Item: Effect of Snow Temperatures on Skier Triggering of Dry Slab Avalanches
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Title: Effect of Snow Temperatures on Skier Triggering of Dry Slab Avalanches
Proceedings: Proceedings of the 1996 International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, Canada
Authors:
- D.M. McClung [ Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1 Z2, Canada ]
- Jurg Schweizer [ Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary AB T2N 1 N4, Canada ]
Date: 1996
Abstract: Field observations and experience show that snow temperatures can have a strong influence on dry snow slab instability. Experience shows that there are two general categories of important competing effects: 1. metamorphism (depending on temperature, temperature gradient and other snow properties) and creep; 2. mechanical properties (excluding metamorphism effects) including snow stiffness (hardness), fracture propagation potential (failure toughness) and strength. There are two general features which separate these categories: 1. they may operate on different time scales and 2. for a given snow temperature they usually operate in opposite directions with respect to stability. For example, warmer snow temperatures imply faster bond formation due to metamorphism in a potential weak layer thereby increasing stability but warmer temperatures in the weak layer also decrease snow stiffness, failure toughness and strength.
Object ID: issw-1996-113-117.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: dry snow, snow temperature, snow strength, slab avalanche, avalanche formation, skier triggering
Page Number(s): 113-117
Subjects: skier triggered avalanches slab avalanche snow surface temperature
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