Increasing rock-avalanche size and mobility in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska detected from 1984 to 2016 Landsat imagery

A significant increase in the size and mobility of rock avalanches has been detected in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, over a 33-year period from 1984 to 2016. This study, utilizing 30-meter Landsat imagery, identified 24 rock avalanches within a 5000-km² area, none of which were triggered by earthquakes. Notably, a cluster of large and highly mobile rock avalanches occurred between June 2012 and June 2016, coinciding with record-breaking warm winter and spring temperatures. The findings suggest that these changes may be linked to rock-permafrost degradation, although other factors such as elastic strain accumulation, glacial thinning, and increased precipitation could also contribute to slope instability during periods of warmth.

Coe, J. A., Bessette-Kirton, E. K., & Geertsema, M. (2017). Increasing rock-avalanche size and mobility in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska detected from 1984 to 2016 Landsat imagery. Landslides, 15(3), 393–407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-017-0879-7