International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings - Montana State University Library

Item: Wireless Sensors as a Tool to Explore Avalanche Internal Dynamics: Experiments at the Weissfluhjoch Snow Chute

• • Title: Wireless Sensors as a Tool to Explore Avalanche Internal Dynamics: Experiments at the Weissfluhjoch Snow Chute

    Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop, Davos 2009, Proceedings

    Authors:

    • I. Vilajosana  [ WorldSensing, Clos de Sant Francesc 21, 08034, Barcelona ]  [ Grup dAllaus (RISKNAT), Dept. Geodinàmica i Geofísica, Fac. de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain (vilajosana@ub.edu) ]
    • J. Llosa  [ Universitat Oberta de Catalunya IN3- Internet Interdisciplinary Institute Parc Mediterrani de la tecnología, Av. del Canal Olímpic s/n, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain ]
    • M. Schaefer  [ WSL, Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, CH-7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland ]
    • E. Suriñach  [ Grup dAllaus (RISKNAT), Dept. Geodinàmica i Geofísica, Fac. de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain (vilajosana@ub.edu) ]
    • J.M. Marquès  [ Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Estudis d'Informàtica, Multimèdia i Telecomunicació. Rambla Poblenou 156, 08018 Barcelona, Spain ]
    • X. Vilajosana  [ Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Estudis d'Informàtica, Multimèdia i Telecomunicació. Rambla Poblenou 156, 08018 Barcelona, Spain ]

    Date: 2009

    Abstract: Specially designed wireless accelerometers units were used in a series of experiments at the snow chute operated by the SLF at Weissflühjoch (Switzerland) during two consecutive winters. The purpose of the experiment was to evaluate the best design and the performance of these innovative instruments to provide information on the internal dynamics of flowing snow. The wireless accelerometers were placed in the snow chute starting zone prior to the experiments and traveled within the flow when the avalanche was released. The characteristics of the units (size and density) allow them to evolve like active particle tracers. Acceleration readings obtained at 85 Hz for the different experiments where analyzed. The analysis methods used include Empirical Mode Decomposition, Kalman Filtering techniques and inertial navigation signal processing techniques. The developed methodologies were used to obtain reliable speed and position values from the single 2D acceleration measurements. The obtained results were compared to independent measurements of speed and position of the sensors. The results show to be in agreement with that obtained from independent speed measurements from optical sensors and Video Images and open a new perspective for future avalanche research. The extracted information could provide valuable data related to internal dynamics of the avalanche. Small-scale chutes are the ideal scenario to test these new technologies. Moreover, we consider this sites essential to develop and test new instrumentation (to be deployed), in the future, in full-scale experiments. In addition, the experiments performed show for the first time the potential of the wireless technologies and wireless sensors to study snow avalanches. Additional Authors: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya IN3- Internet Interdisciplinary Institute Parc Mediterrani de la tecnología, Av. del Canal Olímpic s/n, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain. 3 WSL, Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, CH-7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland. 4 Grup dAllaus (RISKNAT), Dept. Geodinàmica i Geofísica, Fac. de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain (vilajosana@ub.edu) 5 Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Estudis d'Informàtica, Multimèdia i Telecomunicació. Rambla Poblenou 156, 08018 Barcelona, Spain

    Object ID: issw-2009-0400-0404.pdf

    Language of Article: English

    Presenter(s): Unknown

    Keywords: snow avalanches, wireless sensor networks, accelerometers, snow chute, avalanche dynamics

    Page Number(s): 400-404

    Subjects: wireless sensors avalanche internal dynamics weissfluhjoch snow chute

  • Get Full Article

Back to Home page