Experimental Studies on a Powder-Snow Avalanche

Abstract

To make clear the structure and behaviour of a large-scale avalanche, the impact force-data obtained in the avalanche project of 1972–78 were analysed in detail. The wave forms of impact forces are classified into two types. Type 1 is composed of many separate spikes each of which represents the collision of a snow block. Type 2 has wider peaks, caused by collisons of snow blocks mixed with fluidized snow. Most of the type 1 peaks were in the width range corresponding to 0.005–0.01 s duration, and most type 2 peaks fell into the 0.02–0.1 s range. The internal velocities of an avalanche were estimated by calculating cross-correlation spectra for a time series of impact-force records. It was discovered that these internal velocities varied from 10 to 50 m/s over time. The mean distance between snow blocks was found to be in the range 1.6–5.4 m in a type 1 avalanche, and between 0.7 and 3 m in type 2 avalanches. Sizes of snow blocks or snow clouds of type 1 and type 2 were in ranges 0.26–0.52 and 0.37–1.9 m, respectively. This paper also reports on the project created to initiate artificial powder-snow avalanches in the Shiai-dani area and to make systematic observations of a variety of physical aspects. Results obtained in 1988 for both artificial and natural avalanches are given.