Item: Spatial, Temporal, and Space-Time Analysis of Fatal Avalanche Accidents in Colorado and the United States, 1991 to 2011
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Title: Spatial, Temporal, and Space-Time Analysis of Fatal Avalanche Accidents in Colorado and the United States, 1991 to 2011
Proceedings: Proceedings, 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska
Authors:
- Spencer Logan [ Colorado A valanche Information Center, Denver, Colorado, USA ]
- Frank Witmer [ Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado ]
Date: 2012
Abstract: An analysis of fatal avalanche accidents in the state of Colorado (CO) and the United States (US) for 20 winters from 1990-91 to 2010-11, compared temporal trends and clustering in the temporal pattern of accidents. The number of accidents per season in the US has increased through time, and decreased slightly in CO. Variability is high from season to season. Temporal clustering in the US data was much stronger than in CO, and was possibly related to synoptic scale weather patterns. Temporal clusters in CO were possibly related to strong mesoscale storms in seasons with a weak, early season snowpack. Geographic coordinates for accidents in CO allowed an examination of the spatial distribution and clustering of accidents. Spatial clusters were likely related to access to avalanche terrain from ski areas or popular backcountry trailheads. Statistical methods from epidemiology were used to examine space-time clustering. Significant space-time clusters were much fewer than pure spatial clusters, and were highly dependent on the time span of aggregation.
Object ID: issw-2012-479-486.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): unknown
Keywords: accident fatality, cluster analysis, statistics
Page Number(s): 479-486
Subjects: avalanche accidents global positioning systems (gps) data analysis
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