Debris flows are a type of mass movement that occurs in mountain torrents. They consist of a high concentration of solid material in water that flows as a wave with a steep front. Debris flows can be considered a phenomenon intermediate between landslides and water floods. They are amongst the most hazardous natural processes in mountainous regions and may occur under different climatic conditi...

A coevolutionary perspective is adopted to understand the dynamics of exposure to mountain hazards in the European Alps. A spatially explicit, object-based temporal assessment of elements at risk to mountain hazards (river floods, torrential floods, and debris flows) in Austria and Switzerland is presented for the period from 1919 to 2012. The assessment is based on two different data sets: (1)...

Mountain chains of Central Asia host a large number of glaciated areas that provide critical water supplies to the semi-arid populated foothills and lowlands of this region. Spatio-temporal variations of glacier flows are a key indicator of the impact of climate change on water resources as the glaciers react sensitively to climate. Satellite remote sensing using optical imagery is an efficient...

[1] Debris flows have typically been viewed as two-phase mixtures of sediment and water, but in forested mountain landscapes, wood can represent a sizable fraction of total flow volume. The effects of this third phase on flow behavior are poorly understood. To evaluate whether wood can have a significant effect on debris flow runout in small mountainous watersheds, we used a landscape-scale mod...

We used a physically based ecohydrological model to predict the water balance and growth responses of a mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell.) forest catchment to clear-felling and regeneration. The model, Topog-IRM, was applied to a 0.53 km(2) catchment for a 3-year pretreatment period, and a 20-year period following clear-felling and reseeding of 78% of the catchment area. Simulations we...

s with Program 39 (5): 11. Pearthree, P. A., and A. Young. 2006. Recent debris flows and floods in southern Arizona. Arizona Geology 36 (3): 1–6. Saarinen, T. F., V. R. Baker, R. Durrenberger, and T. Maddock. 1984. The Tucson, Arizona, flood of October 1983. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Thiagarajan, N., and C. A. Lee. 2004. Trace-element evidence for the origin of desert varnish by d...

In semiarid climates, a significant component of recharge to basin aquifers occurs along the mountain front. Traditionally called “mountain-front recharge” (MFR), this process has been treated by modelers of basins as a boundary condition. In general, mountain-front recharge estimates are based on the general precipitation characteristics of the mountain (as estimated, e.g., by the chloride mas...

It has long been argued that mountains have an effect on wars. While some research understands this chiefly in physical terms, other research looks at the effect that mountains have on human nature. This article will look at the two thousand year history of the term ‘mountain people.’ It will explore how the belief has emerged that living in mountainous regions changes people to the degree that...

Forest vegetation, especially tree roots, helps stabilize hillslopes by reinforcing soil shear strength. To evaluate the effect of tree roots on slope stability, information about the amount of roots and their strength should be known. A simulation model for the root distribution of Cryptomeria japonica was proposed where the number of roots in each 0.5.cm diameter class can be calculated at ar...