Item: AVALANCHE DETECTION AND RACS BLASTING VERIFICATION USING EXTRA LONG-RANGE DOPPLER RADARS: EXPERIENCE FROM SAAS-FEE AND EVOLèNE, SWITZERLAND
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Title: AVALANCHE DETECTION AND RACS BLASTING VERIFICATION USING EXTRA LONG-RANGE DOPPLER RADARS: EXPERIENCE FROM SAAS-FEE AND EVOLèNE, SWITZERLAND
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2024, Tromsø, Norway
Authors:
- Severin Stähly [ Geoprevent, Zurich, Switzerland ]
Date: 2024-09-23
Abstract: Numerous Doppler radar systems for avalanche detection have been installed in Switzerland over the last decade. These systems allow to continuously monitor avalanche paths and provide crucial data to local and national avalanche forecasters for assessing the current avalanche situation. Additionally, these systems can be used in real-time to close transport ways or monitor the results of avalanche control operations. In most applications, radars look at slopes that are 1000 to 4000 m away from the radar installation. This paper introduces the radars installed in Saas-Fee and Evolène, aiming at slopes that are more than 5000 m away. As the returned power of the slope decreases with the power of 4 with distance, an increase of 4 to 5 km causes a large decrease of the returned power. With the installations in Saas-Fee and Evolène, Geoprevent touched new grounds, starting detection of avalanches in this extended long-range using Doppler radars. Results from winter 23/24 demonstrated that numerous avalanches are detected at distances of further than 5000 meters at both sites. Even small avalanches (size 1) are regularly detected at the max distance and at bad weather, hence elevated background noise. Small avalanches at the max distance are not only detected in the center of the radar field of view, where the power is strongest but also to its boundaries. Overall, the users are highly satisfied by the performance and could optimize their RACS operations using the data provided by the radar.
Object ID: ISSW2024_P8.13.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Severin Stähly
Keywords: real-time avalanche detection, Doppler radar, RACS, Long-range, road safety
Page Number(s): 1137 - 1141
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