[1] The mechanisms that control climate-dependent rockfall from permafrost mountain slopes are currently poorly understood. In this study, we present the results of an extensive rock slope monitoring campaign at the Matterhorn (Switzerland) with a wireless sensor network. A negative dependency of cleft expansion relative to temperature was observed at all clefts for the dominant part of the yea...

Abstract Even after decades of intensive research, assessing rock slope stability remains a challenge. One reason for this is the spatial variability bridges (RBs) related to non-persistent, pre-existing geological structures, especially as detection RBs generally limited post-failure period. Thus, identification and classification their inclusion in numerical studies are demanding, yet essenti...

Stability analyses are routinely performed in order to assess the safe and functional design of an excavated slope (e.g. open pit mining, road cuts, etc.), and/or the equilibrium conditions of a natural slope. The analysis technique chosen depends on both site conditions and the potential mode of failure, with careful consideration being given to the varying strengths, weaknesses and limitation...

[1] New slope measurements from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), in conjunction with the Rock Mass Rating system (RMR), permit inversions of slope height and angle from wallrock and interior deposits within Valles Marineris troughs for strength and lithology. Wallrock (50 < RMR < 65) is stronger than interior deposits (30 < RMR < 55). These values are consistent with layered igneous roc...

An overview is given of a series of classification systems used for rock slope stability analyses. Calculation methods and parameters used seem not always appropriate for slopes stability and could be improved. Based on this evaluation some new ideas developed of how a system for slope stability assessment could be designed without inherited legacies as parameters related to underground excavat...

Unmanned planetary landers to date have landed "blind"; that is, without the benefit of onboard landing hazard detection and avoidance systems. This constrains landing site selection to very benign terrain, which in turn constrains the scientific agenda of missions. The state of the art Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) technology can land a spacecraft on Mars somewhere within a very large land...

The need for sustainable catalysts for an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction is of significant interest for modern society. Inspired by comparable structural properties of [FeNi]-hydrogenase, here we present the natural ore pentlandite (Fe4.5Ni4.5S8) as a direct 'rock' electrode material for hydrogen evolution under acidic conditions with an overpotential of 280 mV at 10 mA cm(-2). Furthermo...

This work shows the Kédougou-Kéniéba inlier (eastern Senegal) pillow lavas behavior from laboratory to field. Some uniaxial tests are carried out on five types of specimens of pillow lavas. These types of specimens are: microscopically healthy rock, fractured rock without filling, fractured rock filled with epidote, chlorite and calcite and rocks with tension crack filled with quartz. The Young...