Bedrock topogography; Image analysis; Glacial Erosion; nuclear emulsion particle detectors
Mair David, Lechmann Alessandro, Yesilyurt Serdar, Tikhomirov Dmitry, Delunel Romain, Vockenhuber Christof, Akçar Naki, Schlunegger Fritz (2019), Fast long-term denudation rate of steep alpine headwalls inferred from cosmogenic 36Cl depth profiles, in
Scientific Reports, 9(1), 11023-11023.
Nishiyama R., Ariga A., Ariga T., Lechmann A., Mair D., Pistillo C., Scampoli P., Valla P. G., Vladymyrov M., Ereditato A., Schlunegger F. (2019), Bedrock sculpting under an active alpine glacier revealed from cosmic-ray muon radiography, in
Scientific Reports, 9(1), 6970-6970.
Lechmann Alessandro, Mair David, Ariga Akitaka, Ariga Tomoko, Ereditato Antonio, Nishiyama Ryuichi, Pistillo Ciro, Scampoli Paola, Schlunegger Fritz, Vladymyrov Mykhailo (2018), The effect of rock composition on muon tomography measurements, in
Solid Earth, 9(6), 1517-1533.
Mair David, Lechmann Alessandro, Herwegh Marco, Nibourel Lukas, Schlunegger Fritz (2018), Linking Alpine deformation in the Aar Massif basement and its cover units – the case of the Jungfrau–Eiger mountains (Central Alps, Switzerland), in
Solid Earth, 9(5), 1099-1122.
Ariga Akitaka, Ariga Tomoko, Ereditato Antonio, Käser Samuel, Lechmann Alessandro, Mair David, Nishiyama Ryuichi, Pistillo Ciro, Scampoli Paola, Schlunegger Fritz, Vladymyrov Mykhailo (2018), A Nuclear Emulsion Detector for the Muon Radiography of a Glacier Structure, in
Instruments, 2(2), 7-7.
Nishiyama R., Ariga A., Ariga T., Käser S., Lechmann A., Mair D., Scampoli P., Vladymyrov M., Ereditato A., Schlunegger F. (2017), First measurement of ice-bedrock interface of alpine glaciers by cosmic muon radiographyMUON RADIOGRAPHY FOR GLACIAL GEOLOGY, in
Geophysical Research Letters, 44(12), 6244-6251.
This is an interdisciplinary project between the fields of Earth Sciences (geology and geomorphology) and Physics (particle physics methodologies) where we aim at imaging the base of an Alpine glacier in 3D with nuclear emulsion particle detectors exposed to the cosmic muon flux. This methodology offers a powerful tool to map surfaces that separate media with strong density contrasts (bedrock and the overlying glacier). Modern nuclear emulsion detectors provide an unbeatable position and angular resolution in the measurement of the muon track (< 1µm and a few mrad, respectively). In addition, the passive nature of the device, not requiring electric power, computing support, radio data transmission etc. makes this technology an added value to the currently available geophysical tools. It has been proven that this technology works for 2D applications. Here we intend to extend the methodology to 3D with well-constrained geological examples. This is the main purpose of this project. In particular, we propose to apply this technique to map the base of the Eiger glacier located in the Central European Alps, where the railway tunnel of the Jungfrau railway provides a unique situation for measuring the base of this glacier in 3D.We plan to frame the tasks of our project in two distinct objectives, where the scopes are to (i) develop the theoretical background for merging the data from various observation points to derive the 3D density map of the object under investigation, and to (ii) apply the advanced method thereby imaging the bedrock topography underlying the Eiger glacier. The first objective will represent the backbone of this project and includes: (1) the development of 3D inversion algorithms for the analysis of the retrieved images, (2) the optimization of emulsion scanning automated microscopes and the implementation of the software for image handling using state-of-the-art computing solutions, and (3) the design and construction of full scale advanced emulsion muon detectors. The second objective involves: (1) the reconstruction of a 3D geologic/morphologic model of the Eiger area by combining published geological maps with digital elevation models and measurements of the bedrock fabric along the Jungfrau tunnel, (2) installation of the detectors at four sites within the Jungfrau tunnel, where they will be oriented to view the base of the Eiger glacier on the opposite side of the mountain belt, and (3) the reading out of the data and the reconstruction of the bedrock surface beneath the Eiger glacier in 3D. The data will be used to reveal how glaciers, paired with frost cracking processes, have shaped one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the European Alps. In addition, this will be the first time that this imaging technique is applied to a geological problem in 3D.