Review
Environmental Sciences
Amelie Paszkowski, Steven Goodbred, Edoardo Borgomeo, M. Shah Alam Khan, Jim W. Hall
Summary: This review examines the geomorphic changes in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta and its broader impacts, highlighting the complex interplay between anthropogenic interferences and natural background processes driving the dynamics of the delta. Future research efforts should focus on understanding geomorphic processes and collaboration among governing bodies and stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of the delta.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Lucy M. Bricheno, Judith Wolf, Yujuan Sun
Summary: This study explores how sea-level rise and climate change may interact to control future river salinity in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta. Model experiments indicate that future river salinity in the delta will be affected at seasonal and regional scales, with salt intrusion intensifying during the dry season. Sea-level rise in the future is expected to increase river salinity in the GBM delta.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md. Munsur Rahman, Anisul Haque, Robert J. Nicholls, Stephen E. Darby, Mahmida Tul Urmi, Md. Maruf Dustegir, Frances E. Dunn, Anika Tahsin, Sadmina Razzaque, Kevin Horsburgh, Md. Aminul Haque
Summary: The research examines the sedimentation and sustainable development of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta. The study finds that under quasi-natural conditions, sedimentation can exceed the current rates of relative sea-level rise and potentially create new land mass. Encouraging quasi-natural conditions through the widespread application of sediment management measures has the potential to promote more sustainable outcomes for the GBM delta.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md. Masidul Haque, A. H. M. Selim Reza, Koichi Hoyanagi
Summary: Elemental composition, multivariate statistical analyses, and pollution indices were used to study the pollution and ecological risk of the Upper and Lower Southwestern Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta sediments. Higher concentrations of toxic metals were found in the Lower Delta. The study found that the Lower Delta sediments were more contaminated and posed a higher ecological risk compared to the Upper Delta.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shouvik Das, Sugata Hazra, Anisul Haque, Munsur Rahman, Robert J. Nicholls, Amit Ghosh, Tuhin Ghosh, Mashfiqus Salehin, Ricardo Safra de Campos
Summary: The study analyzes social vulnerability in the entire coastal delta of Bangladesh and India, finding that coastal residents are more susceptible to environmental hazards. Non-agricultural development and economic expansion have shown to significantly reduce vulnerability, but major cyclone landfalls may enhance vulnerability in affected areas. Further comprehensive analysis is recommended to understand common threats and possible solutions across the delta.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Leslie A. Valentine, Carol A. Wilson
Summary: The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta is identified as one of the most vulnerable sinking deltas in the world. It is highly dynamic with the highest sediment and water discharge, as well as significant tidal velocities. Rapidly evolving tidally elongated channel bars, called 'chars', are found along the Lower Meghna River (LMR), which is crucial for understanding the vulnerability of char communities to flooding and sea-level rise. A multi-faceted approach was used to assess the geomorphology, sedimentology, and hydrology of chars in the LMR and Tentulia Channel, revealing increased stability downstream due to tidal influence and vulnerability to erosion and flooding near the coast.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jakia Akter, Dano Roelvink, Mick van der Wegen
Summary: The research focuses on creating a sediment budget for the GMB Delta using a process-based model, showing possibilities for predicting morphodynamic evolution and sediment budget pathways. The model reveals the distribution of sediment loads in the river and estuarine system, as well as the morphological evolution of different channels.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Md Wasif E. Elahi, Xiao Hua Wang, Julio Salcedo-Castro, Elizabeth A. Ritchie
Summary: This study investigates the storm surge caused by severe tropical cyclones in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta. The wind-driven setup is found to be the main contributing factor to the storm surge height, and the interaction between tides and winds can either increase or decrease the magnitude of the surge. Additionally, wind-driven waves can further increase the surge height along the coastline.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Till J. J. Hanebuth, Hermann R. Kudrass, Anja M. Zander, Humayun Syed Akhter, Gertrud Neumann-Denzau, Anwar Zahid
Summary: This study reconstructs the coastal subsidence over the past 1300 years in a mangrove region along the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta coast, showing a faster rate of modern sea level rise that may be influenced by natural sediment accretion and human interference. Accelerated subsidence during specific periods and sudden sinking events highlight the potential major hazard for coastal Bangladesh.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michael S. Steckler, Bar Oryan, Carol A. Wilson, Celine Grall, Scott L. Nooner, Dhiman R. Mondal, S. Humayun Akhter, Scott DeWolf, Steve L. Goodbred
Summary: This study aims to better evaluate the sediment compaction and land subsidence in coastal Bangladesh, and finds that different measurement methods yield different results, and factors such as sedimentation and organic matter degradation play significant roles in land subsidence.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Xiao Hua Wang, Md Wasif E. Elahi
Summary: The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta in southern Bangladesh experiences severe tropical cyclones, accounting for 40% of the global impact from storm surges caused by cyclones. A numerical 3D model was used to study wave dynamics during a cyclone-induced storm surge event, showing that water level and current have significant effects on wave heights. The study also found that the Whitecapping Induced Energy (WCI) mechanism leads to higher wave heights in shallower waters near the coast.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica L. Raff, Steven L. Goodbred Jr, Jennifer L. Pickering, Ryan S. Sincavage, John C. Ayers, Md. Saddam Hossain, Carol A. Wilson, Chris Paola, Michael S. Steckler, Dhiman R. Mondal, Jean-Louis Grimaud, Celine Jo Grall, Kimberly G. Rogers, Kazi Matin Ahmed, Syed Humayun Akhter, Brandee N. Carlson, Elizabeth L. Chamberlain, Meagan Dejter, Jonathan M. Gilligan, Richard P. Hale, Mahfuzur R. Khan, Md. Golam Muktadir, Md. Munsur Rahman, Lauren A. Williams
Summary: The principal nature-based solution for offsetting relative sea-level rise in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta is the unabated delivery, dispersal, and deposition of the rivers' similar to 1 billion-tonne annual sediment load. Recent hydrological transport modeling suggests that strengthening monsoon precipitation in the 21st century could increase this sediment delivery 34-60%; yet other studies demonstrate that sediment could decline 15-80% if planned dams and river diversions are fully implemented. We validate these modeled ranges by developing a comprehensive field-based sediment budget that quantifies the supply of Ganges-Brahmaputra river sediment under varying Holocene climate conditions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christian Siderius, Paul van Walsum, Hester Biemans
Summary: This study quantifies the important trade-offs between water, energy, and food-related sustainable development goals in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna River basin. It reveals that there is a strong trade-off between food production and agricultural profit, but with the right strategies, agriculture can achieve higher profitability.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md. Mahedi Al Masud, Hossein Azadi, Abul Kalam Azad, Imaneh Goli, Marcin Pietrzykowski, Thomas Dogot
Summary: The sustainability index (SI) is used to measure the performance of water resource systems over time and provide information on the system's behavior in the event of a misbalance in available and required waters. The tidal river management (TRM) approach has been implemented for three decades in the polder system in Southwest Bangladesh to achieve water sustainability. The TRM plan and watershed management plan (WMP) aim at sustainable use of watershed resources, with TRM focusing on coastal regions and WMP on both coastal and non-coastal regions. The study explores the application of the sustainability index of tidal river management (SITRM) in the coastal area of the Lower Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta.
Article
Water Resources
Masudur Rahman, Tomochika Tokunaga, Tsutomu Yamanaka
Summary: The study focused on the salinity of deep groundwater in the southern Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta in Bangladesh. It found that the salinity and stable isotopes of water in deep groundwater varied based on different geological processes, with seawater and coastal rainwater being the likely sources. The evolution of the deep groundwater salinity was explained by paleogeography and associated processes, showing a mixture of brackish estuarine water intruding into fresh groundwater due to density differences.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
G. Bozzano, M. E. Cerredo, M. Remesal, L. Steinmann, T. J. J. Hanebuth, T. Schwenk, M. Baques, D. Hebbeln, D. Spoltore, O. Silvestri, R. D. Acevedo, V. Spiess, R. A. Violante, S. Kasten
Summary: The study found evidence of large icebergs floating in the Falkland (Malvinas) Current from the southern polar high latitudes far northward, based on gravel- to cobble-sized rocks recovered from the Mar del Plata (MdP) Canyon area. These ice-rafted debris were likely sourced from the Antarctic Peninsula, sub-Antarctic islands in the Scotia Sea, and Tierra del Fuego. The presence of dropstones and sediment drape in the MdP Canyon suggests a history of icebergs being captured by ocean current branches and melting rapidly due to oceanographic trapping.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
S. Wenau, V. Spiess, M. Zabel
Summary: More than 100 very large seafloor depressions were found on the southern Namibian continental margin, showing extraordinary sizes and crescent morphology influenced by bottom currents. This study highlights the unique seafloor features produced over long geological time scales by continental slope sedimentation under bottom-current influence.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jacopo Natale, Luigi Ferranti, Roberto Isaia, Camilla Marino, Marco Sacchi, Volkhard Spiess, Lena Steinmann, Stefano Vitale
Summary: Silicic calderas are unpredictable volcanic systems that often do not culminate in an eruption. The Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy is one of the most studied of these volcanoes. This study aims to reconstruct the offshore succession of the caldera through seismic analysis and correlate it with the on-land stratigraphy. The results provide new insights into the relationship between marine sedimentation and ground deformation, as well as the history of volcanic activity in the area.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michael S. Steckler, Bar Oryan, Carol A. Wilson, Celine Grall, Scott L. Nooner, Dhiman R. Mondal, S. Humayun Akhter, Scott DeWolf, Steve L. Goodbred
Summary: This study aims to better evaluate the sediment compaction and land subsidence in coastal Bangladesh, and finds that different measurement methods yield different results, and factors such as sedimentation and organic matter degradation play significant roles in land subsidence.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Paul M. Betka, Stuart N. Thomson, Ryan Sincavage, C. Zoramthara, C. Lalremruatfela, Karl A. Lang, Michael S. Steckler, Devojit Bezbaruah, Pradip Borgohain, Leonardo Seeber
Summary: This study uses detrital zircon U-Pb age distributions to correlate the formations of the Indo-Burman Ranges with equivalent strata in the Bengal Basin. It reveals the early Miocene arrival of the ancestral Brahmaputra delta to the region and the changing sources of sediment through time. Additionally, it suggests that the Miocene progradation of the delta reflects increasing rates of erosion and sea level fall during intensification of the South Asian Monsoon.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Asli Oezmaral, Ayobami Abegunrin, Hanno Keil, Daniel A. Hepp, Tilmann Schwenk, Hendrik Lantzsch, Tobias Moerz, Volkhard Spiess
Summary: The southeastern North Sea was a sub-aerially exposed periglacial environment during the late Weichselian, and the Elbe Palaeovalley played a crucial role in the drainage system. The study provides detailed analysis of sediment and core samples to reconstruct the morphology and stratigraphy of the valley, revealing its evolution from a braided system to an estuary during deglacial sea-level rise.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
N. Roemer-Stange, S. Wenau, V. Bihler, H. Keil, C. A. Ramos Cordova, V. Spiess
Summary: Small-scale heterogeneities within the seafloor, such as glacial boulders, concretions, or unexploded ordnance, are of great scientific and economic interest. However, reliable and efficient object detection methods for these small objects are still lacking. In this study, a marine acquisition system and workflows were designed to image objects in the size range of 0.3-4.1 m. An efficient beamforming algorithm was used to image the diffractions, providing a reliable method for 3D object detection.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junhui Xing, Volkhard Spiess
Summary: This study utilized high resolution seismic data to analyze the sedimentary evolution of the study area near the Kerch Peninsula. The findings reveal the influence of tectonic movements, sea level fluctuations, and climate on sediment deposits. The study also identified various seismic facies types and mapped the seismic units, providing valuable insights into the sedimentary processes and factors shaping the area's geological history.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ryan Sincavage, Man Liang, Jennifer Pickering, Steven Goodbred, Paola Passalacqua
Summary: Favorable topographic gradients and channel bed aggradation are often cited as primers for river channel avulsion. However, a localized backwater effect from a seasonal lake that forms in Sylhet Basin, known as a hydraulic barrier, is not a plausible mechanism for channel steering unless water depths are increased beyond the physical dimensions of the basin. The introduction of a scoured antecedent channel along the western margin induces a strong preference for bypass of the central basin.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jacopo Natale, Giovanni Camanni, Luigi Ferranti, Roberto Isaia, Marco Sacchi, Volkhard Spiess, Lena Steinmann, Stefano Vitale
Summary: The structure of a caldera plays a crucial role in its activity. In the Campi Flegrei offshore area, two main fault systems were identified, related to the formation of the caldera and the resurgent dome. The activity of ring and dome faults, volcaniclastic sedimentation, ground deformation, and sea-level changes interplayed in the volcano-tectonic evolution over the past 40,000 years.
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica L. Raff, Steven L. Goodbred Jr, Jennifer L. Pickering, Ryan S. Sincavage, John C. Ayers, Md. Saddam Hossain, Carol A. Wilson, Chris Paola, Michael S. Steckler, Dhiman R. Mondal, Jean-Louis Grimaud, Celine Jo Grall, Kimberly G. Rogers, Kazi Matin Ahmed, Syed Humayun Akhter, Brandee N. Carlson, Elizabeth L. Chamberlain, Meagan Dejter, Jonathan M. Gilligan, Richard P. Hale, Mahfuzur R. Khan, Md. Golam Muktadir, Md. Munsur Rahman, Lauren A. Williams
Summary: The principal nature-based solution for offsetting relative sea-level rise in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta is the unabated delivery, dispersal, and deposition of the rivers' similar to 1 billion-tonne annual sediment load. Recent hydrological transport modeling suggests that strengthening monsoon precipitation in the 21st century could increase this sediment delivery 34-60%; yet other studies demonstrate that sediment could decline 15-80% if planned dams and river diversions are fully implemented. We validate these modeled ranges by developing a comprehensive field-based sediment budget that quantifies the supply of Ganges-Brahmaputra river sediment under varying Holocene climate conditions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Fynn Warnke, Tilmann Schwenk, Elda Miramontes, Volkhard Spiess, Stefan Wenau, Graziella Bozzano, Michele Baques, Sabine Kasten
Summary: This study investigates the origin and development of two giant seafloor depressions using multibeam bathymetry and seismic data. The depressions are likely formed by seafloor seepage and structural control, and their evolution is influenced by strong and variable bottom currents.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Mitchell Thomas, Elizabeth Tellman, Daniel E. Osgood, Ben DeVries, Akm Saiful Islam, Michael S. Steckler, Maxwell Goodman, Maruf Billah
Summary: In this study, we aim to strengthen the use of satellite data for flood index insurance by proposing a set of criteria for assessing algorithm performance and providing a framework for remote sensing application validation in data-poor environments. The results show that the adapted Sentinel-1 algorithm significantly outperforms previous algorithms on the validation criteria. The proposed validation criteria can be used to develop and validate better remote sensing products for index insurance and other flood applications in places with inadequate ground truth data.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Amelie Paszkowski, Steven Goodbred, Edoardo Borgomeo, M. Shah Alam Khan, Jim W. Hall
Summary: This review examines the geomorphic changes in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta and its broader impacts, highlighting the complex interplay between anthropogenic interferences and natural background processes driving the dynamics of the delta. Future research efforts should focus on understanding geomorphic processes and collaboration among governing bodies and stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of the delta.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Lingyu Zhang, Kristoffer Szilas
Summary: This study presents new petrological and geochemical data for the Narssaq Ultramafic Body (NUB) in the Itsaq Gneiss Complex of SW Greenland. The results indicate that the ultramafic rocks of NUB are not mantle residues, but instead represent crustal cumulates derived from high-Mg magmas.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Rong Xu, Sarah Lambart, Oliver Nebel, Ming Li, Zhongjie Bai, Junbo Zhang, Ganglan Zhang, Jianfeng Gao, Hong Zhong, Yongsheng Liu
Summary: This study investigated the iron isotope compositions of Cenozoic basalts in Southeast China, finding significant variations related to different types of basalts and their respective sources.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
C. J. Ebinger, Miriam C. Reiss, Ian Bastow, Mary M. Karanja
Summary: The East African rift system is formed above mantle upwellings and the formation of rifts is related to lithospheric thinning and magmatic activity. The amount of splitting varies spatially and the fast axes are predominantly parallel to the orientation of the rifts. Thick lithospheric modules have less splitting and different orientations, which may indicate mantle plume flow. Splitting rotates and increases in strength as it enters the rift zones, suggesting that the anisotropy is mainly present at shallow depths.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Correction
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ekaterina Rojas-Kolomiets, Owen Jensen, Michael Bizimis, Gene Yogodzinski, Lukas Ackerman
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Robert W. Nicklas, Igor S. Puchtel, Ethan F. Baxter
Summary: Oxygen fugacity is a fundamental parameter for understanding redox processes in igneous systems. This study compares the Fe-XANES oxybarometry method with the V-in-olivine method for evaluating fO(2) in MORB lavas. The results show that the V-in-olivine method is not applicable to samples with low MgO content, and that the majority of Archean komatiite sources have lower fO(2) than modern MORB.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Chunfei Chen, Stephen F. Foley, Sebastian Tappe, Huange Ren, Lanping Feng, Yongsheng Liu
Summary: The volatile components CO2 and H2O play a major role in mantle melting and heterogeneity. In this study, Ca isotopes were used to trace the lithological heterogeneity in alkaline magmatic rocks. The results revealed the presence of K-richterite and carbonate components as the source of alkaline magmas with low delta 44/40Ca values. These findings highlight the importance of Ca isotopes as a robust tracer of lithological variation caused by volatiles in the Earth's upper mantle.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Timothee Jautzy, Gilles Rixhon, Regis Braucher, Romain Delunel, Pierre G. Valla, Laurent Schmitt, Aster Team
Summary: Although the current approach to estimate catchment-wide denudation rates using only 10Be concentrations has made significant progress in geomorphology, this study argues for the inclusion of 26Al measurements and testing of steady-state assumptions in slow eroding, formerly glaciated landscapes. The study conducted measurements of both 10Be and 26Al in stream sediments from the Vosges Massif in France and found that elevation, slope, channel steepness, and precipitation were the primary factors controlling denudation rates. The study also revealed a significant relationship between the extent of past glaciation and the cosmogenic (un-)steadiness in the stream sediments.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Erik van der Wiel, Douwe J. J. van Hinsbergen, Cedric Thieulot, Wim Spakman
Summary: Numerical models of Earth's mantle dynamics can predict the vigour and mixing of mantle flow, and the average slab sinking rates are an unexplored parameter that can provide intrinsic information on these characteristics. Through numerical experiments, it has been found that slab sinking rates are strongly correlated with mantle convection and mixing, and may explain geochemical observations from hotspot volcanoes.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)