International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings - Montana State University Library

Item: A Practitioner’s Tool for Assessing Glide Crack Activity

• • Title: A Practitioner’s Tool for Assessing Glide Crack Activity

    Proceedings: 2010 International Snow Science Workshop

    Authors:

    • Jordy Hendrikx  [ National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA), Christchurch, New Zealand ]
    • Erich H. Peitzsch  [ U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, West Glacier, Montana, USA ]
    • Daniel B. Fagre  [ U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, West Glacier, Montana, USA ]

    Date: 2010

    Abstract: Glide cracks can result in full-depth glide avalanche release. Avalanches from glide cracks are notoriously difficult to forecast, but are a reoccurring problem in a number of different avalanche forecasting programs across a range of snow climates. Despite this, there is no consensus for how to best manage, mitigate, or even observe glide cracks and the potential resultant avalanche activity. It is thought that an increase in the rate of snow gliding occurs prior to full-depth avalanche activity, so frequent measuring of glide crack movement provides an index of instability. Therefore, a comprehensive avalanche program with glide crack avalanche activity, should at the least, undertake some form of direct monitoring of glide crack movement. In this paper we present a simple, cheap and repeatable method to track glide crack activity using a series of stakes, reflectors and a laser rangefinder (LaserTech TruPulse360B) linked to a GPS (Trimble Geo XH). We tested the methodology in April 2010, on a glide crack above the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. This study suggests a new method to better track the development and movement of glide cracks. It is hoped that by introducing a workable method to easily record glide crack movement, avalanche forecasters will improve their understanding of when, or if, avalanche activity will ensue. Our initial results suggest that these new observations, when combined with local micrometeorological data will result in improved process understanding and forecasting of these phenomena.

    Object ID: ISSW_P-009.pdf

    Language of Article: English

    Presenter(s): Unknown

    Keywords: glide crack activity, snow climates, going to the sun road, forecasting

    Page Number(s): 395-396

    Subjects: glide crack activity avalanche release glacier national park, montana

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