Patent ID: 7707938

Claim:
An apparatus for triggering an avalanche within a window of ambient weather conditions by an open air gas explosion of a batch mixture of at least first and second gases including an oxidizing gas and a combustible gas that when mixed together form an detonable gas mixture, comprising: first and second sources of said respective first and second gases in volumes suitable to form a detonable mixed gas mixture effective for avalanche control, at gas pressures suitable to express the gases from said first and second sources at near sonic speeds; first and second conduits for receiving said respective first and second gases from the respective first and second sources and for routing the gases to a substantially predictable open-air proximity, wherein said conduits are suitably configured with respect to said suitable gas pressures to carry the first and second gases to said open air proximity at near sonic speed; means for mixing the gases to form a detonable gas mixture in the predictable open air proximity; a selectively actuatable releasing means for releasing the gases from said sources to said conduits; a selectively actuatable igniter located in communication with the predictable open air proximity, at a predictable trailing edge position relative to gas entry to the predictable open air proximity, for detonating said gas mixture by a trailing edge; and a controller, wherein: said controller is in operable communication with said releasing means to selectively actuate the releasing means to release the gases; the controller is in operable communication with said igniter for selectively actuating the igniter to detonate the gas mixture; the controller includes a means for pausing between actuating the releasing means and actuating said igniter providing a suitable time for the gas mixture to enter the open air proximity while a trailing end thereof remains in spatial communication with the igniter when the controller actuates the igniter, and such that the detonable gas mixture has insufficient time to dissipate beyond the point of being an effective size of detonation for avalanche control within said window of ambient weather conditions; wherein detonation of the detonable gas mixture takes place in an unenclosed environment.