Item: Monitoring of snow and ground temperature in the glide avalanche area at Trefall, Eksingadalen in Western Norway
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Title: Monitoring of snow and ground temperature in the glide avalanche area at Trefall, Eksingadalen in Western Norway
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- Julie Bjørlien [ The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Norway ]
- Njål Farestveit [ The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Norway ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: Glide avalanches represent a problem in Western Norway, with known areas where glides and glide avalanche problems arise towards the end of the winter season every year. However, in special winters with wet snow in the bottom of the snowpack, glide avalanches can occur throughout the whole winter. One important question in relation to glide avalanches is to what extent the ground temperatures can affect the temperature/wetness in the bottom of the snowpack. In October 2017 two sensor strings for monitoring snow and ground temperature were installed in Trefall. The sensors were installed at the same elevation as the glide cracks normally appear in this area. The sensors were measuring ground temperatures more than 1 m down in the ground. During the winter, the sensors have also been inspected a few times, to register the snow depth around them and to document the snow conditions. The Trefall area is suitable for monitoring glide avalanches because it is an area where glide cracks and glide avalanches occur every winter and it is in the same area where two web cameras (with timelapse function) are already established, for monitoring the opening and expansion of glide cracks. Web cameras have been operating in Trefall from February 2015 for this purpose. The single road leading to the inner part of Eksingadalen is of vital importance to the local community there, and the monitoring will hopefully help to better understand the avalanche processes and better administrate the opening and closing of this road due to avalanche risk. The preliminary results and experiences from the use of temperature sensors in combination with a web camera solution in studying glide cracks and glide avalanches during the first winter 2017/18 are presented, along with a discussion on the revised understanding of the processes of glide avalanche danger in the area.
Object ID: ISSW2018_P01.6.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: Glide avalanche, time-lapse, The Norwegian Public Roads administration, Norway.
Page Number(s): 43-47
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