Item: DEVELOPING A NOVEL FIELD-BASED COMPACTIVE VISCOMETER
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Title: DEVELOPING A NOVEL FIELD-BASED COMPACTIVE VISCOMETER
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Benjamin H. Silberman [ University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA ]
- Eric R. Pardyjak [ University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA ]
- Ashley Spear [ University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA ]
- Dhiraj K. Singh [ University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Accurate prediction of storm-snow instability requires understanding how snow density (ρₛ) evolves during active snowfall, yet key mechanical properties such as compactive viscosity (ηₛ) remain understudied due to limited in situ observations. Compactive viscosity governs the rate of densification and directly influences snow stability and avalanche propagation, but existing parameterizations rely primarily on laboratory data or post-storm measurements that do not capture natural storm conditions. A framework is proposed to evaluate ηₛ using a Differential Emissivity Imaging Disdrometer (DEID), which measures snow density and microstructural properties on a snowflake-by-snowflake basis, enabling a physics-based parameterization of densification in real time. To accomplish this, we present a novel field-based viscometer designed to measure ηₛ of freshly fallen snow during and immediately after storms. Due to anomalous weather conditions during the 2025–2026 winter season, the dataset of in situ viscosity measurements is currently limited. Preliminary results therefore focus on instrument development, calibration, and the theoretical framework linking strain rate, applied stress, and densification. These results will demonstrate the feasibility of capturing real-time rheological behavior in low-density storm-snow and establish the methodology for future data collection. Ongoing and future work will expand the dataset during the 2026–2027 winter season and integrate viscosity parameterizations into a broader avalanche forecasting framework. Specifically, ηₛ-derived densification models will be incorporated into a coupled shear and anticrack stability system, enabling improved prediction of storm-snow instability using both real-time observations and numerical weather prediction. This research addresses a critical gap in avalanche science by using a novel field measurement technique for storm-snow densification and providing a pathway toward remotely operated physics-based forecasting tools.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P2.27.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790098953
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Benjamin Silberman
Keywords: compactive viscosity, storm snow, densification, DEID, snow mechanics
Page Number(s): 1111 - 1117
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