Item: UAV-BORNE GPR SNOWPACK STRATIGRAPHY
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Title: UAV-BORNE GPR SNOWPACK STRATIGRAPHY
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2023, Bend, Oregon
Authors:
- Anna Siebenbrunner [ Lo.La Peak Solutions GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria ] [ Faculty of Geo- and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Austria ]
- Robert Delleske [ GEORESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Puch-Urstein, Austria ]
- Markus Keuschnig [ GEORESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Puch-Urstein, Austria ]
Date: 2023-10-08
Abstract: Current methods of snowpack stability assessment primarily rely on professional observations, mainly digging a snow pit. This technique has spatial limitations, is time-consuming, and places observers at risk. The combined usage of UAVs and GPR is capable of providing detailed snowpack layering data at scale without human exposure to potential avalanche-prone areas. The presented study aims to obtain radargrams of the study area's internal snowpack layering structure. A single-channel GPR with a 1000 MHz shielded antenna is attached to a UAV to survey the snowpack. The UAV flights are carried out semi-automatically from a safe spot at a speed of 1 m/s at a LiDAR altimeter-adjusted distance to the snow surface of 5 m. The data obtained by the GPR is then compared to density measurements and manual snowpack observations following international standards. The preliminary results indicate the success of the UAV's flight performance and the accuracy of the GPR data in determining the snow depth and detecting the most prominent layers of the snowpack.
Object ID: ISSW2023_O10.03.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Anna Siebenbrunner
Keywords: snowpack monitoring, GPR, UAV, avalanche hazard assessment
Page Number(s): 1063 - 1068
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