Snow avalanche hazard prediction and warning procedure in the Arctic environment

• Main Author: Kaufmann, Anaëlle
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Arctic; Norway; Svalbard
• Online Access: http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/253380

A growing population in Svalbard, reflecting an increase in scientific research and tourism, leads to an increasing amount of people exposed to avalanche danger. Consequently, there is a growing interest for a local avalanche warming procedure. The goal of this thesis is to study the possibility of an implementation of an avalanche warning procedure in Svalbard. First, a literature review about snow property and avalanche characteristics has been made. Second, the avalanche warning service of mainland Norway and Switzerland has been studied, to understand the basis of a warning procedure. Third, specificities of Svalbard as the climate and snow conditions, daylight and population characteristics have been studied. Finally, proposition about the implementation have been suggested, in order to define a perimeter and a period of running for the service, and to have a reflection about operational elements of such a system.