Resolve source-material composition and failure mechanics

Determine the material fractions, rupture-plane mechanics, failure depth, failure volume, and source-scale hydrology of the 26 August 2026 Gyirong mixed rock–ice cascade.

Background

The supplement distinguishes directly observed surface and backscatter changes from interpretations and process quantities that cannot be recovered confidently from the available open Earth-observation data. In particular, the mapped source-surface envelopes constrain changed areas and terrain geometry but do not establish the proportions of rock and ice, the rupture geometry, the depth or volume of failure, or hydrological conditions at the source.

Resolving these quantities would improve physical interpretation of the cascade and help distinguish competing initiation and preconditioning mechanisms. The paper explicitly classifies all five aspects as unresolved rather than presenting estimates as established results.