International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings - Montana State University Library

Item: Avalanche Doppler Radar Monitoring - Long Term velocity measurements at the Vallée de la Sionne

• • Title: Avalanche Doppler Radar Monitoring - Long Term velocity measurements at the Vallée de la Sionne

    Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria

    Authors:

    • Michael Neuhauser  [ Austrian Research Center for Forest (BFW), Innsbruck, Austria ]
    • Andreas Kofler  [ Austrian Research Center for Forest (BFW), Innsbruck, Austria ]
    • Anselm Köhler  [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland ]
    • Helmut Schreiber  [ Institute of Microwave and Photonic Engineering - University of Technology, Graz, Austria ]
    • Thomas Gigele  [ Austrian Research Center for Forest (BFW), Innsbruck, Austria ]
    • Betty Sovilla  [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland ]
    • Lambert Rammer  [ Austrian Research Center for Forest (BFW), Innsbruck, Austria ]
    • Jan-Thomas Fischer  [ Austrian Research Center for Forest (BFW), Innsbruck, Austria ]

    Date: 2018-10-07

    Abstract: In this contribution we present Doppler radar data obtained over multiple years in terms of total radar intensities and material velocities. These give an overview of the avalanche movement and allow characterizing typical avalanche velocities for various avalanche flow regimes. In the data analysis we survey the ratio of frontal approach to material velocities for the observed natural and artificially released avalanches. Measurements from over 40 avalanches, without distinguishing between various types of flow regimes, show that the maximum along the entire path of the main material velocity is on average approximately 5 m/s higher then the maximum frontal approach velocity. Local peak velocities may exceed the maximum of the main material velocity. The knowledge of the different avalanche velocities and their ratio is of major importance for practitioners and engineers since the material velocity, rather then the front velocity, determines the resulting impact pressure on buildings and structures. The presented data are the base for a future online repository. This open source material can be used for the calibration, parameter optimization and further development of avalanche simulation tools and their underlying process models.

    Language of Article: English

    Presenters:

    Keywords: avalanche dynamics, radar measurement, velocity, avalanche head dynamics

    Page Number(s): 640-643

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