ABSTRACT. A long-standing problem in avalanche science is to understand how forests stop avalanches. In this paper we quantify the effect of forests on small and medium avalanches, crucial for road and skirun safety. We performed field studies on seven avalanches where trees affected the runout. We gathered information concerning the release zone location and dimension, deposition patterns and heights, runout distance and forest structure. In these studies the trees were not destroyed, but acted as rigid obstacles. Wedge-like depositions formed behind (1) individual tree stems, (2) dense tree groups and (3) young trees with low-lying branches. Using the observations as a guide, we developed a oneparameter function to extract momentum corresponding to the stopped mass from the avalanche. The function was implemented in a depth-averaged avalanche dynamics model and used to predict the observed runout distances and mean deposition heights for the seven case studies. The approach differs from existing forest interaction models, which modify avalanche friction to account for tree breakage and debris entrainment. Our results underscore the importance of forests in mitigating the danger from small-to-medium avalanches.

The recent interest on environmentally friendly energy resources has increased the economic interest on the Upper Jurassic carbonate rocks in the North Alpine Foreland Basin, which serves as a hydrogeothermal reservoir. An economic reservoir use by geothermal fluid extraction and injection requires a decent understanding of porosity–permeability evolution of the deep laying Upper Jurassic strata at depths greater than 2000 m. The analysis of paleofluids caught in cements of the rock mass helps to determine the postdepositional reservoir evolution and fluid migration. Therefore, the high- and low-permeability areas of the Upper Jurassic in the North Alpine Foreland Basin referred to as Molasse Basin were analyzed by means of encountered postdepositional cements to determine the reservoir evolution. The cements were sampled at different hydrocarbon and geothermal wells, as well as at outcrops in the Franconian and Swabian Alb. To determine the composition and temperature of the paleofluids, fluid inclusions and cements of the Upper Jurassic carbonate rocks were analyzed by microthermometry and stable isotope measurements. Since drill cuttings are a rather available sample material compared to drill cores, a new microthermometry measurement method was achieved for the around 1 mm drill cuttings. Salinity and formation temperature of paleofluids in fluid inclusions and isotope data are consistent with previous studies and reveal a 5-stage evolution: the main cementation phases are composed of (I) the early diagenesis in limestones (200-400 m, 40-50°C), (II) early diagenetic dolomitization, and (III) burial dolomitization (1-2 km, II: 40-90°C; III: 70-100°C; 40 g/L NaCl equiv.), and (IV) late burial calcification (IIIa: 110-140°C, IIIb: 140-200°C) linked to tectonic features in the Molasse Basin. In the outcrop samples, a subsequent (V) cementation phase was determined controlled by karstification. In the southwest, an increase in salinity of the fluid inclusions in vein calcites, above the salinity of the Jurassic seawater, highlights the influence of basin fluids (diagenetic, evaporitic). In the other eastern wells, vein calcites have precipitated from a low saline fluid of around 10-20 g/L NaCl equiv. The low salinity and the isotope values support the theory of a continuous influence of descending meteoric fluids. Consequently, the Upper Jurassic seawater has been diluted by a meteoric fluid to a low saline fluid (<1 g/L), especially in areas with high permeability. Here, we show how a better understanding of cementation trajectory at depth can help to generate a better understanding of geothermal usability in deep carbonate reservoirs.

Usually the main subject in preliminary site investigations prior to tunnelling projects is the prediction of tunnel stability. During the past years in conventional drill and blast tunnelling, problems have occurred also connected to the accurate prediction of drillability in hard rock. The drillability is not only decisive for the wear of tools and equipment but is -along with the drilling velocity -a standard factor for the progress of excavation works. The estimation of drillability in predicted rock conditions might bear an extensive risk of costs. Therefore, an improved prediction of drilling velocity and bit wear would be desireable. The drillability of a rock mass is determined by various geological and mechanical parameters. In this report some major correlations of specific rock properties and especially geological factors with measured bit wear and drilling velocity are shown.Drilling velocity is dependent on a lot of geological parameters: Those principal parameters include jointing of rock mass, orientation of schistosity (rock anisotropy), degree of interlocking of microstructures, porosity and quality of cementation of clastic rock, degree of hydrothermal decomposition and weathering of a rock mass. Drilling bit wear increases with the equivalent quartz content. The equivalent quartz content builds the main property for the content of wearrelevant minerals. For various groups of rock types different connections with the equivalent quartz content could be detected. In sandstone bit wear is also dependent on porosity or the quality of the cementation. Finally, an investigation program is submitted, which helps to improve the estimation of rock drillability in planning future tunnel projects.

Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI) represents one of the most powerful techniques for Earth's surface deformation processes' monitoring, especially for long-term evolution phenomena. In this work, a dataset of 34 TerraSAR-X StripMap images (October 2013–October 2014) has been processed by two PSI techniques - Coherent Pixel Technique-Temporal Sublook Coherence (CPT-TSC) and Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) - in order to study the evolution of a slow-moving landslide which occurred on February 23, 2012 in the Papanice hamlet (Crotone municipality, southern Italy) and induced by a significant rainfall event (185 mm in three days). The mass movement caused structural damage (buildings' collapse), and destruction of utility lines (gas, water and electricity) and roads. The results showed analogous displacement rates (30–40 mm/yr along the Line of Sight – LOS-of the satellite) with respect to the pre-failure phase (2008–2010) analyzed in previous works. Both approaches allowed detect the landslide-affected area, however the higher density of targets identified by means of CPT-TSC enabled to analyze in detail the slope behavior in order to design possible mitigation interventions. For this aim, a slope stability analysis has been carried out, considering the comparison between groundwater oscillations and time-series of displacement. Hence, the crucial role of the interaction between rainfall and groundwater level has been inferred for the landslide triggering. In conclusion, we showed that the integration of geotechnical and remote sensing approaches can be seen as the best practice to support stakeholders to design remedial works.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

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