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September 12, 2000 | Snow avalanches occur 1 million or more times per year worldwide, according to avalanche workers at the La Sal Avalanche Forecast Center. More than 200 people in the US have died by avalanche in the last decade, an average of 20 people a year, according to statistics compiled by the Cyberspace Avalanche Center. The second worst American railroad disaster in this country occurred in 1910 when a catastrophic avalanche barreled down a Washington hillside and killed 96 people aboard a Great Northern passenger train. |
BOZEMAN, Mont. - As outdoor enthusiasts flock to snow country in record numbers to pursue winter recreation, better avalanche prediction moves up on the priority lists of snow safety officers and avalanche experts. Their efforts may soon be aided by new Department of Defense (DoD) technology co-developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF). The technology is called a snow penetrometer, which captures data about snow structure, one of the most important avalanche predictors. The emerging technology is one step closer to commercialization as a result of a recent multi-party research and development agreement initiated by TechLink, a DoD and NASA contractor in Bozeman, Mont. The partners include the co-developers, CRREL and SLF. Additional partners include the U.S. Forest Service National Avalanche Center (NAC); CF Electronics of Laramie, Wyo., a private company that develops health and safety devices; and Montana State University (MSU) Civil Engineering researchers. The technology has roots at MSU where researchers pioneered the development of electronic snow penetrometers 40 years ago. Avalanche probability is determined by snowpack, terrain, and weather conditions. Snowpack is composed of various layers of snow, some weaker and some stronger. The relationship between the layers-the stability of snowpack-determines the potential for avalanche. Avalanches can be triggered by people on unstable slopes. Once unleashed, these ³white dragons² can quickly kill snowmobilers, skiers, winter hikers, climbers, and travelers. In ski areas, avalanches are triggered with explosives before they can wreak havoc. But predictability still remains a problem. Currently, stability tests involve digging snow pits and examining the various layers of the snowpack. However, this method is somewhat crude, and relies heavily on the expertise of the person performing the test. Army engineers working with scientists from the SLF over the past six years, have developed a prototype of the computerized snow penetrometer. The instrument is a motorized probe with a tiny sensor at the tip that accurately measures the strength of each snow layer on a microscopic level. The results are analyzed on a portable computer. "This instrument provides a remarkably detailed snow profile-something you could not get with any previous instrument," said Karl Birkeland, avalanche scientist with the NAC. Testing of the snow penetrometer will be done this winter by snow safety officers and avalanche specialists, including Birkeland, in the Northern Rockies. The collaborators hope the snow penetrometer is more accurate than methods currently in use. CF Electronics will also assess the snow penetrometer to determine what it will cost to build and if there is a market at that price. CF Electronics specializes in developing innovative electronic safety and medical devices, including some for military and Coast Guard applications. The NAC provides coordination, support, and technical expertise to a network of regional Forest Service avalanche centers that provide the public with avalanche education and current snowpack and mountain weather information. TechLink, located at Montana State University, helps companies throughout the Northwest to establish productive technology development and commercialization partnerships with the DoD, NASA, and other federal agencies. Contacts:
Ray Friesenhahn
MSU TechLink Center, Bozeman, MT 59718
406-994-7726
rayf@montana.edu
Karl Birkeland Avalanche Scientist and Technical Specialist
U.S. Forest Service National Avalanche Center
406-587-6954
kbirkeland@fs.fed.us
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