Permafrost Distribution, Degradation, And Potential Mass Movement Cascades In The Western Himalaya Using Machine Learning And Numerical Models
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s44304-026-00217-4 <-- shared paper
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22051-w <-- shared (earlier) paper
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https://doi.org/10.1080/2150704X.2025.2488532 <-- shared (earlier) paper
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H/T @abhinav Alangadan
“Can we develop a first-order understanding of permafrost degradation and glacial lakes exposed to degradation-induced mass movements in the Himalaya?
[The authors] tried to address this question. The study [first link above] integrates machine learning, statistical modeling, and numerical modeling to investigate high-resolution permafrost distribution, potential degradation, and associated mass-movement hazards in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, India.
Using rock glaciers as proxies, [they] generated a high-resolution permafrost distribution using machine learning, while potential degradation zones were delineated using the 0°C isotherm as a first-order indicator. [They] further identified glacial lakes located near potentially degrading permafrost zones and reconstructed their bathymetry. A detailed scenario-based GLOF process-chain simulation was then carried out for Kashang Lake using r.avaflow and HEC-RAS.
[Their] results indicate that seven glacial lakes in #Kinnaur are located close to potentially degrading permafrost zones. The simulations further show that a potential GLOF from Kashang Lake could inundate critical downstream infrastructure, including nearly 11 km of National Highway 5…”
#permafrost #distribution #GIS #spatial #mapping #Himalayas #India #Kinnaur #HimachalPradesh #KashangLake #massmovement #engineeringgeology #machinelearning #AI #model #modeling #numericalmodel #glaciallakes #glaciet #glacial #glaciallakeoutburstflood #GLOF #cryosphere #geostatistics #rockglaciers #GeoAI #bathymetry #processchainsimulation #HECRAS #avaflow #risk #hazard #mitigation #riskassessment #infrastructure #HEP #publicsafety #downstream #avalanche
Decoupling Of Surface Water Storage From Precipitation In Global Drylands Due To Anthropogenic Activity
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00367-7 <-- shared paper
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“The availability of surface water in global drylands is essential for both human society and ecosystems. However, the long-term drivers of change in surface water storage, particularly those related to anthropogenic activities, remain unclear. Here [they] use[d] multi-mission remote sensing data to construct monthly time series of water storage changes from 1985 to 2020 for 105,400 lakes and reservoirs in global drylands. An increase of 2.20 km³ per year in surface water storage is found primarily due to the construction of new reservoirs. For lakes and old reservoirs (constructed before 1983), conversely, the trend in storage is minor when aggregated globally, but they dominate surface water storage trends in 91% of individual global dryland basins. Further analysis reveals that long-term storage changes in these water bodies are primarily linked to anthropogenic factors - including human-induced warming and water-management practices - rather than to precipitation changes, as previously thought. These findings reveal a decoupling of surface water storage from precipitation in global drylands, raising concerns about societal and ecosystem sustainability…”
#water #hydrology #hydrography #waterstorage #waterresources #surfacewater #global #drylands #precipitation #rainfall #watersecurity #ecosystems #habitat #publichealth #anthropogenic #GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #spatiotemporal #spatialanalysis #monitoring #geostatistics #engineering #reservoirs #infrastructure #lakes #waterbodies #globalwarming #climatechange #sustainability #planning #baseline
Mapping and analysing public health: #PublicHealth is a compelling but under-explored domain for #geospatial analysis. The ASIT is hosting a June meetup in Lausanne covering #geomedicine, environmental health influences, physical-activity-friendly #spatialPlanning, and #geostatistics...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/28-mapping-and-analysing-public-health/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS
Mapping and analysing public health – Spatialists – geospatial news

#PublicHealth is a compelling but under-explored domain for #geospatial analysis. The ASIT is hosting a June meetup in Lausanne covering #geomedicine, environmental health influences, physical-activity-friendly #spatialPlanning, and #geostatistics for health risk identification.

Spatialists – geospatial news
Remote Sensing And GIS-Supported Framework Of Pre-Monsoon Drought Assessment In Bangladesh (2000–2022) Using CHIRPS-Based SPI-3 And MODIS-Derived Vegetation And Temperature Indices
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https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-026-12848-x <-- shared paper
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H/T MD. ABDULLAH AL MAMUNM | Studying PhD in Rural and Environmental Sciences
“১ বছর ২০ দিন লেগে গেল! প্রথম ৪ জন রিভিউয়ারের প্রায় ৫০+ কমেন্টের পর মনে হয়েছিল আর এগোব না। তবে আমার সুপারভাইজার বলেছিলেন, “রিজেকশনের চেয়ে কমেন্ট ফেস করা ভালো।”
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #Bangladesh #earthobservation #water #hydrology #premoonsoon #moonsoon #drought #CHIRPS #MODIS #SPI #vegetation #temperature #indices #parameters #SPI #NDVI #VCI #TCI #VHI #monitoring #droughts #agriculture #farming #crop #cultivation #yield #foodsecurity #weather #rainfall #precipitation #Pearsoncorrelation #geostatistics #irrigation #watersecurity #foodsecurity #policy #planning
Influence Of Modeling Assumptions On Pedestrian Evacuation Success For Non-Eruptive Lahar Hazards At Mount Rainier, Washington
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2026.106132 <-- shared paper
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https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/697ba3e5b66b0197c3043d2f <-- shared, related open data source
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[I still remember working on and being fascinated by lahars being an engineering geologist in Washington State (and from my time studying in New Zealand), although (of course) not to this level of detail/focus]
#volcano #lahar #evacuation #exposure #model #modeling #engineeringeology #risk #hazard #naturalhazard #MountRainer #Washington #USA #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #emergencymanagement #GIS #spatial #mapping #publicsafety #hazardzone #vulcanism #downstream #debrisflow #massmovement #monitoring #detection #geostatistics #demographics #atrisk #fedscience #publicgood #fedservice #opendata
@USGS