Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope

The mechanisms leading to dry-snow slab release are influenced by the three-dimensional variability of the snow cover. We measured 113 profiles of penetration resistance with a snow micropenetrometer on an alpine snow slope. Seven distinct layers were visually identified in all snow micropenetromete...

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Published in:Annals of Glaciology
Main Authors: Kronholm, Kalle, Schneebeli, Martin, Schweizer, Jürg
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3098804
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257
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spelling ftngi:oai:ngi.brage.unit.no:11250/3098804 2023-11-12T04:01:18+01:00 Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope Kronholm, Kalle Schneebeli, Martin Schweizer, Jürg 2004 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3098804 https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257 eng eng Cambridge University Press urn:issn:0260-3055 https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3098804 https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257 The Author(s) 202-208 38 Annals of Glaciology Avalanche-RnD Snøskred-FoU Journal article 2004 ftngi https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257 2023-11-01T23:48:58Z The mechanisms leading to dry-snow slab release are influenced by the three-dimensional variability of the snow cover. We measured 113 profiles of penetration resistance with a snow micropenetrometer on an alpine snow slope. Seven distinct layers were visually identified in all snow micropenetrometer profiles. The penetration resistance of adjacent layers did not change abruptly, but gradually across layer boundaries that were typically 2 mm thick. In two layers, penetration resistance varied around 200% over the grid, possibly due to wind effects during or after layer deposition. Penetration resistance varied around 25%in five layers. Statistically significant slope-scale linear trends were found for all layers. The semivariogram was used to describe the spatial variation. Penetration resistance was autocorrelated, but the scale of variation was layer-specific. A buried layer of surface hoar was the most critical weak layer. It had little spatial variation. The layers in the slab above had higher spatial variation. The penetration resistance of each snow layer had distinct geostatistical properties, caused by the depositional processes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Annals of Glaciology Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) Digital Archive Annals of Glaciology 38 202 208
institution Open Polar
collection Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) Digital Archive
op_collection_id ftngi
language English
topic Avalanche-RnD
Snøskred-FoU
spellingShingle Avalanche-RnD
Snøskred-FoU
Kronholm, Kalle
Schneebeli, Martin
Schweizer, Jürg
Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
topic_facet Avalanche-RnD
Snøskred-FoU
description The mechanisms leading to dry-snow slab release are influenced by the three-dimensional variability of the snow cover. We measured 113 profiles of penetration resistance with a snow micropenetrometer on an alpine snow slope. Seven distinct layers were visually identified in all snow micropenetrometer profiles. The penetration resistance of adjacent layers did not change abruptly, but gradually across layer boundaries that were typically 2 mm thick. In two layers, penetration resistance varied around 200% over the grid, possibly due to wind effects during or after layer deposition. Penetration resistance varied around 25%in five layers. Statistically significant slope-scale linear trends were found for all layers. The semivariogram was used to describe the spatial variation. Penetration resistance was autocorrelated, but the scale of variation was layer-specific. A buried layer of surface hoar was the most critical weak layer. It had little spatial variation. The layers in the slab above had higher spatial variation. The penetration resistance of each snow layer had distinct geostatistical properties, caused by the depositional processes.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Kronholm, Kalle
Schneebeli, Martin
Schweizer, Jürg
author_facet Kronholm, Kalle
Schneebeli, Martin
Schweizer, Jürg
author_sort Kronholm, Kalle
title Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
title_short Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
title_full Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
title_fullStr Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
title_full_unstemmed Spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
title_sort spatial variability of micropenetration resistance in snow layers on a small slope
publisher Cambridge University Press
publishDate 2004
url https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3098804
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257
genre Annals of Glaciology
genre_facet Annals of Glaciology
op_source 202-208
38
Annals of Glaciology
op_relation urn:issn:0260-3055
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3098804
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257
op_rights The Author(s)
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781815257
container_title Annals of Glaciology
container_volume 38
container_start_page 202
op_container_end_page 208
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