Short Term
Temporal effects from seconds to 1 day
In this project we will investigate large and medium-magnitude earthquakes using waveform analysis of historical and modern seismograms for event location, magnitude, and depth as well as focal mechanisms and source-time function. Historical earthquakes recorded at analog stations worldwide (primarily recorded on paper or film) since the beginning of the last century can be digitized and analyzed with advanced methods to better constrain their characteristics.
The PhD project focuses on the analysis of rock glaciers and rock slides feeding the central Andean sediment cascade on two study areas in the Central Andes (Rio Atuel) near Mendoza and Desert Andes (Sierra Famatina) near La Rioja. The aim is to see how spatial pattern, topographic characteristics and climate parameters control the episodic and gradual release of sediment into the drainage network.
Extreme rainfall events fundamentally impact erosion and deposition. The combination of the South American Monsoon System (SAMS) and high topography of the Central Andes constitutes the most important drivers for the highly asymmetric distribution of rainfall.
The principal research goal of work package WP(1) focuses on climate and tectonic impacts on surface processes. This includes detailed studies on different time scales – from short term extreme events to long-term forcings.