Consideration on dynamics of rock avalanches in the Himalayan orogenic belt
Rock avalanches are among the large-scale,multiphase,and multiscale geological processes on Earth.Their high mobility and dynamic behavior remain a major research frontier in Earth Science worldwide.The Himalayan orogenic belt,as a natural laboratory for studying global change and environmental disasters,has nurtured numerous rock avalanches due to its complex internal and external geological dynamics.This region is crucial for addressing major geoscience issues related to landslide dynamics.Moreover,research on preventing rock avalanches is a key engineering geological issue,influencing the planning,construction,and operation of South Asian transportation corridors.Here,the geological setting of rock avalanches in the Himalayan orogenic belt is first described,and its scientific significance is discussed.Based on the characteristics of these events,a comprehensive review of current achievements is then conducted,focusing on three aspects:The dynamics related to the frictional heating melt mechanism,the fragmentation-dependent mechanism,and the path-dependent mechanism.Finally,three key research questions are proposed regarding the study of rock avalanches in the Himalayan orogenic belt:The dynamics of frictional heating-dependent mineral phase transformation,fragmentation-dependent energy transformation,and path-dependent flow regime transition during rock avalanche propagation.