What is it about?
We show that the equation of motion for gravity mass flows that erode the substrate (entrainment) derived by Pudasaini and Krautblatter (2021) contains an error, which leads to energy non-conservation if the substrate particles have non-zero velocity when they are eroded (see infographic). When the error is corrected, the widely-accepted form of the equation of motion results. This invalidates the explanation given by Pudasaini and Krautblatter for the enhanced mobility of entraining landslides, debris flows and snow avalanches.
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Photo by Joseph Corl on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The paper by Pudasaini and Kraublatter has been cited many times and the erroneous equation of motion has already been implemented in some numerical models. If these codes are used in hazard mapping or the design of mitigation measures, significant errors with possibly dire consequences may result.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Structure of equations for gravity mass flows with entrainment, Nature Communications, May 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48605-6.
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