Avalanche prediction in Scotland: I. A survey of avalanche activity

Avalanches are a common occurrence throughout the Scottish Highlands and have been responsible for several injuries and deaths amongst climbers and ramblers. The paper describes approximately 1000 avalanches which have been recorded over the last 200 years, the majority being observed in the Cairngorms between the winters of 1977–1978 and 1979–1980. Many different types of avalanche have been recorded, including slab avalanches and loose snow avalanches. Although the majority are comparatively small, a small proportion are extremely large. These may travel over a mile and involve a snow layer up to two or three metres thick and 200–300 m wide. Excluding small-scale sluffing from free faces, most avalanches release from slopes between 35° and 45°. Avalanche activity occurs during many different types of weather conditions, including thaws, cold snaps, storms and calm conditions.     

SNOW-AVALANCHE HAZARDS IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK,MONTANA: METEOROLOGIC AND CLIMATOLOGIC ASPECTS

Hazardous snow avalanches in Glacier National Park, Montana, are associated with a variety of meteorologic conditions: heavy snow; heavy snows followed by a rise in air temperature to above freezing; a rise in air temperature to above freezing, without precipitation; and rain in association with above-freezing air temperatures. Years of major, widespread avalanching may be recognized by examination of historical information and tree-ring data. Avalanche types include slab avalanches, wet snow avalanches, and dry loose snow avalanches. February is the peak avalanche month. Intraannual seasonalities of avalanche trigger mechanisms and type of avalanche are related. The presence of sun crusts in some cases provides unstable stratigraphic planes in the snowpack over which freshly deposited snow may glide. Destructive windblasts also occur in association with some avalanches. Insufficient data from east of the Continental Divide precluded a comparison of avalanche type and trigger mechanisms from the western and eastern portions of Glacier National Park. The general avalanche climate is more similar to that reported from the southern Canadian cordillera than to continental locations such as the mountains of Colorado. [Key words: Snow avalanches; avalanche trigger mechanisms; avalanche types; avalanche seasonality; Glacier National Park, Montana; northern Rocky Mountains; hazard planning.]     

Meteorological triggering scenarios of tree-ring-based snow avalanche occurrence on scree slopes in a maritime climate,Eastern Canada

ABSTRACT

Statistical relationships between weather conditions and the release of snow avalanches in the low-elevation coastal valleys of the northern Gaspé Peninsula are still poorly validated. As such, we explored climate–avalanche relationships through classification tree algorithms applied to tree-ring reconstructions of avalanche events. In order to assess the contribution of local factors on avalanche activity, avalanche regimes on east- and west-facing slopes were analyzed and compared. The results showed that avalanches on east-facing slopes appear to be primarily related to large cumulative snowfall in January, February, and March. On west-facing slopes, avalanches are mainly due to episodic snowfall and warming temperatures. However, both sides of the valleys showed the potential for the release of large avalanches in November and December, which is earlier than expected by the literature. Indeed, the weather variability at that time of the year (temperature oscillation around 0ºC) appears to favor the formation of an early, unstable snowpack and subsequent triggering of avalanches, such as the wet slab avalanche recorded by a time-lapse camera in November 2014. This camera provided a useful insight on the capacities of classification-tree models to link the yearly resolution of tree-ring data with weather triggers at different timescales.     

精河到伊宁公路沿线积雪及其影响

利用MODIS和Landsat TM/ETM+遥感数据,得出研究区的积雪面积,同时结合精伊公路规划图及地形图,分析了公路沿线可能存在风吹雪和雪崩的危险区,并提出相应的防治措施。结果表明:研究区近5年来11月到次年3月是积雪最丰富时期,9月、10月、4月和5月积雪较少。近5年来积雪呈增加趋势,最大积雪时间集中在2009—2010年积雪季。MODIS积雪数据精度在积雪面积越大时,精度越高;积雪面积越小时,精度越低。精伊公路东线走廊K60以上路段和西线走廊K100以上路段风吹雪对公路影响较大;精伊公路北段的雪崩的可能性很小;东线走廊K60～K77段和西线走廊K90～K110段有一定的雪崩灾害;西线走廊K58～K90段有较大的雪崩危害。并提出防治措施。     

天山雪崩动力学研究新进展

中日合作雪崩动力学研究在我国天山西部进行。结果表明，雪崩前锋速度７．１ｍ／ｓ，雪崩冲和是雪崩雪高度的函数，其最大冲击力为８８．７ｋＰａ，出现在雪崩雪１．４５ｍ高度，雪崩雪分为两层：上层为雪云，下层为密雪流。密雪流表现呈现下倾形态向下运动。     

中尼公路雪害及防灾对策

本文在大量野外实地调查基础上，通过对中尼公路沿线吹雪、积雪和雪崩成因背景的分析，揭示了中尼公路雪灾的分布规律和形成机制，并提出各类雪灾的防治对策。对康山桥特大雪崩灾害进行了深入研究，提出了可供实施的整治方案及进一步工作的建议，对中尼公路整治必建工程具有重要的指导意义。     

The dynamics of contemporary glaciers in the mountains of the south of East Siberia

An analysis is made of the glaciation status of the mountains in the south of East Siberia to reveal a number of characteristics of changes in glacier systems. It is determined that the mountain systems are all experiencing a deglaciation caused by global climatic changes, while the rates of degradation have increased considerably since the late 1980s. It is established that over the last several decades the rate of thawing of glaciers has decelerated according to data for the key sites in the Kodar, Baikal’skii, Barguzin. Munku-Sardyk and Eastern-Sayan mountain ranges, which is associated with a decrease in mean annual air temperatures in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 after the maximum values in 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002 and 2007. The changes recorded in the amount of solid atmospheric precipitation do not produce any definite trends in all of the mountain systems analyzed. It is determined that, given a relatively small snow accumulation, the glaciers are fed by snow avalanches and persist due to accumulation of large reserves of cold throughout long and cold winters which impede an intense ablation and promote the sustenance of glaciation. It is pointed out that the thawing of glaciers (especially cirque glaciers) involves a decrease in their thickness, whereas their area changes little.     

Nature and Dynamics of an Active Block Stream, Kunlun Pass, Qinghai Province, People's Republic of China

Active block streams are common on the slopes of mountains on the northern, drier portion of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau. Between 1990 and 1995, the authors studied a block stream northeast of the crest of the Kunlun Pass at latitude 35°50’N, longitude 94°05’ E. It occurs on a 31° slope facing southwest at 4800 m altitude and consists of a 15 cm layer of blocks moving downslope over a sandy loam of lacustrine origin. The blocks are derived from both frost shattering of exposed bedrock and by ejection of blocks from the till capping the hill. No water flows in the block stream and its surface is level with the surrounding slope. Mean annual air temperature is –6°C and mean annual precipitation is about 320 mm. The few plants growing between the blocks exhibit elongated stems and/or roots, indicating movement of the upper layers of blocks relative to the underlying materials. Average mean annual downslope movement of the surface blocks ranges up to 95 cm but varies both across the block stream and also along its long axis. The blocks are gradually extending further downslope. Comparison of movement of lines painted on stones in summer and winter shows that most of the movement occurs in winter. The stones usually rotate randomly as they move, probably by sliding on ice. There is no obvious sorting or rounding of the blocks during movement downslope. The deposits produced differ from talus/scree sediments as they have a dip of less than the maximum angle of rest of dry sediment (c. 33°) and also show no sorting downslope. The movement of material takes place predominantly in winter, rather than in summer and the deposits occur in areas of negligible snow cover. Ground temperatures suggest exceptionally rapid temperature changes under the blocks, indicating air exchange in the voids. Mean ground temperatures in the loams beneath the blocks are about 7°C colder than in the adjacent soils. Winter snow covers are noticeably absent, and summer precipitation is often in the form of snow, which soon melts. Permafrost is present beneath the block stream but is absent in the sandy loam soils. The ground is also moister beneath the blocks. It appears that the surface blocks tend to slide downslope on the icy surface of the underlying blocks, perhaps aided by water from melting snow. This and the lack of sorting by clast size clearly differentiates them from talus slopes or avalanche deposits.     

大阿尔玛京卡河流域的雪崩与治理

大阿尔玛京卡河流域危险主要出现在中山森林－草原带和高山雪冰带。受局地气候、地貌与环境的综合作用，流域雪崩规模小、路程短，多见全程雪崩；雪崩类型单调，以干、湿雪崩占统治地位，在９０％以上，雪崩发生地点集中，而且每年都有出现，只有数量上的差异性。在西风气流的控制下，冬季积雪层的变质过程具温度梯度变质特征。积雪层负温梯度大，雪层深霜的发育和生长迅速，呈出“干寒型”积雪的基本特征。雪崩对道路、居民点和建筑     

The Impact Of Extreme Summer Melt on Net Accumulation of an Avalanche Fed Glacier,as Determined by Ground‐Penetrating Radar

Glacier mass balance is more sensitive to warming than cooling, but feedbacks related to the exposure of previously buried firn and ice in very warm years is not generally considered in sensitivity studies. A ground‐penetrating radar survey in the accumulation area of Rolleston Glacier, New Zealand shows that five years of previous net accumulation was removed by melt from parts of the glacier above the long‐term equilibrium line altitude during a single negative mass balance year. Rolleston Glacier receives a large amount of accumulation from snow avalanches, which may temporarily buffer it from climate warming by providing additional mass that has accumulated at higher elevations, effectively increasing the elevation range of the glacier. However, glaciers reliant on avalanche input may have high sensitivity to climatic variations because the extra mass is concentrated on a small part of the glacier, and small variations in avalanche input could have a large impact on overall glacier accumulation. Further research is needed to better estimate the amount and spatial distribution of accumulation by avalanche in order to quantify the climate sensitivity of small avalanche‐fed glaciers.     

Imbibition temperatures affect bitterbrush seed dormancy and seedling vigor

Bitterbrush first-year seedling survival is low. To determine whether imbibition temperatures affected seedling vigor, I compared post-imbibition seed weight, germination, and early growth among untreated, thiourea-treated, and cool-moist-treated seeds from three collections. Seedling axial lengths from untreated seeds averaged 28 mm among all imbibition temperatures. This compared to 31 mm from thiourea-treated seeds, 68 mm from seed held at 5°C for 14 days, and 118 mm from seeds held at 2°C for 28 days. There was no imbibition temperature for untreated or thiourea-treated seeds that compensated for the lack of a cool-moist treatment. Seed treatments or seedbed conditions which fully remove dormancy and reduce dormant-seed respiration appear likely to increase seedling survival during the first growing season.     

新疆天山山地自然灾害垂直带谱及其特征

分析天山山地由气候原因引起的自然灾害分布的垂直带谱,主要灾害类型有１２种,可分为３个带：（１）基带（暴雨－塌方带）：主要是由中、低山突发性的降雨引起的各种灾害。此带灾害频发时期与最大降水期是同步的。（２）中带（融水－冰冻带）：其灾害大多同温度的变化有密切的关系。（３）上带（风吹雪－雪崩带）：由积雪运动造成的灾害多集中在这里。山地坡向和高度对自然灾害垂直带谱的组成和灾害出现的频率影响很大。由于温度和     

新疆精(河)-伊(宁)铁路沿线雪害形成机制及其防治工程措施

天山西部的降雪丰富,伊犁河流域年最大雪深普遍超过60crn,中国科学院天山积雪与雪崩研究站和伊犁的最大雪深分别高达152crn和89cm。因此,天山西部山区风吹雪和雪崩灾害较多,严重影响着当地的交通安全。新疆精(河)-伊(宁)铁路经过的缓坡丘陵区是风吹雪灾害多发区,崇山峻岭区是雪崩灾害多发区。通过对铁路沿线的气象要素进行分析与推算,结果表明,该地区的最大风速平均值14．0m／s,30a-遇的最大风速与最大积雪深度分别为20．3m／S和160cm;平均冬季降水量153．2mm,为风吹雪灾害的发生提供了物质与动力条件。在风吹雪多发区,风吹雪的主要危害类型是路堑型风吹雪沉积,其次为低路堤型风吹雪沉积等。经过野外考察和室内分析,基本上查清了精(河)一伊(宁)铁路沿线风吹雪的发生与分布规律,并且针对性地提出了铁路在雪害多发区的设计原则和雪害防治方法。认为路堤防风吹雪的适宜高度为200～1500cm,路堤若低于200cm,路面上易发生风吹雪沉积;若路堤的边坡较陡,则路面上不易发生风吹雪沉积;路堑边坡的角度越小,路堑越深,路堑走向与主导风向的夹角越小,风吹雪沉积越不易发生;风吹雪的防治应以防风吹雪走廊和下导风板为主,并辅以侧导板、挡雪墙等工程。精-伊铁路雪崩灾害主要发生在崇山峻岭区,主要类型为坡面雪崩和坡面沟槽雪崩。阳坡雪崩多发生在降雪季节,雪崩危害相对较少;阴坡积雪不易融化,雪崩危害大。阴坡雪崩在整个冬季从开始下雪直到次年春季积雪融化以前都可发生,危害时期长。在雪崩灾害的多发区,铁路选线时明线工程最好能选在阳坡,永久性建筑物或设施要尽量避开沟槽雪崩的运动区和堆积区;铁路线横穿河流处,桥梁的桥墩和铁路延伸线一定要避开沟槽雪崩的运动区和堆积区,尽量选在两雪崩之间的山梁或山脊处,隧道出入口也要选在突出的山嘴或山梁等正地貌部位。在其他条件允许的情况下,线路应尽量向坡面的上部抬升。精一伊铁路沿线雪崩灾害治理原则：在所有的隧道出入口,隧道再向外延伸3m,上方再修建导雪堤,可保隧道口的安全;在工程建设过程中,要求尽量少地破坏铁路两侧的植被,特别是树林和灌木。     

Morphometric Controls and Basin Response in The Cascade Mountains

Morphometric variables associated with 36 debris torrent, 78 snow avalanche, 45 composite debris torrent and snow avalanche and 14 streamflow basins in the Cascade Mountains of southwestern British Columbia, Canada are examined. The results show significant statistical differences in top and bottom elevations, relief, channel length and gradient, basin area, fan gradient and area, and basin ruggedness between snow avalanche basins and the two basin types affected by debris torrents, reflecting the very different nature of these processes. Only top and bottom elevations and fan area differ significantly between debris torrent and debris torrent-snow avalanche basins, implying that the latter are probably debris torrent basins in origin. As many as six morphometric variables are significantly different between streamflow basins and the other basin types, allowing the former to be differentiated despite their small, steep character. Discriminant analysis indicates that bottom elevation and channel or path gradient are the best variables for classifying the four basin types by process. Generally strong correlations exist between basin area on the one hand and relief, channel length and channel gradient on the other in debris torrent, debris torrent-snow avalanche, and streamflow basins. Fan gradient and area are, however, weakly or modestly correlated with basin area or ruggedness. No such morphometric relations are present in snow avalanche basins. The results of this study also indicate that in debris torrent-prone basins the fan gradient and Melton's R have identifiable lower thresholds while basin area has an upper threshold, but use of these thresholds for identification of debris torrent hazard is complicated by overlapping thresholds for streamflow basins.     

Depositional processes and particle characteristics on fans in the Southern Alps, New Zealand

Characteristics of surface particles on four fans dominated by different depositional processes are investigated in the sedimentary ranges of the Aoraki–Mount Cook area, Southern Alps, New Zealand. Statistical testing shows that on three of the fans all indices of particle size and roundness differ significantly according to the depositional process: snow avalanches produce the largest and most angular particles, streamflows the smallest and most rounded, with debris flows in between. On the fourth fan affected by all of these depositional processes, particle size and roundness indicate that snow avalanches are presently dominant with streamflow playing a secondary role. The results also show that all indices of particle size are strongly correlated with each other and suggest that the principal (a-) or intermediate (b-) axis length may provide a satisfactory substitute for more complex indices of size. Indices of particle shape generally do not differ significantly between the fans, reflecting both the strong control exerted on particle shape by source area lithology and structure and the geologic similarity of the four basins. Changes in particle size and roundness occur with down-fan distance on the snow avalanche, debris flow, and hybrid fans but not on the streamflow fan.     

Snow-avalanche impact landforms, deposits and effects at Urdvatnet, southern Norway: implications for avalanche style and process

An unusual assemblage of landforms and deposits is described from upper Norangsdalen, Sunnmøre region, southern Norway, and interpreted as the product of snow‐avalanche events that vary in magnitude, frequency and debris content. An avalanche impact plunge pool, proximal scar and distal mound are associated with a coarse gravel deposit covering part of the valley floor. Landforms in this debris spread include gravel ridges, boulder lines, beaded ridges, fine sediment banked against and covering large boulders, and gravel clumps. Many of these landforms are aligned, indicating across‐valley transport radiating from the plunge pool. Features were mapped in the field and samples analysed for grain size and heavy‐mineral content. The debris spread is attributed to deposition by high‐energy, debris‐rich snow‐avalanche events that collect debris from large areas of the valley side, lower slopes and plunge pool. Aligned landforms develop through sediment transport in a basal shear zone, and randomly distributed gravel clumps represent melt pits following debris transport in the avalanche body. Air displacement ahead of larger avalanches is thought to have felled and tilted trees on the lower slopes of the distal valley side. Approximate ages of damaged trees allowed estimation of the frequency of snow‐avalanche events: (1) small, frequent events (several per annum) carry debris to the lower valley slopes and the plunge pool; (2) moderate events with an annual to decadal frequency maintain the pool–scar–mound complex; and (3) large, debris‐rich events with a decadal to centennial frequency add material to the debris spread.     

中国天山积雪站区的雪崩制图

中国天山是我国积雪丰富、雪崩频繁、灾害性雪崩又具明显周期性的山地。作者以雪崩制图的非变化因素(地形形态)为主,提出了中国天山积雪站区雪崩路径分布图与雪崩分带(区划)图,并作了概略说明。这为当地的土地合理利用、山区道路与矿山建设、雪崩治理提供了科学依据。     

Snow disaster characteristics in Palongzangbu River Basin and mitigation countermeasures for road engineering

The Palongzangbu River Basin contains the highest number of maritime province glaciers in China.There are 130 glacial lakes,64 snow avalanche sites and 28 glacial debris flow gullies distributed within the basin.Snow disasters play a controlling role in the Sichuan-Tibet Highway construction,due to the terrain's special characteristics of high altitude and large height differential.Segmentation mitigation countermeasures for the Sichuan-Tibet Highway are presented based on snow disaster severity level and damage mode of the road.In the Ranwu to Midui section,snow avalanches are regional disasters, so the line should be placed in sunny slopes.In the Midui Gully to Yupu section,the line should be placed in shady slopes and at higher elevations to reduce the risk of glacial lake outburst.In the Yupu to Guxiang section,all three snow disasters are minimal.In the Guxiang to Tongmai section,glacier debris flows are the major threat,thus the road should be placed in shady slopes.     

南极洲维斯特福尔德丘陵与菲尔德斯半岛冰缘地貌的比较研究

东南极大陆沿岸的维斯特福尔德丘陵(68°22'～68°40'S,77°55'～78°30'E)和西南极乔治王岛南端的菲尔德斯半岛(62°08'～62°20'S,58°45'～58°58'W)的气候条件不同。前者属于极地大陆性气候,气温低,冬季严寒,干燥、风大,夏季较短;后者属于极地海洋性气候,气温不很低,湿润、风小,夏季较长。因此,两地的冰缘地貌的组合类型及其发育过程存在明显的差异。前者冰缘地貌单一,发展速度较慢;后者冰缘地貌复杂多样,发展速度较快。 本文根据实地观测资料,对极地大陆型和极地海洋型两类冰缘地貌作一些比较,并且提出,年冻融日数是决定冰缘作用强弱的最重要指标。     

AVALANCHE CLIMATOLOGY OF THE CONTINENTAL ZONE IN THE SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS

The avalanche hazard in the United States is most severe in the continental zone of Colorado, where property damage and deaths exceed those in any other state. The continental zone is normally characterized by a shallow snowpack, faceted crystal growth, and relatively fewer avalanches as compared to the coastal and intermountain zones farther west. This study illustrates that variations in the avalanche character in the continental zone may, at times, resemble some less continental characteristics that are found farther west as a result of anomalous atmospheric circulation patterns. Results from cluster analyses show that some sites in the southern portion of the continental zone generally represent a less continental character. Anomalies of 500-mb heights explain the variability of avalanche climates for selected sites, particularly for Berthoud Pass, within the continental zone. Negative heights over the southwestern United States during early winter correspond with less continental conditions, but the zone of negative heights tends to shift westward over the eastern Pacific Ocean during February and March. However, generalizations of how synoptic patterns govern avalanche climate variations also vary between different locations as a result of smaller-scale climatic controls that operate over the region. [Key words: avalanche climatology, continental zone, 500-mb heights, Rocky Mountains.]