Brief communication: An approximately 50Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Chuanxi Zhao; Wei Yang; Matt Westoby; Baosheng An; Guangjian Wu; Weicai Wang; Zhongyan Wang; Yongjie Wang; Stuart Dunning

doi:10.5194/tc-2021-306

Brief communication: An approximately 50Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Chuanxi Zhao^*, Wei Yang, Matt Westoby, Baosheng An, Guangjian Wu, Weicai Wang, Zhongyan Wang, Yongjie Wang, Stuart Dunning

^*Corresponding author for this work

Geography and Environmental Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

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Abstract

On 22 March 2021, a ~50 M m3 ice-rock avalanche occurred from 6500 m asl in the Sedongpu basin, southeastern Tibet. The avalanche transformed into a highly mobile flow which temporarily blocked the Yarlung Tsangpo river. The avalanche flow lasted ~5 minutes and produced substantial geomorphological reworking. This event, and previous ones from the basin, occurred concurrently with, or shortly after recorded positive air temperature anomalies. The occurrence of future large mass flows from the basin cannot be ruled out, and their impacts must be carefully considered given implications for sustainable hydropower and associated socioeconomic development in the region.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	The Cryosphere
Volume	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-306
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 11 Feb 2022

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title = "Brief communication: An approximately 50Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau",

abstract = "On 22 March 2021, a ~50 M m3 ice-rock avalanche occurred from 6500 m asl in the Sedongpu basin, southeastern Tibet. The avalanche transformed into a highly mobile flow which temporarily blocked the Yarlung Tsangpo river. The avalanche flow lasted ~5 minutes and produced substantial geomorphological reworking. This event, and previous ones from the basin, occurred concurrently with, or shortly after recorded positive air temperature anomalies. The occurrence of future large mass flows from the basin cannot be ruled out, and their impacts must be carefully considered given implications for sustainable hydropower and associated socioeconomic development in the region.",

author = "Chuanxi Zhao and Wei Yang and Matt Westoby and Baosheng An and Guangjian Wu and Weicai Wang and Zhongyan Wang and Yongjie Wang and Stuart Dunning",

note = "Funding information: The study is supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP) (grant no. 2019QZKK0201), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 41961134035, 41988101), the Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship (grant no. NA170325), and the National Key Research and Development Project (grant no. 2019YFC1509102).",

year = "2022",

month = feb,

day = "11",

doi = "10.5194/tc-2021-306",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "1--8",

journal = "The Cryosphere",

issn = "1994-0424",

publisher = "Copernicus Publications",

}

Brief communication : An approximately 50Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. / Zhao, Chuanxi; Yang, Wei; Westoby, Matt; An, Baosheng; Wu, Guangjian; Wang, Weicai; Wang, Zhongyan; Wang, Yongjie; Dunning, Stuart.

In: The Cryosphere, Vol. 16, 11.02.2022, p. 1-8.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Brief communication

T2 - An approximately 50Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau

AU - Zhao, Chuanxi

AU - Yang, Wei

AU - Westoby, Matt

AU - An, Baosheng

AU - Wu, Guangjian

AU - Wang, Weicai

AU - Wang, Zhongyan

AU - Wang, Yongjie

AU - Dunning, Stuart

N1 - Funding information: The study is supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP) (grant no. 2019QZKK0201), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 41961134035, 41988101), the Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship (grant no. NA170325), and the National Key Research and Development Project (grant no. 2019YFC1509102).

PY - 2022/2/11

Y1 - 2022/2/11

N2 - On 22 March 2021, a ~50 M m3 ice-rock avalanche occurred from 6500 m asl in the Sedongpu basin, southeastern Tibet. The avalanche transformed into a highly mobile flow which temporarily blocked the Yarlung Tsangpo river. The avalanche flow lasted ~5 minutes and produced substantial geomorphological reworking. This event, and previous ones from the basin, occurred concurrently with, or shortly after recorded positive air temperature anomalies. The occurrence of future large mass flows from the basin cannot be ruled out, and their impacts must be carefully considered given implications for sustainable hydropower and associated socioeconomic development in the region.

AB - On 22 March 2021, a ~50 M m3 ice-rock avalanche occurred from 6500 m asl in the Sedongpu basin, southeastern Tibet. The avalanche transformed into a highly mobile flow which temporarily blocked the Yarlung Tsangpo river. The avalanche flow lasted ~5 minutes and produced substantial geomorphological reworking. This event, and previous ones from the basin, occurred concurrently with, or shortly after recorded positive air temperature anomalies. The occurrence of future large mass flows from the basin cannot be ruled out, and their impacts must be carefully considered given implications for sustainable hydropower and associated socioeconomic development in the region.

U2 - 10.5194/tc-2021-306

DO - 10.5194/tc-2021-306

M3 - Comment/debate

VL - 16

SP - 1

EP - 8

JO - The Cryosphere

JF - The Cryosphere

SN - 1994-0424

ER -

Brief communication: An approximately 50Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau

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