Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation
Abstract For more than 30 years the quantitative method of evaluating stability (e.g. Roch, 1966; Föhn, 1987; Jamieson, 1995; Jamieson and Johnston, 1998a) has been focused on calculation of a strength-to-load ratio (or stability index): when the shear stress applied to the weak layer reaches the sh...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1999
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000001696 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000001696 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000001696 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000001696 2024-03-03T08:46:03+00:00 Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation McClung, D. M. Schweizer, Jürg 1999 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000001696 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000001696 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 45, issue 150, page 190-200 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1999 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000001696 2024-02-08T08:38:15Z Abstract For more than 30 years the quantitative method of evaluating stability (e.g. Roch, 1966; Föhn, 1987; Jamieson, 1995; Jamieson and Johnston, 1998a) has been focused on calculation of a strength-to-load ratio (or stability index): when the shear stress applied to the weak layer reaches the shear strength, failure is imminent. However, field observations combined with experience and measurements indicate that snow-slab temperatures and slab hardness can have a strong influence on dry-snow slab stability. In this paper, we present a simple static analysis of the stability index, and discuss the importance of slab temperatures and hardness and macroscopic size effects (factors not contained in the stability index) on snow-slab stability. Our conclusion is that the traditional method lacks some elements which are very important in snow-slab stability, particularly when skier triggering is involved. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Journal of Glaciology 45 150 190 200 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes McClung, D. M. Schweizer, Jürg Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract For more than 30 years the quantitative method of evaluating stability (e.g. Roch, 1966; Föhn, 1987; Jamieson, 1995; Jamieson and Johnston, 1998a) has been focused on calculation of a strength-to-load ratio (or stability index): when the shear stress applied to the weak layer reaches the shear strength, failure is imminent. However, field observations combined with experience and measurements indicate that snow-slab temperatures and slab hardness can have a strong influence on dry-snow slab stability. In this paper, we present a simple static analysis of the stability index, and discuss the importance of slab temperatures and hardness and macroscopic size effects (factors not contained in the stability index) on snow-slab stability. Our conclusion is that the traditional method lacks some elements which are very important in snow-slab stability, particularly when skier triggering is involved. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McClung, D. M. Schweizer, Jürg |
author_facet |
McClung, D. M. Schweizer, Jürg |
author_sort |
McClung, D. M. |
title |
Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
title_short |
Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
title_full |
Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
title_fullStr |
Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
title_sort |
skier triggering, snow temperatures and the stability index for dry-slab avalanche initiation |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1999 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000001696 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000001696 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 45, issue 150, page 190-200 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000001696 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
45 |
container_issue |
150 |
container_start_page |
190 |
op_container_end_page |
200 |
_version_ |
1792501882936098816 |