Williams, J.G. and Rosser, N.J. and Hardy, R.J. and Brain, M.J. (2020) 'The importance of monitoring interval for rockfall magnitude-frequency estimation.', Journal of geophysical research : earth surface., 124 (12). pp. 2841-2853.
Abstract
The frequency distribution of rockfall sizes ('magnitude-frequency') is important for erosion and hazard modeling. This typically follows a power law, with few larger rockfalls compared to more numerous small events. Advances in LiDAR hardware and algorithms have improved our ability to detect small rockfalls, which in sum contribute significantly to overall erosion. However, improvements in spatial resolution have outstripped improvements in the temporal resolution of monitoring. If the interval between surveys exceeds the return interval of rockfalls, neighbouring rockfalls within a single interval are incorrectly recorded as one. We examined the timescales of rockfall occurrence to identify suitable monitoring intervals to discretize rockfalls. Monitoring interval has a considerable impact on the frequency distribution of measured rockfall volumes. An order of magnitude increase in rockfall numbers and a threefold decrease in mean volume is observed over hourly intervals, compared to 30 d. Below ~12 h, these changes increase nonlinearly with more frequent monitoring. Similarly, average rockfall size measured over timescales < 4 h falls is comparable to the scale of individual discontinuities, indicating that fragmented detachments may drive much of the increase in small events. Such analysis is required to constrain the timescales of rockfall evolution and to attribute specific drivers.
Item Type: | Article |
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Full text: | Publisher-imposed embargo (AM) Accepted Manuscript File format - PDF (Copyright agreement prohibits open access to the full-text) (4019Kb) |
Full text: | (VoR) Version of Record Download PDF (8324Kb) |
Status: | Peer-reviewed |
Publisher Web site: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005225 |
Publisher statement: | Williams, J.G., Rosser, N.J., Hardy, R.J. & Brain, M.J. (2020). The Importance of Monitoring Interval for Rockfall Magnitude-Frequency Estimation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 124(12): 2841-2853. 10.1029/2019JF005225. To view the published open abstract, go to https://doi.org/ and enter the DOI. |
Date accepted: | 29 October 2019 |
Date deposited: | 30 October 2019 |
Date of first online publication: | 05 December 2019 |
Date first made open access: | 05 June 2020 |
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