Modelling of debris-flow susceptibility and propagation: a case study from Northwest Himalaya

The geological and geographical position of the Northwest Himalayas makes it a vulnerable area for mass movements particularly landslides and debris flows. Mass movements have had a substantial impact on the study area which is extending along Karakorum Highway(KKH) from Besham to Chilas. Intense seismicity, deep gorges, steep terrain and extreme climatic events trigger multiple mountain hazards along the KKH, among which debris flow is recognized as the most destructive geohazard. This study aims to prepare a field-based debris flow inventory map at a regional scale along a 200 km stretch from Besham to Chilas. A total of 117 debris flows were identified in the field, and subsequently, a point-based debris-flow inventory and catchment delineation were performed through Arc GIS analysis. Regional scale debris flow susceptibility and propagation maps were prepared using Weighted Overlay Method(WOM) and Flow-R technique sequentially. Predisposing factors include slope, slope aspect, elevation, Topographic Roughness Index(TRI), Topographic Wetness Index(TWI), stream buffer, distance to faults, lithology rainfall, curvature, and collapsed material layer. The dataset was randomly divided into training data(75%) and validation data(25%). Results were validated through the Receiver Operator Characteristics(ROC) curve. Results show that Area Under the Curve(AUC) using WOM model is 79.2%. Flow-R propagation of debris flow shows that the 13.15%, 22.94%, and 63.91% areas are very high, high, and low susceptible to debris flow respectively. The propagation predicated by Flow-R validates the naturally occurring debris flow propagation as observed in the field surveys. The output of this research will provide valuable input to the decision makers for the site selection, designing of the prevention system, and for the protection of current infrastructure.

Glacier area change (1993-2019) and its relationship to debris cover, proglacial lakes, and morphological parameters in the Chandra-Bhaga Basin, Western Himalaya, India

Glacier inventories serve as critical baseline data for understanding the impacts of climate change on glaciers.The present study maps the outlines of glaciers in the Chandra-Bhaga Basin(western Himalaya)for the years 1993,2000,2010,and 2019 using Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM),Enhanced Thematic Mapper(ETM),and Operational Land Imager(OLI)datasets.A total of 251 glaciers,each having an area above 0.5 km^(2),were identified,which include 216 clean-ice and 35 debris-covered glaciers.Area changes are estimated for three periods:1993-2000,2000-2010,and 2010-2019.The total glacierized area was 996±62 km^(2) in 1993,which decreased to 973±70 km^(2) in 2019.The mean rate of glacier area loss was higher in the recent decade(2010-2019),at 0.036 km^(2),compared to previous decades(0.029 km^(2) in 2000-2010 and 0.025 km^(2) in 1993-2000).Supraglacial debris cover changes are also mapped over the period of 1993 and 2019.It is found that the supraglacial debris cover increased by 14.12±2.54 km^(2)(15.2%)during 1993-2019.Extensive field surveys on Chhota Shigri,Panchi II,Patsio,Hamtah,Mulkila,and Yoche Lungpa glaciers were carried out to validate the glacier outlines and supraglacial debris cover estimated using satellite datasets.Controls of various morphological parameters on retreat were also analyzed.It is observed that small,clean ice,south oriented glaciers,and glaciers with proglacial lakes are losing area at faster rates than other glaciers in the basin.

Interaction Mechanisms between Natural Debris Flow and Rigid Barrier Deflectors:A New Perspective for Rational Design and Optimal Arrangement

Rigid barrier deflectors can effectively prevent overspilling landslides,and can satisfy disaster prevention requirements.However,the mechanisms of interaction between natural granular flow and rigid barrier deflectors require further investigation.To date,few studies have investigated the impact of deflectors on controlling viscous debris flows for geological disaster prevention.To investigate the effect of rigid barrier deflectors on impact mechanisms,a numerical model using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics(SPH)method with the Herschel–Bulkley model is proposed to simulate the interaction between natural viscous flow and single/dual barriers with and without deflectors.This model was validated using laboratory flume test data from the literature.Then,the model was used to investigate the influence of the deflector angle and multi-barrier arrangements.The optimal configuration of multi-barriers was analyzed with consideration to the barrier height and distance between the barriers,because these metrics have a significant impact on the viscous flow pile-up,run-up,and overflow mechanisms.The investigation considered the energy dissipation process,retention efficiency,and dead-zone formation.Compared with bare barriers with similar geometric characteristics and spatial distribution,rigid barriers with deflectors exhibit superior effectiveness in preventing the overflow and overspilling of viscous debris flow.Recommendations for the rational design of deflectors and the optimal arrangement of multi-barriers are provided to mitigate geological disasters.

Comparison of debris flow susceptibility assessment methods:support vector machine,particle swarm optimization,and feature selection techniques

The selection of important factors in machine learning-based susceptibility assessments is crucial to obtain reliable susceptibility results.In this study,metaheuristic optimization and feature selection techniques were applied to identify the most important input parameters for mapping debris flow susceptibility in the southern mountain area of Chengde City in Hebei Province,China,by using machine learning algorithms.In total,133 historical debris flow records and 16 related factors were selected.The support vector machine(SVM)was first used as the base classifier,and then a hybrid model was introduced by a two-step process.First,the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm was employed to select the SVM model hyperparameters.Second,two feature selection algorithms,namely principal component analysis(PCA)and PSO,were integrated into the PSO-based SVM model,which generated the PCA-PSO-SVM and FS-PSO-SVM models,respectively.Three statistical metrics(accuracy,recall,and specificity)and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)were employed to evaluate and validate the performance of the models.The results indicated that the feature selection-based models exhibited the best performance,followed by the PSO-based SVM and SVM models.Moreover,the performance of the FS-PSO-SVM model was better than that of the PCA-PSO-SVM model,showing the highest AUC,accuracy,recall,and specificity values in both the training and testing processes.It was found that the selection of optimal features is crucial to improving the reliability of debris flow susceptibility assessment results.Moreover,the PSO algorithm was found to be not only an effective tool for hyperparameter optimization,but also a useful feature selection algorithm to improve prediction accuracies of debris flow susceptibility by using machine learning algorithms.The high and very high debris flow susceptibility zone appropriately covers 38.01%of the study area,where debris flow may occur under intensive human activities and heavy rainfall events.

Glacial debris flow susceptibility mapping based on combined models in the Parlung Tsangpo Basin,China

Machine learning(ML)-based prediction models for mapping hazard(e.g.,landslide and debris flow)susceptibility have been widely developed in recent research.However,in some specific areas,ML models have limited application because of the uncertainties in identifying negative samples.The Parlung Tsangpo Basin exemplifies a region prone to recurrent glacial debris flows(GDFs)and is characterized by a prominent landform featuring deep gullies.Considering the limitations of the ML model,we developed and compared two combined statistical models(FA-WE and FA-IC)based on factor analysis(FA),weight of evidence(WE),and the information content(IC)method.The final GDF susceptibility maps were generated by selecting 8 most important static factors and considering the influence of precipitation.The results show that the FA-IC model has the best performance.The areas with a very high susceptibility to GDFs are primarily located in the narrow valley section upstream,on both sides of the valley in the middle and downstream of the Parlung Tsangpo River,and in the narrow valley section of each tributary.These areas encompass 86 gullies and are characterized as"narrow and steep".

Study on damage mechanism and damage distribution of the rear plate under impact of debris cloud

The debris cloud generated by the hypervelocity impact(HVI)of orbiting space debris directly threatens the spacecraft.A full understanding of the damage mechanism of rear plate is useful for the optimal design of protective structures.In this study,the hypervelocity yaw impact of a cylindrical aluminum projectile on a double-layer aluminum plate is simulated by the FE-SPH adaptive method,and the damage process of the rear plate under the impact of the debris cloud is analyzed based on the debris cloud structure.The damage process can be divided into the main impact stage of the debris cloud and the structural response of the rear plate.The main impact stage lasts a short time and is the basis of the rear plate damage.In the stage of structure response,the continuous deformation and inertial motion of the rear plate dominate the perforation of the rear plate.We further analyze the damage mechanism and damage distribution characteristics of the rear plate in detail.Moreover,the connection between velocity space and position space of the debris cloud is established,which promotes the general analysis of the damage law of debris cloud.Based on the relationship,the features of typical damage areas are identified by the localized fine analysis.Both the cumulative effect and structural response cause the perforation of rear plate;in the non-perforated area,cratering by the impact of hazardous fragments is the main damage mode of the rear plate.

A Population Dynamics Approach to the Distribution of Space Debris in Low Earth Orbit

The presence of the debris in the Earth’s orbit poses a significant risk to human activity in outer space.This debris population continues to grow due to ground launches,the loss of external parts from space ships,and uncontrollable collisions between objects.A computationally feasible continuum model for the growth of the debris population and its spatial distribution is therefore critical.Here we propose a diffusion-collision model for the evolution of the debris density in the low-Earth orbit and its dependence on the ground-launch policy.We parametrize this model and test it against data from publicly available object catalogs to examine timescales for the uncontrolled growth.Finally,we consider sensible launch policies and cleanup strategies and how they reduce the future risk of collisions with active satellites or space ships.

Analysis of debris flow control effect and hazard assessment in Xinqiao Gully,Wenchuan M_(s)8.0 earthquake area based on numerical simulation

Xinqiao Gully is located in the area of the 2008 Wenchuan M_(s)8.0 earthquake in Sichuan province,China.Based on the investigation of the 2023"6-26"Xinqiao Gully debris flow event,this study assessed the effectiveness of the debris flow control project and evaluated the debris flow hazards.Through field investigation and numerical simulation methods,the indicators of flow intensity reduction rate and storage capacity fullness were proposed to quantify the effectiveness of the engineering measures in the debris flow event.The simulation results show that the debris flow control project reduced the flow intensity by41.05%to 64.61%.The storage capacity of the dam decreases gradually from upstream to the mouth of the gully,thus effectively intercepting and controlling the debris flow.By evaluating the debris flow of different recurrence intervals,further measures are recommended for managing debris flow events.

Debris Fan Produced by Failure of Canyon-Blocking Pyroclastic Flows

Ash-rich pyroclastic flows from the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama (~7700 yr. B. P.), Cascade volcanic arc, Oregon, entered and blocked the narrow, bedrock-lined canyon of the Williamson River approximately 35 to 44 km from the source volcano. The blockage impounded a body of water which then released producing four stratigraphic units in the downstream debris fan. The four stratigraphic units are a boulder core comprised of locally sourced bedrock boulders and three sand-rich units including a fine-grained sand unit, a sandy pumice gravel (±basalt/hydrovolcanic tuff) unit, and a pumice pebble-bearing, crystal-rich sand unit. Hand-drilled auger holes up to ~1.6 m deep were used to obtain samples of the sand-rich units. Units were delimited using surface and down-hole observations, composition and texture, estimated density, statistical parameters of grain size, and vertical and lateral distribution of properties. Overtopping followed by rapid incision into the ash-rich pyroclastic flows progressively cleared the canyon, but a bedrock knickpoint near the head of the canyon limited the volume of debris available for transport to about 0.04 km3 to 0.08 km3. Co-deposition of bedrock boulders and lithic-rich sand was followed by rapid deposition with minimal reworking of remobilized pyroclastics. Continued draining of the impounded lake sent hyperconcentrated flows onto the debris fan depositing pumice-rich gravels that graded upward to crystal-rich sands.

Evaluation of the submarine debris-flow hazard risks to planned subsea pipeline systems: a case study in the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

The ever-increasing deepwater oil and gas development in the Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea has initiated the need to evaluate submarine debris-flow hazard risks to seafloor infrastructures.This paper presents a case study on evaluating the debris-flow hazard risks to the planned pipeline systems in this region.We used a numerical model to perform simulations to support this quantitative evaluation.First,one relict failure interpreted across the development site was simulated.The back-analysis modeling was used to validate the applicability of the rheological parameters.Then,this model was applied to forecast the runout behaviors of future debris flows originating from the unstable upslope regions considered to be the most critical to the pipeline systems surrounding the Manifolds A and B.The model results showed that the potential debris-flow hazard risks rely on the location of structures and the selection of rheological parameters.For the Manifold B and connected pipeline systems,because of their remote distances away from unstable canyon flanks,the potential debris flows impose few risks.However,the pipeline systems around the Manifold A are exposed to significant hazard risks from future debris flows with selected rheological parameters.These results are beneficial for the design of a more resilient pipeline route in consideration of future debris-flow hazard risks.

Impact of glacier changes and permafrost distribution on debris flows in Badswat and Shishkat catchments,Northern Pakistan

Knowledge of glacier changes and associated hazards is of great importance for the safety consideration of the population and infrastructure in the mountainous regions of Upper Indus Basin(UIB).In this study,we assessed the variations in glacier velocity,glacier surface elevation change,meteorological conditions,and permafrost distribution in Badswat and Shishkat catchments located in UIB to access the potential impact on the occurrence of debris flow in both catchments.We find that the glacier surface velocity increased during the debris flow event in the Badswat catchment and the mean daily temperature was 3.7℃to 3.9℃higher in most of the locations.The enhanced glacier surface elevation lowering period coincide with the rise in temperature during spring and autumn months between 2015 to 2019 in Badswat catchment.The source region of debris flow falls within the lower boundary of permafrost occurrence zone and lies below the 0℃isotherm during late spring and summer months.In Shishkat catchment the 0℃isotherm reaches above the debris flow source area during August and the glacier do not show any significant variations in velocity and surface elevation change.The debris flow source area is adjacent to the slow-moving rock glacier in Shishkat catchment while in Badswat catchment the debris flow initiated from the former glacier moraine.Both catchments are largely glacierized and thus sensitive to changes in climatic conditions and changes in the cryosphere response possess significant threats to the population downstream.Continuous monitoring of cryosphere-climate change in the region can contribute toward the improvement of disaster risk reduction and mitigation policies.

Changes in soil microbial communities induced by warming and N deposition accelerate the CO 2 emissions of coarse woody debris

Warming and nitrogen(N)deposition are two important drivers of global climate changes.Coarse woody debris(CWD)contains a large proportion of the carbon(C)in the total global C pool.The composition of soil microbial communities and environmental changes(i.e.,N deposition and warming)are the key drivers of CWD decomposition,but the interactive impact between N deposition and warming on the composition of soil microbial communities and CWD decomposition is still unclear.In a laboratory experiment,we study and simulate respiration during decomposition of the CWD(C 98)of Cryptomeria japonica(CR)and Platycarya strobilacea(PL)in response to warming and N deposition over 98 days.Resuts show that either warming or N addition signifi cantly accelerated the C 98 of the two tree species by altering the soil microbial community(bacterial:fungi and G+:G–).The combined treatment(warming+N)resulted in a decomposition eff ect equal to the sum of the individual eff ects.In addition,the species composition of bacteria and fungi was obviously aff ected by warming.However,N deposition had a remarkable infl uence on G+:G–.Our results indicated that N deposition and warming will observably alter the composition and growth of the microbial community and thus work synergistically to accelerate CWD decomposition in forest ecosystems.We also present evidence that N deposition and warming infl uenced the composition and balance of soil microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling of forest ecosystems.

Modeling of breaching parameters for debris flow dams

The debris flow dam is a common type of barrier dams,which shows significant differences from other types of barrier dam such as landslide dam,moraine dam in their formation processes,dam body shapes,and internal compositions.The basic breaching parameters such as flood peak discharge are vital indicators of risk assessment.In this study,we elucidated the failure process of the debris flow dam through the flume experiment,and built the calculation equation of the breaching parameters by selecting critical factors.The result shows that the overtopping failure process of the debris flow dam is capable of forming significantly retrogressive scarps,and the failure process experiences three stages,the formation of the retrogressive scarp,the erosion of the retrogressive scarp,and the decline of the retrogressive scarp.Five factors used for establishing the calculation equations for peak discharge(Qp),final width(Wb)of the breach,and duration(T)of the debris flow dam failure are dam height(h),reservoir capacity(V),the fine grain content(P0.075)of the soil,the nonuniformity coefficient(Cu)of the soil,and the upper limit grain size(D90)of the soil,respectively.In the three equations,the correlation coefficients between Qp,Wb,T and the five factors were 0.86,0.70,0.63,respectively.The equations still need to be modified and verified in actual cases.

Impact pressure of debris flow on beam dam

The use of open-type check dams in mountainous areas has become common practice in order to mitigate the effects of debris flow and extend the service life of engineering structures.The beam dam,a common debris flow control system,has received less attention in research on the impact process of debris flow and check dams compared to solid check dams.Additionally,the estimation of impact pressure in debris flow primarily considers debris flow characteristics,without taking into account the influence of geometric characteristics of the transmission structure.To better understand the impact process of debris flow on beam dams,a series of small-scale debris flow impact tests were conducted in a model flume.Key parameters,including velocity,depth,and impact pressure,were measured.The results show that the maximum impact pressure of debris flow is affected by both the characteristics of the debris flow and the relative opening size of the beam dam.Due to flow and edge occlusion in the middle of the beam dam,the discharge of debris flow is enhanced,resulting in a longer impact process and higher maximum impact pressure.Based on these findings,a calculation model of the maximum impact pressure of debris flow at the midpoint of the middle beam is proposed,which can be used to estimate the impact of debris flow on the discharge part of the beam dam.

Morphodynamics and sediment connectivity index in an unmanaged,debris-flow prone catchment:a through time perspective

Torrential processes are among the main actors responsible for sediment production and mobility in mountain catchments.For this reason,the understanding of preferential pathways for sediment routing has become a priority in hazard assessment and mitigation.In this context,the sediment Connectivity Index(IC)enables to analyse the existing linkage between sediment sources and the selected target(channel network or catchment outlet).The IC is a grid-based index that allows fast computation of sediment connectivity based on landscape information derived from a single Digital Terrain Model(DTM).The index computation is based on the log-ratio between an upslope and a downslope component,including information about drainage area,slope,terrain roughness,and distance to the analysis target(e.g.outlet).The output is a map that highlights the degree of structural connectivity of sediment pathways over analysed catchments.Until now,these maps are however rarely used to help defining debris-flow hazard maps,notably due to a lack of guidelines to interpret the IC spatial distribution.This paper proposes an exploitation procedure along profiles to extract more information from the analysis of mapped IC values.The methodology relies on the analysis of the IC and its component variables along the main channel profile,integrated with information about sediment budgeting derived from Difference of DEMs(DoD).The study of connectivity was applied in the unmanaged sub-catchment(without torrent control works)of the Rio Soial(Autonomous Province of Trento–NE Italy)to understanding the geomorphic evolution of the area after five debris flows(in ten years)and the related changes of sediment connectivity.Using a recent DTM as validation,we demonstrated how an IC analysis over the older DTM can help predicting geomorphic changes and associated hazards.The results show an IC aptitude to capture geomorphic trajectories,anticipate debris flow deposits in a specific channel location,and depict preferential routing pathways.

Debris cloud structure and hazardous fragments distribution under hypervelocity yaw impact

This study investigates how the debris cloud structure and hazardous fragment distribution vary with attack angle by simulating a circular cylinder projectile hypervelocity impinging on a thin plate using the finite element-smoothed particle hydrodynamics(FE-SPH)adaptive method.Based on the comparison and analysis of the experimental and simulation results,the FE-SPH adaptive method was applied to address the hypervelocity yaw impact problem,and the variation law of the debris cloud structure with the attack angle was obtained.The screening criterion of the hazardous fragment at yaw impact is given by analyzing the debris formation obtained by the FE-SPH adaptive method,and the distribution characteristics of hazardous fragments and their relationship with the attack angle are given.Moreover,the velocity space was used to evaluate the distribution range and damage capability of asymmetric hazardous fragments.The maximum velocity angle was extended from fully symmetrical working conditions to asymmetrical cases to describe the asymmetrical debris cloud distribution range.In this range,the energy density was calculated to quantitatively analyze how much damage hazardous fragments inflict on the rear plate.The results showed that the number of hazardous fragments generated by the case near the 35°attack angle was the largest,the distribution range was the smallest,and the energy density was the largest.These results suggest that in this case,debris cloud generated by the impact had the strongest damage to the rear plate.

Characteristics of debris flow impact on a double-row slit dam

To accurately predict impact loads can ensure the safe operation of debris flow control projects.The instantaneous impact process is usually considered in the calculation of the debris flow impact force;however,the redistribution of an impact load after structural regulation is unclear.In this study we deduced the theoretical calculation of a debris flow impact on a double-row slit dam,and carried out a verification experiment on the debris flow impact.The calculation model considers the influence of the debris flow properties,dam arrangement and pile material.The results show that the impact force of the debris flow is obviously affected by the bulk density.When the bulk density is 21 kg/m^(3),the maximum impact force on the pile dam is 1.15 times that when the bulk density is 15 kg/m^(3),but the time it takes for the debris flow to pass through the dam body is reduced by 60%.The larger the relative pile spacing,the more sufficient the flow space and the lower the maximum impact force.The maximum impact force of relative pile spacing of 0.8 is 12%less than that of elative pile spacing of 0.5.The horizontal distribution of the impact force in the mud depth range is parabolic.The maximum impact force on the centre pier is 1.3 times that of a side pier,and the maximum impact force on the dam body appears at the top of the mud depth range.From the vertical distribution of the impact force,the maximum impact force at the highest mud mark is approximately 70%of that of the bottom.With the increase in the relative pile spacing,the longitudinal maximum impact force distribution first decreases and then increases.

Meteoroid and Space Debris Risk Assessment for Satellites Orbiting the Earth/Moon

Interplanetary meteoroids and space debris can impact satellites orbiting the Earth or spacecraft traveling to the Moon.Targeting China Space Station(CSS),7 satellites selected from the constellation of Beidou Navigation Satellite System Phase III(BDS-3),and 3 spacecraft orbiting the Moon,we have adopted in the paper the Meteoroid Engineering Model 3,Divine-Staubach meteoroid environment model,and Jenniskens-McBride meteoroid steam model to analyze the meteoroid environment with the mass range of 10–6~10 g.Orbital Debris Engineering Model 3.1 space debris model is used to analyze the orbital debris environment faced by these satellites.The flux of space debris with a size larger than 100μm is compared with that of the meteoroids.The results show that the space debris flux encountered by China Space Station is much higher than that of the meteoroids with sizes in the above range.And quite the opposite,the meteoroids flux impacting the 7 satellites from the BDS-3 is higher.Upon adopting the double-layer Whipple protection measure,the catastrophic collision flux of these satellites encountering meteoroids is about 10–6 times of that without protection,or even less,implying that the Whipple protection effectively guarantees the safety of the satellites in orbit.Besides,it is also found that the flux of the high-density meteoroid population encountered by each satellite is greater than that of the low-density population,whereas the impact velocity is lower for each satellite.These results can aid the orbit selection and the protection design for satellites and spacecraft.

Quantitative Analysis of the Sized Ranged Plastic Debris on Beach Shoreline along the Limbe Coastline, Cameroon

In recent years, increased interest in investigating the accumulation of sized ranged plastic debris has been observed on beaches along coastlines. The abundance and distribution of the 4M’s sized class plastic debris were quantitatively assessed on five sandy beaches, in Cameroon. Duplicates of 2 × 2 m (4 m2) quadrants were sampled in each beach/month with a total of 80 quadrants. Collected plastic samples were washed, sieved and dried. Particles of size, ≥2 mm, were sorted and measured using a 30 cm ruler, and converted to mm. Overall, 12,822 particles by number (530.59 g) with a mean abundance of 40.07 items/m2 (1.66 g/m2) plastic debris was recorded. ANOVA (p = 0.05) shows a linear relationship between the meso- and micro-sized classes with significantly higher abundance recorded in LDB sites. The highest abundance by weight was recorded in August and June numerically. 80% of the plastic particles were between the size range, of 5 - 20 mm by number and 6 - 100 mm by weight. Moreover, in all beaches micro-sized class plastics were dominated by number 42.40% with fragmented debris dominant, in number/weight, 54.86% (25.69%) while meso-sized class plastics were 29.28% dominated by weight, with fragmented debris type, the most prevalence in number and weight as 46.11% (26.18%). On average, color and shape fractions revealed, colored and irregularly shaped plastics were dominant with an abundance of 80.45 ± 18.17 items/m2 (2.58 ± 0.68 g/m2) and 47.24 ± 20.40 items/m2 (1.39 ± 0.66 g/m2). Finally, the 0.0001 g plastic debris was dominant with a concentration, of 33.68 ± 7.23 items/m2. The intense use of beaches for recreation and poor waste disposal has increased the potential for plastic contamination.

Rapid Detection of Accelerants in Fire Debris Using a Field Portable Mid-Infrared Quantum Cascade Laser Based Analyzer

Arson presents a challenging crime scene for fire investigators worldwide. Key to the investigation of suspected arson cases is the analysis of fire debris for the presence of accelerants or ignitable liquids. This study has investigated the application and method development of vapor phase mid-Infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy using a field portable quantum cascade laser (QCL) based system for the detection and identification of accelerant residues such as gasoline, diesel, and ethanol in fire debris. A searchable spectral library of various ignitable fluids and fuel components measured in the vapor phase was constructed that allowed for real-time identification of accelerants present in samples using software developed in-house. Measurement of vapors collected from paper material that had been doused with an accelerant followed by controlled burning and then extinguished with water showed that positive identification could be achieved for gasoline, diesel, and ethanol. This vapor phase mid-IR QCL method is rapid, easy to use, and has the sensitivity and discrimination capability that make it well suited for non-destructive crime scene sample analysis. Sampling and measurement can be performed in minutes with this 7.5 kg instrument. This vibrational spectroscopic method required no time-consuming sample pretreatment or complicated solvent extraction procedure. The results of this initial feasibility study demonstrate that this portable fire debris analyzer would greatly benefit arson investigators performing analysis on-site.