Radar for Avalanches—Measurement and Warning

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Fritzsche, W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1980
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000011084; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000011084

Abstract Automatic measuring devices can greatly facilitate the difficult task of persons responsible for avalanche warnings or the closing of roads or ski runs. In favourable cases the traffic can be directly stopped by means of radar when an avalanche is released. The development of the necessary bases and technical realization are important tasks of research. Above all the snow height or the mass of snow (from a snow gauge) or the onset of movement of an avalanche need to be measured automatically. For research it is also interesting to determine the speed of the avalanche and its distribution in given coordinates—along and across the avalanche track. With automatic snow gauges two operating methods have proved successful : (1) ultrasonic sounding from a point above the snow; (2) absorption of cosmic radiation; apparatus for detecting this can also be built into the soil of a slope in the avalanche release zone. The moment of avalanche release can be identified by means of radar in the X-band with moving-target indicator and micro-computer evaluation.