Controls on the causes, dynamics and impacts of the catastrophic mass flows (aluviónes), northern Patagonia, Chile.

"Background: Glacier recession in mountainous regions is known to both reduce slope stability and also create potentially unstable proglacial lakes. Catastrophic mass flows can be generated by rock and/or ice avalanches which may enter recently formed proglacial lakes resulting in their catastrophic drainage. In the Aysen region of Chile, glacier recession has been implicated in recent aluviones which resulted in loss of life and infrastructure. Extreme rainfall is thought to have generated a landslide which incorporated glacier ice and water saturated surficial deposits to form an aluvion which partially destroyed the village of Villa Santa Lucia in December 2017. A recent (Oct. 2018) landslide in the Exploradores catchment entered a moraine-dammed lake generating an aluvion which blocked a valley, resulting in lake impoundment and secondary hazard generation. In order to reduce risk varied and complex mass flow generating process chains need to be better understood and modelled.
Aims & Objectives: This project examines the controls on the occurence and frequency of catastrophic mass flows in the Aysen region of Chile. The project will conduct a detailed investigation of recent mass flows as well as examining the wider susceptibility of occurrence within the Aysen region given different glacier recession and climate change scenarios.
Methods: Remote sensing and field data acquisition will allow: (1) reconstruction of recent catastrophic mass flow generation mechanisms and flow dynamics, and (2) identification of catastrophic mass flows from the sediment and landform record.
Project links: The lead supervisor has worked in Chile on NERC-funded projects and has collaborative links with universities and government agencies in the Aysen region.
Skills: Remote sensing, GIS, Surveying (dGPS, TLS), geomorphological mapping, debris flow and hydraulic modelling, sedimentology.
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