Fibre optics on glaciers open new frontiers for natural disaster predictions

The fibre-optic cables we use to surf the Internet and make phone calls could help predict a landslide or a glacier collapse. Research projects in Switzerland are opening new possibilities in natural hazard monitoring. The May 28 collapse of the Birch glacier in the Swiss Alps made headlines around the world. A huge landslide of ice, mud and debris buried the evacuated village of Blatten in one of the worst natural disasters in recent Swiss history. Although such events are rare, they may be more common than previously thought, according to a study that analysed evidence of previous glacial collapse in the Andes, Caucasus and other mountainous regions. There is no straightforward way to predict where they might occur, but some conditions such as the surface slope of the glacier may help determine if a glacier detachment can occur in a specific area, according to the study. Ice and rock landslides can have different causes, often attributable to geological conditions and land ...