Towards a more Complete Survey of Rockfall Activity: Seismic and LiDAR Detection, Location and Volume Estimate

Abstract:

Rockfall activity in steep alpine landscapes is often difficult to survey due to its infrequent nature. Classical approaches are limited by temporal and spatial resolution. In contrast, seismic monitoring provides access to catchment-wide analysis of activity patterns in rockfall-dominated environments. The deglaciated U-shaped Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, is a perfect example of such landscapes. It was instrumented with up to six broadband seismometers (capable of detecting volumes down to individual clasts) and repeatedly surveyed by terrestrial LiDAR (few weeks lapse time) to provide independent validation of the seismic data. During August-October 2014 and April-June 2015 more than 23 (LiDAR) to hundred (seismic) rockfall and icefall events were detected. Their volumes range from 0.1 to 5.80 m³ as detected by LiDAR. At the beginning of April 2015, increased activity was detected with more than 40 ice- or rockfalls in less than two hours. The evolution of these individual events (i.e., precursor activity, detachment, falling phase, impact, talus cone activity) is quantified in terms of location (within less than 200 m uncertainty) and duration. For events that consist of single detachments rather than a series of releases, volume scaling relationships are presented. Rockfall activity is linked to meteorological patterns at different temporal cycles. Seismic monitoring approaches are well-suited for studying not only the rockfall process but also for understanding the geomorphic framework and boundary conditions that control such processes in a comprehensive way. Taken together, the combined LiDAR and seismic monitoring approach provides high fidelity spatial and temporal resolution of individual events.