for the assessment of shallow landsliding and erosion processes in mountain basins. This paper presents some morphometric indicators aimed at erosion and sediment delivery analysis. The proposed indicators can be easily derived from medium to fine resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEM). Applications conducted in Eastern Italian Alps have shown the adequateness of the proposed approach to address erosion and sediment-related problems. The analysis considered the classification of sediment source areas with regard to their activity, the comparison between drainage basins having different morphological characteristics and the topographic control on sediment transport capacity, with a particular attention to the identification of channel reaches characterised by a low sediment transport capacity.     

Phytoplankton blooms and nitrogen productivity in San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay has been considered an HNLC or HNLG (high nutrient low chlorophyll or low growth) region with nonlimiting concentrations of inorganic nutrients yet low standing stocks of phytoplankton. Most of the studies leading to this conclusion come from the South Bay and little is known about nutrient processes and phytoplankton productivity in the northern and central parts of the estuary. Data collected over 3 yr (1999–2003) in Suisun, San Pablo, and Central Bays describe the availability of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), silicate, and phosphate and the seasonal variability in phytoplankton abundance. Rate measurements of fractionated nitrogen productivity provide the relative contributions of different forms of DIN (ammonium and nitrate) and different sized phytoplankton to the development of seasonal phytoplankton blooms. Regional differences in bloom dynamics are observed with Suisun Bay, the least saline, highest nutrient, most turbid region having less phytoplankton biomass and productivity than San Pablo and Central Bays, except in the abnormally wet spring of 2000. Spring blooms in San Francisco Bay are driven primarily by high rates of nitrate uptake by larger phytoplankton cells following a period of increased ammonium uptake that depletes the ambient ammonium. The smaller occasional fall blooms are apparently flueled mostly by ammonium uptake by small sized phytoplankton. The data suggest that the HNLC condition in the northern and central parts of San Francisco Bay is due primarily to light availability modulated by the interaction between ammonium and nitrate, and the relative amounts of the two forms of the DIN pool available to the phytoplankton.