Item: Surface Hoar Distribution at the Scale of a Helicopter Skiing Operation
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Title: Surface Hoar Distribution at the Scale of a Helicopter Skiing Operation
Proceedings: Proceedings, 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska
Authors:
- Matthew Borish [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ] [ Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures, Haines, Alaska, USA ] [ Department of Earth Sciences , Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
- Karl W. Birkeland [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ] [ U.S.D.A. Forest Service National Avalanche Center, Bozeman, Montana, USA ]
- Stephan Custer [ Department of Earth Sciences , Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
- Stuart Challender [ Department of Earth Sciences , Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
- Jordy Hendrikx [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ] [ Department of Earth Sciences , Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
Date: 2012
Abstract: Understanding what controls coarse scale snowpack properties, such as surface hoar distribution, is imperative for predicting snow avalanches. Due in part to the inherent difficulties of winter travel in mountainous terrain, most spatial variability investigations of snow properties have been limited to relatively fine scales. To quantify snow surface spatial variability at the basin, region, and mountain range scales, a team of heli-skiing guides collected data throughout four major surface hoar formation periods over two heli-skiing seasons in rugged alpine terrain near Haines, Alaska across an extent of nearly 60km. Geographically weighted regression revealed a positive relationship between elevation and surface hoar crystal size with adjusted R2 values averaging near 0.40. Geostatistical analysis yielded spherical semivariogram autocorrelation ranges from approximately 3-25km, which is similar in size to many of the basins and regions within the study area. Kriging models built from the semivariograms were produced to aid geographic visualization of coarse scale snowpack processes. The results of this research suggest it may be possible to identify areas with greater surface hoar growth and persistence potentials as a consequence of synoptic onshore or offshore flow, and glacially influenced katabatic winds. These results can help in future efforts to forecast snow stability patterns over large areas.
Object ID: issw-2012-1040-1046.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): unknown
Keywords: snowpack, surface hoar, spatial variability, weak layers
Page Number(s): 1040-1046
Subjects: surface hoar growth data collection helicopter skiing
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