Giant, ∼M8 earthquake-triggered ice avalanches in the eastern Kunlun Shan, northern Tibet: Characteristics, nature and dynamics

Research Article| March 01, 2004 Giant, ∼M8 earthquake-triggered ice avalanches in the eastern Kunlun Shan, northern Tibet: Characteristics, nature and dynamics Jerome van der Woerd; Jerome van der Woerd 1Tectonique Active, Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg EOST, 5 rue Rene Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Lewis A. Owen; Lewis A. Owen 2Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul Tapponnier; Paul Tapponnier 3Laboratoire de Tectonique, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, 4, Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Xu Xiwei; Xu Xiwei 4China Seismological Bureau, Beijing, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar François Kervyn; François Kervyn 5Tectonique Active, Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg EOST, 5 rue Rene Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert C. Finkel; Robert C. Finkel 6Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA, Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Patrick L. Barnard Patrick L. Barnard 7Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (2004) 116 (3-4): 394–406. https://doi.org/10.1130/B25317.1 Article history received: 08 Jan 2003 rev-recd: 22 May 2003 accepted: 23 Jun 2003 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Jerome van der Woerd, Lewis A. Owen, Paul Tapponnier, Xu Xiwei, François Kervyn, Robert C. Finkel, Patrick L. Barnard; Giant, ∼M8 earthquake-triggered ice avalanches in the eastern Kunlun Shan, northern Tibet: Characteristics, nature and dynamics. GSA Bulletin 2004;; 116 (3-4): 394–406. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B25317.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Several giant ice avalanches were initiated by slope failure from ice caps due to strong ground motion during the 14 November 2001 Mw = 7.9 Kokoxili earthquake on the Kunlun fault. Four ice avalanches were identified on the north slope of the Burhan Budai Shan several kilometers east of the Kunlun Pass, and two were identified on the south slope of the eastern Yuxi Feng, which is ∼50 km west of the Kunlun Pass. These ice avalanches originated from steep-sided ice caps and progressed over and past the termini of outlet valley glaciers. In the Burhan Budai Shan, the ice avalanches comprised ice and snow that reached 2–3 km down valley beyond the snouts of the contemporary glaciers. Detailed study of the largest ice avalanche (B2) shows that the initial movement over the contemporary glacier was turbulent in nature, having a velocity >35 ms−1. Beyond the contemporary glacier, the ice avalanche was confined within steep valley walls and entrenched paraglacial fans. Before coming to rest, this ice avalanche moved as a Bingham plastic flow at a velocity of ≤21 ms−1. These ice avalanches transported little rock debris, and it is thus unlikely that they are important in contributing to the landscape evolution of this region. Yet, given the appropriate geologic and climatic conditions, ice avalanching may be an important process in the landscape evolution of high mountainous terrains. The frequency of such events is unknown, but such phenomena may become more common in the future as a consequence of increased glacier and slope instability caused by human- induced climate change. Ice avalanches, therefore, likely constitute a significant geologic hazard in the near future. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.