Impact of an 0.2 km3 Rock Avalanche on Lake Eibsee (Bavarian Alps, Germany) – Part II: Catchment Response to Consecutive Debris Avalanche and Debris Flow

Sibylle Knapp, Flavio S. Anselmetti, Bernhard Lempe, Michael Krautblatter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The ~0.2 km3 Eibsee rock avalanche impacted Paleolake Eibsee and completely displaced its waters. This study analyses the lake impact and the consequences, and the catchment response to the landslide. A quasi-3D seismic reflection survey, four sediment cores from modern Lake Eibsee, reaching far down into the rock avalanche mass, nine radiocarbon ages, and geomorphic analysis allow us to distinguish the main rock avalanche event from a secondary debris avalanche and debris flow. The highly fluidized debris avalanche formed a megaturbidite and multiple swashes that are recorded in the lake sediments. The new calibrated age for the Eibsee rock avalanche of ~4080–3970 cal yr BP indicates a coincidence with rockslides in the Fernpass cluster and subaquatic landslides in Lake Piburg and Lake Plansee, and raises the possibility that a large regional earthquake triggered these events. We document a complex history of erosion and sedimentation in Lake Eibsee, and demonstrate how the catchment response and rebirth of the lake are revealed through the complementary application of geophysics, sedimentology, radiocarbon dating, and geomorphology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)307-319
Number of pages13
JournalEarth Surface Processes and Landforms
Volume46
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2021

Keywords

  • Fernpass rockslide cluster
  • catchment response
  • lake impact
  • lake sediments
  • prehistoric earthquake
  • progressive slope failure
  • recurrence rates
  • rock avalanche

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