Threats from debris avalanches

Collisional Dust Avalanches in Debris Discs

We quantitatively investigate how collisional avalanches may develop in debris discs, as the result of the initial break-up of a planetesimal or comet-like object, triggering a collisional chain reaction due to outward escaping small dust grains. We use a specifically developed numerical code that follows both the spatial distribution of the dust grains and the evolution of their size-frequency...

An analysis of the entrainment effect of dry debris avalanches on loose bed materials

Substrate entrainment can greatly influence the mass movement process of a debris avalanche because it can enlarge the landslide volume and change the motion characteristics of the sliding masses. To study the interaction between debris avalanches and erodible substrate, physical modeling experiments varying in the mass of granular flow and substrate thickness were performed. The experimental r...

Seismic Recordings of Ice and Debris Avalanches of Iliamna Volcano, Alaska

Seismic data recorded on Iliamna Volcano, Alaska, indicate that Iliamna ice avalanches are preceded by up to several hours of precursory seismicity. This precursory activity is represented by a 1-3 hour period of activity comprising a sequence of discrete repeating earthquakes and a period of continuous groundshaking that builds in amplitude. The avalanche itself is represented by a broadband (...

Snow Avalanches, Ice Avalanches and Glacier Surges

Pass 2006: Blast Threats and Protection Damage Caused by Soil Debris Ejected from Buried Anti-personnel Mines

Many traumatic upper body injuries to deminers are caused by debris generated by anti-personnel (AP) blast mines. This study better characterizes the soil ejecta threat from buried anti-personnel mines and provides an improved evaluation of light upper body protection systems by relating the threat to resultant damage to soft tissue simulants. For each tested soil type, ejecta characterization ...