Item: Snow with Saharan sand. Hazard evaluation at a local scale
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Title: Snow with Saharan sand. Hazard evaluation at a local scale
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- Massimo Raviglione [ RocK and Snow Engineering, Tollegno - ITALY ]
- Barberis Michela [ MountainS WorkinG sas, Tollegno - ITALY ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: The cyclonic events of Atlantic origin associated with sirocco winds in most cases result in precipitation that contains reddish dusts. These sediments come from the wind erosion of the sand stretches in northern Africa and in particular from the desert areas of the Sahara. Along the southern slopes of the Alps, these events entail, at the end of the cyclonic event, either the presence of a thin layer of reddish dust in case of rain or the deposition of "red snow" in the winter periods. In recent years, these events have recurred almost regularly at least once per winter season. The presence of a layer of "red snow", on the snowpack or inside it, requires particular attention in the evaluation of the potential problems that snowpack can generate over time. Starting from the nivological and stability analyses carried out on snowpacks containing "red snow", together with the analysis of the avalanche activity, the proposed study presents some considerations related to the predisposition of snowpacks containing layers polluted by Saharan dust to develop avalanche phenomena caused by the initial incorporation of the "red snow" layer into the snowpack up to its consequent melting.
Object ID: ISSW2018_P10.33.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: red snow, saharan sand
Page Number(s): 1011-1016
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