bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Avalanche hazard zoning in Iceland based on individual risk
Authors: Arnalds Þorsteinn , Jónasson Kristján , Sigurðsson Sven 
Published: November 2007

AbstractAvalanche hazard is a threat to many residential areas in Iceland. In 1995 two avalanche accidents, causing a total of 34 fatalities in areas thought to be safe, prompted research on avalanche hazard assessment. A new method was developed, and in 2000 a new regulation on avalanche hazard zoning was issued. The method and regulation are based on individual risk, or annual probability of death due to avalanches. The major components of the method are the estimation of avalanche frequency, run-out distribution and vulnerability. The frequency is estimated locally for each path under consideration, but the run-out distribution is based on data from many locations, employing the concept of transferring avalanches between slopes. Finally the vulnerability is estimated using data from the 1995 avalanches. Under the new regulation, new hazard maps have been prepared for six of the most vulnerable villages in Iceland. Hazard zones are delineated using risk levels of 0.2×10–4, 0.7×10–4 and 2×10–4 a–1, with risk less than 0.2×10–4 a–1 considered acceptable. When explaining the new zoning to the public, a measure of annual individual risk that allows comparison with other risks in society has proven advantageous.
The temperature- and density-dependent acoustic emission response of snow in monoaxial compression tests
Authors: Scapozza Carlo , Bucher Felix , Amann Peter , Ammann Walter J. , Bartelt Perry 
Published: November 2007

AbstractResults of acoustic emission tests on cylindrical specimens under compression are reported. Deformation-rate-controlled tests with strain rates ranging from 1.1 × 10-6 s-1 to 2.6 × 10-3 s-1 at temperatures between T = -11.2°Cand T = -1.7°C were performed. The investigated snow was fine-grained, with a density varying between 220 and 380 kgm-3. The acoustic emission was measured with two distinct piezoelectric sensors: a wide-band sensor (frequency 100–1000 kHz) and a resonant sensor (frequency 35–100 kHz). The relationship between the applied strain rate and the measured maximum acoustic-emission rate as a function of temperature and density was found to obey a power law, which is valid for the ductile behaviour range. The quantitative and qualitative effects produced on the acoustic emissions during the transition from ductile to brittle behaviour, occurring at strain rates of approximately 1 × 10-3 s-1, are reported. Finally, the influence of the load history on the acoustic emissions of snow is discussed on the basis of a cyclic test, including deformation-controlled loading steps and relaxation steps, performed at different strain rates and different relaxation times.
On the fracture toughness of snow
Authors: Schweizer Jürg , Michot Gerard , Kirchner Helmut O.K. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThe release of a dry-snow slab avalanche involves brittle fracture. It is therefore essentially a non-linear fracture mechanics problem. Traditional snow-stability evaluation has mainly focused on snow strength measurements. Fracture toughness describes how well a material can withstand failure. The fracture toughness of snow is therefore a key parameter to assess fracture propagation propensity, and hence snows lope stability. Fracture toughness in tension KIc and shear KIIc was determined with notched cantilever-beam experiments in a cold laboratory. Measurements were performed at different temperatures and with different snow types of density ρ = 100–300 kgm–3, corresponding to typical dry-snow slab properties. The fracture toughness in tension KIc was found to be larger (by about a factor of 1.4) than in shear KIIc. Typical values of the fracture toughness were 500–1000 Pam1/2 for the snow types tested. This suggests that snow is one of the most brittle materials known to man. A power-law relation of toughness KIc on relative density was found with an exponent of about 2. The fracture toughness in tension KIc decreased with increasing temperature following an Arrhenius relation below about –8°C with an apparent activation energy of about 0.16 eV. Above –6°C the fracture toughness increased with increasing temperature towards the melting point, i.e. the Arrhenius relation broke down. The key property in dry-snow slab avalanche release, the critical crack size under shear at failure, was estimated to be about 1 m.
The Monte Carlo simulation of avalanche-type processes
Authors: Bozhinskiy A. N. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThe statistical modelling of gravitational avalanche-type processes is carried out using the Monte Carlo method. The process of snow avalanche origin is described with the model of stress state and stability of snow cover on a slope. The statistical simulation of the stress state of a snow slab is performed for avalanche site No. 22 (Khibiny, Russia). The strength characteristics of the snow slab are considered as randomvariables.The influence of the first moments of the distributions of the slab-strength parameters on the probability of avalanche release is studied. Using a hydraulic model of a dense flow avalanche, the statistical modelling of avalanche dynamics for the avalanche site “Domestic” (Elbrus region, Russia) is carried out. The coefficients of dry and turbulent friction and snow entrainment are considered as random parameters of the model. The histograms and distribution functions of the run-out distance, thickness and volume of avalanche depositions are obtained. The model and empirical distribution functions of the avalanche run-out distance are compared. Statistical simulation of slushflow dynamics (basin of Bear brook, Khibiny, Russia) is performed. The two-layer deterministic model of slushflow is used. The random parameters of the model assumed are: the water inflow on the “tail”of the flow and the coefficient of dry friction for slush. The histograms and distribution functions of dynamic characteristics of flow are obtained. The model outcomes are compared with field data.
A new in situ sensor for large-scale snow-cover monitoring
Authors: Stähli Manfred , Stacheder Markus , Gustafsson David , Schlaeger Stefan , Schneebeli Martin , Brandelik Alexander 
Published: November 2007

AbstractA new in situ sensor for the simultaneous measurement of snow water equivalent, snow density and liquid-water content is presented in this paper. The system consists of radio frequency transmission lines of up to 25 m length cast in a flat PVC band, which can be set up either horizontally to monitor single snow-layer properties or sloping from a mast to the soil surface to determine vertical snowpack properties. The dielectric coefficient along the flat-band cable is measured with a time-domain reflectometer at high frequencies, and with a low-frequency impedance analyzer. The performance of the sensor system was tested during two winter seasons (2001–03) at the high-alpine test site Weissfluhjoch, Davos, Switzerland. The cable suspension and set-up of the sloping cable was shown to be critical with regard to stability and the formation of unwanted air gaps along the cable. Overall, the sensing system proved quite robust and produced results in agreement with manual snowpack observations.
Time-variant snow distribution for use in hydrological models
Authors: Skaugen Thomas , Alfnes Eli , Langsholt Elin G. , Udnæs Hans-Christian 
Published: November 2007

AbstractA model is put forward which focuses on the dynamical evolution of the spatial distribution of snow water equivalent (SWE). We make use of the fact that when the accumulation and ablation process of the snow reservoir is modelled as a summation of a gamma-distributed variable, both skewed distributions, typical of alpine areas, and more normal distributions, typical of forested areas, can be accounted for. A particular problem is to represent fractional snow-covered area (SCA) within the distribution framework. The change in SCA as a response to a melting event is explicitly linked to the shape of the distribution of SWE and is estimated as the probability of non-exceedance of the melted amount from a scaled version of the spatial distribution of SWE. An extensive snow-measuring programme, where several snow courses have been measured repeatedly throughout the melting season, justifies the dynamical aspects of the snow distribution in the modelling approach. The modelling approach has been tested with the Swedish rainfall–runoff model, HBV, and estimated values of SWE and SCA are compared with results obtained using the statistical distribution (log-normal) traditionally used in the model.
Numerical simulations of dense clouds on steep slopes: application to powder-snow avalanches
Authors: Étienne Jocelyn , Saramito Pierre , Hopfinger Emil J. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractIn this paper, two-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) of dense clouds moving down steep slopes are presented for the first time. The results obtained are in good agreement with the overall characteristics, i.e. the spatial growth rate and velocity variations, of clouds studied in the laboratory. In addition to the overall flow structure, DNS provide local density and velocity variations inside the cloud, not easily accessible in experiments. The validity of two-dimensional simulations as a first approach is confirmed by the dynamics of the flow and by comparison with experimental results. The interest of the results for powder-snow avalanches is discussed; it is concluded that two-dimensionality is acceptable and that large density differences need to be taken into account in future simulations.
Slab avalanche release viewed as interface fracture in a random medium
Authors: Zaiser Michael 
Published: November 2007

AbstractA theoretical model is formulated to investigate the influence of random variations in strength of the weak layer on slab avalanche release. An equation for slab stability is derived which accounts for stress redistribution between strong and weak regions. The model is first used to re-derive results on shear fractures (shear bands) in a homogeneous slab. It is then applied to the case of a slab with randomly varying peak strength of the weak layer. It is demonstrated that such variation may have a dramatic knock-down effect on the failure strength of a slope. The nature of the critical flaw is studied and precursors to failure are investigated.
Seasonal cycle of the snow coverage in the former Soviet Union and its relation with atmospheric circulation
Authors: Rikiishi Kunio , Sakakibara Junko 
Published: November 2007

AbstractHistorical snow-depth observations in the former Soviet Union (FSU) during the period September 1960–August 1984 have been analyzed in order to understand the seasonal cycle of snow coverage in the FSU. Snow cover first appears in September in northeastern regions, and spreads over the entire territory before early January. Snowmelt begins in mid-January in the southern regions and then snow cover retreats rapidly northward until it disappears completely before late June. Northward of 60°N, the land surface is snow-covered for more than half the year. The longest snow-cover duration is observed on the central Siberian plateau (about 9.5 months) and along the Arctic coastal regions (about 8.5 months). One of the most conspicuous features of the snow coverage in the FSU is that the length of the snow-accumulation period differs considerably from region to region (2–7 months), while the length of the snowmelt period is rather short and uniform over almost the entire territory (1–2 months). Although the maximum snow depths are 20–50 cm in most regions of the FSU, they exceed 80 cm in the mountainous regions in central Siberia, Kamchatka peninsula, and along theYenisei river valley. Values for the maximum snow depth are very small along the Lena river valley in spite of the air temperature being extremely low in winter. By calculating correlation coefficients between the snowfall intensities and the sea-level pressures or 500 hPa heights, it is shown that deep snow along the Yenisei river valley is caused by frequent migration of synoptic disturbances from the Arctic Ocean. Snowfalls along the Lena river valley are also caused by traveling disturbances from the Arctic Ocean. Snow accumulation is suppressed after the Arctic Ocean has been frozen.
Possible erosion mechanisms in snow avalanches
Authors: Gauer Peter , Issler Dieter 
Published: November 2007

AbstractSnow erosion and entrainment processes in avalanches are classified according to their mechanisms, the flow regimes in which they occur, and their spatial position within the avalanche. Simple, but process-specific, models are proposed for erosion by impacts, abrasion, plowing and blasting. On the basis of order-of-magnitude estimates, the first three mechanisms are clearly expected to be important. The fourth mechanism stipulates that the compaction of the snow cover ahead of the avalanche leads to the flow of escaping air just in front of the avalanche that may disrupt the snow cover and support formation of a saltation layer. The effects of this hypothetical mechanism resemble those of the plowing mechanism. All mechanisms depend strongly on the snow properties, but, with plausible parameter values, erosion rates at or above the experimentally found rates are obtained. The entrainment rate of an avalanche is most often limited by the shear stress needed to accelerate the eroded snow to avalanche speed.
A constitutive law for snow taking into account the compressibility
Authors: Mishra Aloke , Mahajan Puneet 
Published: November 2007

AbstractA constitutive law for snow derived from a complementary power potential is proposed. The total deformation of snow is divided into elastic and creep parts. A hereditary integral using Norton’s power law is employed to describe primary creep. The concept of effective stress, which takes compressibility of snow into account, is used to calculate creep deformation. The hereditary integral is approximated by a non-linear spring–dashpot model. Results from uniaxial compression experiments (stress range 15– 45 kPa) on sieved snow of density range 180–470 kgm-3 were used to determine the constants appearing in the constitutive equation. The response of snow to constant strain rate (7.4×10-6 s-1 to 2.2×10-5 s-1) under bilaterally confined conditions was found with an iterative scheme employing the proposed constitutive law. The simulated results agree well with the measured axial stresses and volumetric changes.
Scales of spatial heterogeneity for perennial and seasonal snow layers
Authors: Sturm Matthew , Benson Carl 
Published: November 2007

AbstractLocal observations of snow layers are used as the basis for spatial extrapolation of snow properties and for establishing a time record of snow deposition, yet significant lateral variations in layer thickness, density and microstructure are well documented. Here we examine the nature of layer heterogeneity over distances of 10– 100 000 m using data from primarily flat locations in Alaska, Antarctica and Greenland. We find that at a scale of 10 m or less, perennial snow layers on glaciers and ice sheets are more uniform and laterally continuous than seasonal layers, which, in addition to heterogeneity introduced by wind and water percolation, are also affected by local topography and vegetation. At a scale of about 100 m, heterogeneity of seasonal and perennial snow layers converges and approaches a peak value. At larger scales (103–105m), local (order 100 m) forcing continues to produce most of the layer heterogeneity, with synoptic-scale variations adding small amounts. Cross-correlation at these larger scales is based on recognizing distinctive layer sequences or matching a few key layers of snow. Many layers cannot be correlated because they pinch out or change at scales (i.e. 100 m) smaller than the spacing between snow pits.
SNOWPACK model simulations for snow in Hokkaido, Japan
Authors: Hirashima Hiroyuki , Nishimura Kouichi , Baba Emiko , Hachikubo Akihiro , Lehning Michael 
Published: November 2007

AbstractNumerical simulations using SNOWPACK, a snow-cover model, were carried out to confirm the model’s applicability to conditions in Hokkaido, Japan, where temperatures are fairly low and for 3 months the snow surface is usually dry except during occasional periods of rain or above-freezing temperatures. The simulations were conducted for Sapporo, Kitami and Niseko using meteorological data, and the results were compared with the observed snow profiles. In Sapporo, snow-profile observations were carried out every day for two winters. In Niseko, one of the most popular ski resorts in Japan, an avalanche accident occurred on 28 January 1998 and a snow pit was dug through the fracture line the next morning. The simulated snow profiles agreed fairly well with the observed ones. However, near the surface we observed depth hoar, which can be an important factor in avalanche release after successive snowfalls, that the model did not reproduce distinctly. Extending the model’s metamorphism laws with an expression of depth-hoar formation under a large temperature gradient, as formulated from an experiment by Fukuzawa and Akitaya (1993), the model reproduced the depth hoar adequately.
From snow X-ray microtomograph raw volume data to micromechanics modeling: first results
Authors: Pieritz Romeu André , Brzoska Jean-Bruno , Flin Frédéric , Lesaffre Bernard , Coléou Cécile 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThe new approaches in absorption X-ray microtomography allow snow-volume image acquisition in the cm3 range without destroying snow structure, and make it possible to perform micromechanical studies with the real geometry. The main objective of this paper is to introduce the development of a new three-dimensional (3-D) geometry modeling and finite-element analysis simulation package adapted to these scales. These new code modules and procedures are briefly described using an isothermal metamorphism snow experiment (–2°C, 3 months).This sample of aged snow (3.375mm3; 3003 voxels) allows simulation of a simple hypothetical uniaxial compressive stress experiment. The constitutive equations, boundary conditions, basic assumptions and the result showing the stress field over the 3-D data are discussed. The first qualitative results show a maximum stress of 6–9MPa in some small bonds, showing the potential of these codes to simulate the micromechanical behavior of complex materials.
A nearest-neighbour model for forecasting skier-triggered dry-slab avalanches on persistent weak layers in the Columbia Mountains, Canada
Authors: Zeidler Antonia , Jamieson Bruce 
Published: November 2007

AbstractNearest-neighbour models for avalanche forecasting have made little use of snowpack properties; however, slab thickness (H), slab load (Load) and a skier stability index (Sk38) have proven useful for regional avalanche forecasting in the Columbia Mountains, western Canada. This study explores 21 meteorological, snowpack and elaborated variables including Sk38, H and Load. A daily skier instability index (DSI) is developed as a response variable using skier-triggered avalanche activity on persistent weak layers and stability ratings at the end of the day. In rank correlation analysis, Sk38, Load, previous avalanche activity, H and some meteorological variables were highly ranked. The physical explanations are discussed. In classification-tree analysis, Sk38 was ranked as the most important variable and used in the development of the tree structure along with Load. Besides Sk38 and Load, snowpack thickness, the number of previously triggered avalanches and H have potential to predict DSI. Further we included once all 21 variables, and once all variables except Sk38, H and Load in nearest-neighbour models. Comparing the performance of these models shows that Sk38 along with Load and H have high potential to forecast the DSI on a regional scale.
Modeling snow instability with the snow-cover model SNOWPACK
Authors: Lehning Michael , Fierz Charles , Brown Bob , Jamieson Bruce 
Published: November 2007

AbstractSNOWPACK has been in operational use for five consecutive winters on approximately 100 automatic weather stations in the Swiss Alps. It calculates snow precipitation, snowdrift and the layered structure of the snow cover. An analysis routine has been implemented that gives a stability estimation for a model profile. We distinguish between slab instability and direct action or deformation-rate instability. Slab instability relies on a static force balance within the snowpack (stability index) and may be used to assess stability for both natural and skier-triggered slab avalanches. We heuristically improve the slab index by adding a term of overload correction for all grain types and scaling the stability index with the bond size. Deformation-rate instability means that the load of the snow cover increases faster than the snow gains strength. An index is formulated based on the snow deformation rate. It may be associated with large snowfall events and wet-snow situations as they occur in catastrophic situations, or with the effect of a sudden increase in temperature. The results of both stability indices are compared to the fore-casted avalanche danger. The indices are able to recognize cases of avalanching. It is shown that the inclusion of several locations, for which the indices are calculated, improves the correlation between stability indices and avalanche danger. A sufficient number of profiles could bridge the gap between snow-cover characteristics at a point and avalanche danger.
Application of the numerical snowpack model (SNOWPACK) to the wet-snow region in Japan
Authors: Yamaguchi Satoru , Sato Atsushi , Lehning Michael 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThe snow-cover model SNOWPACK was applied to the wet-snow areas of Japan. Simulated variations of snow type, snow depth and weight, profiles of snow density, temperature and liquid-water content were compared with snow-pit measurements. The snow-depth simulation during early winter agreed with the measurements, but the differences between the simulation and the measurements increased during the course of the melt season. These differences were caused by underestimation of the energy balance at the snow surface, mainly that regarding sensible-heat flux during the melt season. The underestimation was caused by the implicit numerical treatment of the heat-transport equation. Consistent with the underestimation of snowmelt, simulated metamorphosis of compacted particles into melt forms was slower than the change shown by the measurements, and faceted snow particles, which constitute a snow type not actually found in the study area, sometimes appeared in the model. The inaccurate melt treatment also influenced simulated densities, which were larger than the measurements at small densities, while they were smaller than the measurements at large densities. Greater accuracy was achieved when an empirical compressive viscosity formulation for wet snows in Japan was introduced. A new version of SNOWPACK, with an accurate treatment of melt processes, is available.