Lecture by Paul A. Carling (University of Southampton, UK)
Topic: Field evidence & modelling prospects for catastrophic outbreak floods
Place: GFÚ lecture hall / 10 am
Abstract: A focus on adaptation to anthropogenic climate change and the effects on the global hydrological cycle, not least glacial recession worldwide, has led to a burgeoning interest in glacial lake outburst floods. For example, the number of scientific papers citing the terms ‘megaflood’, ‘catastrophic flood’ or ‘glacial lake outburst flood’ (GLOF) in the titles has more than doubled in the last decade. Research outputs relate to recent GLOFs, as well as the identification of prehistoric exceptional floods, many dating to the Pleistocene termination. Former dam sites and the associated sedimentary sequences relate to exceptional floods worldwide. Notable has been the acceleration of research on sites in China and South America, as well as across Europe. Case studies, identifying flood landforms, modelling floodwave evolution, and the descriptions of sedimentary sequences from the field, provide repositories of data and interpretation which will aid future investigations. Yet, studies focussed on key generic issues remain relatively few. This presentation will provide an appraisal of progress and highlight opportunities for future research which might provide an improved framework within which to interpret case studies.
