International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings - Montana State University Library

Item: The Avalanche Detector - A New Avalanche Monitoring Tool Using Distributed Acoustic Fibre Optic Sensing

• • Title: The Avalanche Detector - A New Avalanche Monitoring Tool Using Distributed Acoustic Fibre Optic Sensing

    Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Grenoble – Chamonix Mont-Blanc - October 07-11, 2013

    Authors:

    • Alexander Prokop  [ Institute of Mountain Risk Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Natural Hazards, BOKU, University, Vienna, AUSTRIA ]  [ Snow Scan Research, Engineering, Education GmbH, Vienna, AUSTRIA ]
    • Anna Wirbel  [ Institute of Mountain Risk Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Natural Hazards, BOKU, University, Vienna, AUSTRIA ]
    • Markus Jungmayr  [ Institute of Mountain Risk Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Natural Hazards, BOKU, University, Vienna, AUSTRIA ]

    Date: 2013-10-07

    Abstract: Information on avalanche activity is a paramount parameter in avalanche forecasting. When avalanches are released spontaneously, the risk of avalanches is very high. Therefore a new tool for avalanche monitoring, a distributed fibre optic system, is for the first time installed and adapted for the purpose of monitoring snow avalanche activity. The method is based on an optical time domain reflectometer system, which dates back to the 1970‘s and detects seismic vibrations and acoustic signals on a fibre optic cable that can have a length of up to 30 km. An appropriate test slope for this configuration has been found in the ski area of “Lech am Arlberg”. In this work a description of the theoretical background, the system implementation, the field installation, realization of tests and an investigation of the recorded data is presented. We conducted 100 tests and triggered 52 avalanches so far with a runout distances ranging from a few meters to approximately 250 meters, all of which were detected by the system, as well as the 59 not successful attempts of artificial triggering. Moreover we measured properly if critical infrastructure (in our case a ski run) was reached by the avalanches or not. In conclusion we summarize that distributed acoustic fibre optic sensing is a precise method to monitor avalanche activity and runout distances.

    Object ID: ISSW13_paper_P2-23.pdf

    Language of Article: English

    Presenter(s): Unknown

    Keywords: avalanche, monitoring, detection, fibre optic sensing

    Page Number(s): 1027-1032

    Subjects: avalanche activity snow cover monitoring avalanche forecasting

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