In April a group of scientists from seventeen nations met in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss not only what has been revealed through experimentation and research in the field of snow and ice avalanches, but also what areas of investigation might profitably be pursued in the future. This symposium, co-sponsored by the Commission of Snow and Ice of the Association of Scientific Hydrology and the Swiss Government, was a big step in the advancement of knowledge and cooperation in avalanche control. By contributing to a better understanding of the avalanche—its forces, causes, and control—these scientists will ultimately help to make the mountains a safer place in which to live, travel, work, and ski.
This symposium, consisting primarily of oral presentations of scientific papers followed by open discussions, was the first such symposium held. Some of the highlights were a tour of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research and demonstrations by the Swiss as well as by the United States of the Avalauncher.
There are many interesting projects currently under way throughout the world. Dr. Shoda of Japan Railways, in performing experiments on a single slide path, has had dramatic results in recording the action on film. He has recorded impact forces not only on snow sheds, pillars, and buildings, but also on dummies. The Canadians, who maintain a research station at Rogers Pass on the Trans-Canada Highway, are also doing work recording avalanche velocity.
The Swiss Institute, which began in 1935, maintains continuing research on defense structures—fences, barriers, and mounds—used to control the avalanche. Investigations are showing severe limitations of structures, especially those arranged in the traditional manner. Although studies so far indicate that structures can be engineered to resist snow pressure and sluffs, these structures are unable to stabilize the snow pack sufficiently to prevent the start of an avalanche. The Swiss also have an excellent hazard warning system in which snow and weather reports are teletyped each morning from all parts of Switzerland to the Institute where they are evaluated and broadcast daily for each region. The Swiss rely on this sort of an informed broadcast.
In the past many nations relied quite heavily on the Swiss, but these nations are beginning to make their own contributions as more and more people seek recreation on high alpine slopes. The French, for instance, are in the process of building a center for studying avalanche and snow physics at Val d’Isere in connection with the University of Grenoble.
In the United States, the U. S. Forest Service, involved in a research program in avalanche control centered primarily at Alta, Utah, is doing considerable experimentation on the use of chemicals to inhibit depth hoar formations. Research on depth hoar crystals is extremely important in high alpine ski areas as these crystals can keep the steeper slopes of a ski area in an unstable condition for most of the winter. Dr. Bradley and Montana State University are experimenting with an instrument they call a resistograph that will enable a person with very little knowledge of snow physics to determine the stability of snow cover.
The USFS is also attempting to modify snow deposition by the use of snow fences. Hopefully, this work will reduce the number of dangerous cornices.
In Austria, at the University of Innsbruck, Dr. Ambach is developing a device to measure the free water content of snow layers. If perfected, this device might well increase the accuracy of hazard forecasting.
Although great progress is being made in such forecasting, general meteorological and snow physics are not yet known in sufficient detail because the kinetics and dynamics are lacking. However, since avalanche activity depends upon both stratigraphy and weather—especially wind action, temperature, radiation, rain, and the amount and kind of snowfall—snow physics, along with some of the new instruments being devised, might be combined with weather observations to more accurately predict when and in what amount a slope might slide.
With an ever increasing number of ski areas in the United States in avalanche hazard areas, there is an increasing need for the use of information concerning snow avalanches. The layout of lifts, buildings, and ski runs must take into consideration all of the knowledge now available. As in all other fields, there is always more to learn, but the present combined knowledge of all of the participants in the Symposium on the Scientific Aspects of Snow and Ice Avalanches can be of great assistance to ski area managers in providing a safer place to ski.
