Rainfall intensity–duration thresholds for bedload transport initiation in small Alpine watersheds Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-3091-2012 18 October 2012 In this study, the characteristics of rainfall events leading to bedload transport were investigated in five small Alpine catchments located in different geographical and morphological regions of Switzerland, Italy and France. Read more
Improving the active involvement of stakeholders and the public in flood risk management – tools of an involvement strategy and case study results from Austria, Germany and Italy Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2785-2012 11 September 2012 This paper presents basic elements and the application of two innovative approaches as a part of an “involvement strategy” that aims at the active involvement of all interested parties (stakeholders) for assessing, reviewing and updating flood risk management plans, as formulated in the EU Flood Risk Management Directive 2007/60/EC. Read more
Enhancing flood resilience through improved risk communications Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2271-2012 20 July 2012 A framework of guiding recommendations for effective pre-flood and flood warning communications derived from the URFlood project (2nd ERA-Net CRUE Research Funding Initiative) from extensive quantitative and qualitative research in Finland, Ireland, Italy and Scotland is presented. Read more
Risk perception – issues for flood management in Europe Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2299-2012 20 July 2012 Public perception of flood risk and flood risk information is often overlooked when developing flood risk management plans. As scientists and the public at large perceive risk in very different ways, flood risk management strategies are known to have failed in the past due to this disconnect between authorities and the public. This paper uses a novel approach in exploring the role of public perception in developing flood risk communication strategies in Europe. Read more
Searching for the seafloor signature of the 21 May 2003 Boumerdès earthquake offshore central Algeria Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2159-2012 10 July 2012 Shaking by moderate to large earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea has proved in the past to potentially trigger catastrophic sediment collapse and flow. On 21 May 2003, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake located near Boumerdès (central Algerian coast) triggered large turbidity currents responsible for 29 submarine cable breaks at the foot of the continental slope over ~150 km from west to east. Read more
Building an 18 000-year-long paleo-earthquake record from detailed deep-sea turbidite characterisation in Poverty Bay, New Zealand Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2077-2012 27 June 2012 Our results show that the progressive characterisation of a turbidite record from a single sedimentary system can provide a continuous paleo-earthquake history in regions of short historical record and incomplete onland paleo-earthquake evidences. The systematic description of each turbidite enables us to infer the triggering mechanism. Read more
Severe wind gust thresholds for Meteoalarm derived from uniform return periods in ECA&D Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-1969-2012 25 June 2012 In this study we present an alternative wind gust warning guideline for Meteoalarm, the severe weather warning website for Europe. There are unrealistically large differences in levels and issuing frequencies of all warning levels currently in use between neighbouring Meteoalarm countries. This study provides a guide for the Meteoalarm community to review their wind gust warning thresholds. ECA&D">Read more
Impact of heat and drought stress on arable crop production in Belgium Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-1911-2012 18 June 2012 Modelling approaches are needed to accelerate understanding of adverse weather impacts on crop performances and yields. The aim was to elicit biometeorological conditions that affect Belgian arable crop yield, commensurate with the scale of climatic impacts. Read more
The spatial structure of European wind storms as characterized by bivariate extreme-value Copulas Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-1769-2012 29 May 2012 The winds associated with extra-tropical cyclones are amongst the costliest natural perils in Europe. Re/insurance companies typically have insured exposure at multiple locations and hence the losses they incur from any individual storm crucially depend on that storm’s spatial structure. Motivated by this, this study investigates the spatial structure of the most extreme windstorms in Europe. Read more
Drivers of flood risk change in residential areas Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-1641-2012 23 May 2012 The observed increase of direct flood damage over the last decades may be caused by changes in the meteorological drivers of floods, or by changing land-use patterns and socio-economic developments. It is still widely unknown to which extent these factors will contribute to future flood risk changes. Read more
