![\"Alaska](\"https:\/\/blogs.agu.org\/landslideblog\/files\/2017\/09\/17_09-Alaska-1.gif\")
The distribution of rock avalanches in the Glacier Bay study area, from Coe et al.<\/em> (2017)<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n .<\/p>\n Some of these rock avalanches have been spectacular<\/a>.\u00a0 This for example is a Planet Labs image<\/a> of the July 2016 Lamplugh Glacier rock avalanche<\/a>:-<\/p>\n Planet Labs image<\/a> of the Lamplugh Glacier rock avalanche of July 2016, in Alaska.<\/p><\/div>\n .<\/p>\n From their mapping, Coe et al.<\/em> (2017)<\/a> concluded that all of the rock avalanches initiated from high mountain ridges or peaks.\u00a0 All occurred in the northern part of the study area, and most had an aspect towards the north, generally towards the northwest.\u00a0 Clusters in rock avalanche behaviour occurred in the periods 1984 to 1986; 1994 to 1995; and 2012 to the present.\u00a0 Notably, the most recent cluster has involved larger, more mobile rock avalanches than had been seen previously, and these landslides have tended to originate from higher elevations, with higher levels of mobility.<\/p>\n Coe et al.<\/em> (2017)<\/a> consider carefully why these changes may be occurring.\u00a0 They state that:<\/p>\n We hypothesize that degradation of rock permafrost is the primary factor that controlled the timing and size of rock avalanches in the Glacier Bay region.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This part of Alaska shows a clear warming trend over the last few decades.\u00a0 Coe et al.<\/em> (2017) provide an analysis of the climate data that strongly supports the idea that the increasing temperatures may be leading to a degradation of previously permanently frozen rock masses in the high peak areas.<\/p>\n This is the most convincing evidence that I have seen to date that increasing temperatures are driving a higher rate of rock slope failure in high mountains, a trend that we also seem to be seeing in for example the Alps in Europe and the Southern Alps in New Zealand.\u00a0 It suggests that there is a pressing need for increased research into the processes occurring in high mountain slopes, including in situ<\/em> monitoring.\u00a0 The implications are clear though – as climate change continues to drive warming in high mountain areas the risks associated with rock slope failure will increase.<\/p>\n Coe, J.A., Bessette-Kirton, E.K. & Geertsema, M. 2017.\u00a0 Increasing rock-avalanche size and mobility in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska detected from 1984 to 2016 Landsat imagery<\/a>.\u00a0 Landslides<\/em> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10346-017-0879-7<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.agu.org\/landslideblog\/files\/2017\/09\/17_09-Alaska-2-e1505250010746.jpg\")
Reference<\/h4>\n
Acknowledgement<\/h4>\n