RESEARCH PAPER
Debris-flow activity in five adjacent gullies in a limestone mountain range
1
Institute of Mountain Risk Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Peter Jordanstrasse 82, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
2
Dendrolab.ch, Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Berne, Baltzerstrasse 1+3, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
3
Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 7 chemin de Drize, CH-1227 Carouge-Geneva, Switzerland
Submission date: 2014-05-27
Acceptance date: 2015-02-06
Online publication date: 2015-03-27
Geochronometria 2015;42(1):60-66
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Debris-flows are infrequent geomorphic phenomena that shape steep valleys and can repre-sent a severe hazard for human settlements and infrastructure. In this study, a debris-flow event chro-nology has been derived at the regional scale within the Gesäuse National Park (Styria, Austria) using dendrogeomorphic techniques. Sediment sources and deposition areas were mapped by combined field investigation and aerial photography using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Through the analysis of 384 trees, a total of 47 debris-flows occurring in 19 years between AD 1903 and 2008 were identified in five adjacent gullies. Our results highlight the local variability of debris-flow activi-ty as a result of local thunderstorms and the variable availability of sediment sources.
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