Item: INFERING AVALANCHE DYNAMICS AND MAGNITUDE FROM INFRASOUND SOURCE LOCATION AND ENERGY PROXY
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Title: INFERING AVALANCHE DYNAMICS AND MAGNITUDE FROM INFRASOUND SOURCE LOCATION AND ENERGY PROXY
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Ulivieri G. [ GECO s.r.l., Florence, Italy ]
- Ripepe M. [ University of Florence, Florence, Italy ]
- Lacanna G. [ University of Florence, Florence, Italy ]
- Biagioli F. [ University of Florence, Florence, Italy ]
- Chen D. [ Wyssen Avalanche Control, Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Dreier L. [ Wyssen Avalanche Control, Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Steinkogler W. [ Wyssen Avalanche Control, Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Magnan D. [ Parks Canada, Mt Revelstoke and Glacier National Park, BC, Canada ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Infrasound is nowadays routinely used for avalanche detection, but its potential to constrain avalanche dynamics and magnitude remains poorly quantified. We investigated this capability within the Avalanche Detection Network (ADN) at Rogers Pass, British Columbia, using two IDA® systems with direct line of sight to avalanche paths. Dual-array back-azimuth triangulation was used to track the dominant coherent infrasonic source during avalanche propagation. The localised source migrated from the release area toward the deposition zone, consistent with a runout of 1504 m and a mean source-centroid speed of 24.7 m/s. Independent Doppler radar (LARA) observations give a comparable runout of 1518 m and a mean speed of 20.5 m/s. The time-dependent 3-D source-to-array distance was then used to correct the recorded infrasonic amplitude for first-order geometrical spreading and to define the Infrasonic Avalanche Energy proxy (IAVE). IAVE is calculated as the time integral of the Hilbert envelope of the distance-corrected infrasonic pressure. Analysis of 27 avalanches shows that IAVE increases systematically across independently assigned Parks Size classes at both arrays. Empirical regressions of log10(IAVE) against the numerical Parks Size classes yield nearly identical slopes at the two IDA® systems (0.934 and 0.939) and R² values of 0.971 and 0.995, respectively. This near-unit scaling is noteworthy because successive whole classes of the Canadian avalanche Size scale themselves correspond approximately to order-of-magnitude increases in characteristic avalanche mass and destructive potential. Localisation-related uncertainty is small compared with the observed within-class variability, with median 95% relative uncertainties of 0.41% and 0.26%. These results indicate that multi-array infrasound can retrieve first-order avalanche dynamics and suggest that IAVE may provide an empirical proxy for avalanche magnitude. Further validation across the larger ADN catalogue is required to assess the influence of avalanche flow dynamics, source-generation mechanisms, terrain, and propagation conditions.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P3.52.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790099214
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Giacomo Ulivieri
Keywords: Infrasonic Detection of Avalanches IDA®, avalanche dynamics, infrasonic avalanche energy proxy
Page Number(s): 2217 - 2222
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