Item: Operational avalanche activity monitoring using radar satellites: From Norway to worldwide assistance in avalanche forecasting
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Title: Operational avalanche activity monitoring using radar satellites: From Norway to worldwide assistance in avalanche forecasting
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- Markus Eckerstorfer [ Norut Northern Research Institute, Tromsø, Norway ]
- Eirik Malnes [ Norut Northern Research Institute, Tromsø, Norway ]
- Hannah Vickers [ Norut Northern Research Institute, Tromsø, Norway ]
- Karsten Müller [ Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Oslo, Norway ]
- Rune Engeset [ Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Oslo, Norway ]
- Tore Humstad [ Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Molde, Norway ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: The seemingly simple questions of when and where avalanches have released are difficult to answer for large avalanche forecasting regions, especially during severe weather conditions. This imposes significant uncertainty to the regional avalanche forecasts. We have developed an innovative solution to this problem. We built an automatic processing chain that within roughly one hour after Sentinel-1 image acquisition downloads the radarsatellite images, runs an avalanche detection and tracking algorithm and outputs detected avalanches and information on location, timing and extent. Sentinel-1 data is freely and consistently available and independent of light and weather conditions. Therefore, operational avalanche activity monitoring became feasible and was tested in four forecasting regions in Norway. In this paper, we introduce the technical solutions behind our automatic processing chain, evaluate the avalanche detection algorithm’s performance (82%maximum correct detection rate) and show results from two forecasting regions in Northern Norway from the winters of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. As the Sentinel-1 constellation covers the entire planet, we evaluate the feasibility of avalanche detection in any snow-covered mountain area worldwide.
Language of Article: English
Presenters:
Keywords: avalanche detection, operational avalanche activity monitoring, Sentinel-1, radar, Norway.
Page Number(s): 333-337
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Digital Abstract Not Available
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