ALBERT

Description: Quantitative investigations on the total (living + dead) benthic foraminiferal assemblages were performed on 32 surface-sediment samples (0–2 cm, .63-mm size fraction) from water depths ranging from 110–600 m (‘‘on-reef’’) to .2000 m (‘‘off-reef’’) in the Oslo Fjord (Skagerrak Basin), the mid-Norwegian slope (Sula, Røst, and Trænadjupet reefs), and the northern coral-reef areas in Norway (Korallen, Lopphavet, Stjernsundet, and Sveinsgrunnen reefs). Seven other samples were investigated for their living (stained) and dead (unstained) assemblages. Hierarchical cluster analysis allows the recognition of five benthic species groups linked to foraminiferal microhabitats from on- and off-reef environments as follows: I) shallow ‘‘off-reef’’ areas of the Oslo Fjord, II) deep-sea .1800-m water depth, and III) bathyal between 800–1800 m, and ‘‘on-reef’’ areas of IV) the Skagerrak and V) the shelf and upper continental slope of the mid- and nothern Norwegian margin. The benthic foraminiferal fauna associated with the declining coral reefs in the Oslo Fjord suggests that a low amount of labile organic matter and/or nutrients reach the sea floor making the environment unfavorable for coral growth, reconfirming the previous results on direct measurements of the organic matter. This study indicates that foraminifers can be used as a tool for the characterization of cold-water coral-reef environments.

Description: The details and the consequences of the recent retreat of Triftgletscher (Gadmertal, Bernese Alps, Switzerland) have been investigated. Geodetic volume changes indicate a strong decrease since 1929 while the position of the terminus remained practically unchanged until 1990. The role played by calving in the tongue retreat running from 2000 to 2006 is confirmed by means of a mass balance model including a calving criterion. Results show that without calving, it would have taken two years longer for the lake to form than has been observed. The consequences of the ensuing tongue destabilization are surveyed, first with an ice avalanche model and second with a hydraulic study of the potential impulse wave triggered by the impact of the falling ice mass in the lake. Results point out that ice avalanches with volumes greater that 1 × 106 m3 will flow into the lake and that in the worst scenario, a discharge of 400 m3 s−1 is expected to reach the endangered area in Gadmertal 11 min after the break-off. In order to detect surface motion precursors to such ice avalanches, a photographic monitoring system was installed. The results indicate seasonal variations with peak velocity in summer and no significant change during the other months. Spectacular velocity increases were not observed so far.

Description: Snow avalanches break, uproot and overturn trees causing damage to forests. The extent of forest damage provides useful information on avalanche frequency and intensity. However, impact forces depend on avalanche flow regime. In this paper, we define avalanche loading cases representing four different avalanche flow regimes: powder, intermittent, dry and wet. In the powder regime, the blast of the cloud can produce large bending moments in the tree stem because of the impact area extending over the entire tree crown. We demonstrate that intermittent granular loadings are equivalent to low-density uniform dry snow loadings under the assumption of homogeneous particle distributions. In the wet snow case, avalanche pressure is calculated using a quasi-static model accounting for the motion of plug-like wet snow flows. Wet snow pressure depends both on avalanche volume and terrain features upstream of the tree. Using a numerical model that simulates both powder and wet snow avalanches, we study documented events with forest damage. We find (1) powder clouds with velocities over 20 m s−1 can break tree stems, (2) the intermittent regime seldom controls tree breakage and (3) quasi-static pressures of wet snow avalanches can be much higher than pressures calculated using dynamic pressure formulas.

Description: Snow avalanches break, uproot and overturn trees causing damage to forests. The extent of forest damage provides useful information on avalanche frequency and intensity. However, impact forces depend on avalanche flow regime. In this paper, we define avalanche loading cases representing four different avalanche flow regimes: powder, intermittent, dry and wet. Using a numerical model that simulates both powder and wet snow avalanches, we study documented events with forest damage. First we show that in the powder regime, although the applied impact pressures can be small, large bending moments in the tree stem can be produced due to the torque action of the blast. The impact area of the blast extends over the entire tree crown. We find that, powder clouds with velocities over 20 m s-1 can break tree stems. Second we demonstrate that intermittent granular loadings are equivalent to low-density uniform dry snow loadings under the assumption of homogeneous particle distributions. The intermittent regime seldom controls tree breakage. Third we calculate quasi-static pressures of wet snow avalanches and show that they can be much higher than pressures calculated using dynamic pressure formulas. Wet snow pressure depends both on avalanche volume and terrain features upstream of the tree.

Description: In avalanche-prone areas, deflecting dams are widely used to divert avalanches away from endangered objects. In recent years, their effectiveness has been questioned when several large and multiple avalanches have overrun such dams. In 2008, we were able to observe a large wet-snow avalanche, characterized by an high water content, that interacted with a deflecting dam and overflowed it at its lower end. To evaluate the dam's performance, we carried out an airborne laser scanning campaign immediately after the avalanche. This data, together with a video sequence made during the avalanche descent, provided a unique data set to study the dynamics of a wet dense snow avalanche and its flow behavior along a deflecting dam. To evaluate the effect of the complex flow field of the avalanche along the dam and to provide a basis for discussion of the residual risk, we performed numerical simulations using a two-dimensional dense snow avalanche dynamics model with entrainment. In comparison to dry dense snow avalanches, we found that wet-snow avalanches, with high water content, seem to be differently influenced by the local small-scale topography roughness. Rough terrain close to the dam deflected the flow to produce abrupt impacts with the dam. At the impact sites, instability waves were generated and increased the already large flow depths. The complex flow dynamics around the dam may produce large, local snow deposits. Furthermore, the high water content in the snow may decrease the avalanche internal friction angle, inducing wet-snow avalanches to spread further laterally than dry-snow avalanches. Based on our analysis, we made recommendations for designing deflecting dams and for residual risk analysis to take into account the effects of wet-snow avalanche flow.

Description: Cold-water coral ecosystems building cold-water carbonate mounds occur worldwide and are especially developed along the European margin, from northern Norway to the Gulf of Cadiz. A remarkable mound province is documented southwest of Ireland along the Porcupine and Rockall Banks. In this area carbonate mounds are formed in water depths between 500 and 1200 m and are often densely settled by cold-water coral ecosystems offering many ecological niches for benthic foraminifera. We investigated total (unstained) benthic foraminiferal assemblages from surface sediments (0–1 cm, 〉63 μm size fraction) of this region with the aim to trace their distribution patterns and to test if they can be used as bioindicators for facies characterization in different parts of carbonate mound systems. Our quantitative data were further statistically treated with non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) based on Bray–Curtis similarity matrix to highlight community patterns that were not readily apparent. Our results indicate that different benthic foraminiferal assemblages characterize different facies along cold-water carbonate mounds and are related to the environmental conditions and available substrates. The following facies can be described: (1) the Off-Mound Facies is dominated by uvigerinids and other infaunal species; (2) the Dropstone Facies is characterized by infaunal Globocassidulina subglobosa and attached-epifaunal Cibicidoides sp.; (3) the Dead Coral Facies is characterised by epifaunal species (e.g., Planulina ariminensis, Hanzawaia boueana) and infaunal species (Spiroplectinella wrightii, Angulogerina angulosa, Epistominella vitrea); (4) the Living Coral Facies includes both infaunal and epifaunal species, but is dominated by the epifaunal Discanomalina coronata; and (5) the Sandwave Facies contains high abundances of epifaunal species including D. coronata. Based on this distribution, we propose D. coronata, as an indicator species to identify active mounds and/or living cold-water coral ecosystems. Our results also emphasise the importance of studying the small size fractions that yield many infaunal species. A causal link exists between distribution patterns of benthic foraminifera and cold-water coral facies, thus providing an independent tool to identify and describe the different facies in this setting.

Description: Quantitative investigations on the total (living + dead) benthic foraminiferal assemblages were performed on 32 surface-sediment samples (0–2 cm, .63-mm size fraction) from water depths ranging from 110–600 m (‘‘on-reef’’) to .2000 m (‘‘off-reef’’) in the Oslo Fjord (Skagerrak Basin), the mid-Norwegian slope (Sula, Røst, and Trænadjupet reefs), and the northern coral-reef areas in Norway (Korallen, Lopphavet, Stjernsundet, and Sveinsgrunnen reefs). Seven other samples were investigated for their living (stained) and dead (unstained) assemblages. Hierarchical cluster analysis allows the recognition of five benthic species groups linked to foraminiferal microhabitats from on- and off-reef environments as follows: I) shallow ‘‘off-reef’’ areas of the Oslo Fjord, II) deep-sea .1800-m water depth, and III) bathyal between 800–1800 m, and ‘‘on-reef’’ areas of IV) the Skagerrak and V) the shelf and upper continental slope of the mid- and nothern Norwegian margin. The benthic foraminiferal fauna associated with the declining coral reefs in the Oslo Fjord suggests that a low amount of labile organic matter and/or nutrients reach the sea floor making the environment unfavorable for coral growth, reconfirming the previous results on direct measurements of the organic matter. This study indicates that foraminifers can be used as a tool for the characterization of cold-water coral-reef environments.