Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland
In Greenland, snow avalanches have been recognized as a significant hazard and a risk to communities for decades. However, prior to this study, no formal avalanche database nor avalanche forecasting service existed in Greenland. This study was conducted over the 2021–2022 snow season to advance snow...
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crfrontiers:10.3389/feart.2023.1134728 2024-02-11T10:04:14+01:00 Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland Mariani, Alberto Abrahamsen, A. B. Bridle, D. Ingeman-Nielsen, T. Cicoira, A. Monti, F. Marcer, M. 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1134728 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1134728/full unknown Frontiers Media SA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Frontiers in Earth Science volume 11 ISSN 2296-6463 General Earth and Planetary Sciences journal-article 2023 crfrontiers https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1134728 2024-01-26T09:57:06Z In Greenland, snow avalanches have been recognized as a significant hazard and a risk to communities for decades. However, prior to this study, no formal avalanche database nor avalanche forecasting service existed in Greenland. This study was conducted over the 2021–2022 snow season to advance snow science research in Greenland and provide the town of Sisimiut with an avalanche bulletin service based on snowpack stability, weather conditions, and avalanche activity monitoring data within the Sisimiut backcountry. Snowpack stratigraphies were assessed and stability tests were performed periodically using standardized methods, and the results were linked with daily weather monitoring and avalanche event characterization. The observed avalanche activity was dominated by slab avalanches, accounting for 96% of the registered events. Instabilities were mainly driven by specific temperature patterns, strong winds, and rain episodes. During cold and calm periods, slow kinetic growth of snow crystals in low-density layers was observed. Abrupt thermal increases were recurrent, resulting in softening of superficial slabs with consequent reactivation of buried weak layers, thus reducing snowpack stability. On the other hand, prolonged warmer temperatures lowered the thermal gradient within the snowpack, leading to rounding and bonding of weak layer grains, thus recovering the snowpack stability. As observed on three occasions, rain events caused the formation of persistent weak layers and should be considered a warning for future snowpack instability. As a result of this study, we retroactively linked local weather patterns with snowpack instability and provided the first periodical avalanche bulletin service for Sisimiut. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Sisimiut Frontiers (Publisher) Greenland Sisimiut ENVELOPE(-53.674,-53.674,66.939,66.939) Frontiers in Earth Science 11 |
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General Earth and Planetary Sciences |
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General Earth and Planetary Sciences Mariani, Alberto Abrahamsen, A. B. Bridle, D. Ingeman-Nielsen, T. Cicoira, A. Monti, F. Marcer, M. Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland |
topic_facet |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences |
description |
In Greenland, snow avalanches have been recognized as a significant hazard and a risk to communities for decades. However, prior to this study, no formal avalanche database nor avalanche forecasting service existed in Greenland. This study was conducted over the 2021–2022 snow season to advance snow science research in Greenland and provide the town of Sisimiut with an avalanche bulletin service based on snowpack stability, weather conditions, and avalanche activity monitoring data within the Sisimiut backcountry. Snowpack stratigraphies were assessed and stability tests were performed periodically using standardized methods, and the results were linked with daily weather monitoring and avalanche event characterization. The observed avalanche activity was dominated by slab avalanches, accounting for 96% of the registered events. Instabilities were mainly driven by specific temperature patterns, strong winds, and rain episodes. During cold and calm periods, slow kinetic growth of snow crystals in low-density layers was observed. Abrupt thermal increases were recurrent, resulting in softening of superficial slabs with consequent reactivation of buried weak layers, thus reducing snowpack stability. On the other hand, prolonged warmer temperatures lowered the thermal gradient within the snowpack, leading to rounding and bonding of weak layer grains, thus recovering the snowpack stability. As observed on three occasions, rain events caused the formation of persistent weak layers and should be considered a warning for future snowpack instability. As a result of this study, we retroactively linked local weather patterns with snowpack instability and provided the first periodical avalanche bulletin service for Sisimiut. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mariani, Alberto Abrahamsen, A. B. Bridle, D. Ingeman-Nielsen, T. Cicoira, A. Monti, F. Marcer, M. |
author_facet |
Mariani, Alberto Abrahamsen, A. B. Bridle, D. Ingeman-Nielsen, T. Cicoira, A. Monti, F. Marcer, M. |
author_sort |
Mariani, Alberto |
title |
Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland |
title_short |
Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland |
title_full |
Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in Sisimiut, West Greenland |
title_sort |
snowpack and avalanche characterization over the 2021–2022 winter season in sisimiut, west greenland |
publisher |
Frontiers Media SA |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1134728 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1134728/full |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-53.674,-53.674,66.939,66.939) |
geographic |
Greenland Sisimiut |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Sisimiut |
genre |
Greenland Sisimiut |
genre_facet |
Greenland Sisimiut |
op_source |
Frontiers in Earth Science volume 11 ISSN 2296-6463 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1134728 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Earth Science |
container_volume |
11 |
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1790600778189111296 |