Serious Avalanche Science
January 20th, 2009Posted in Skiing Everywhere
The New York Times has taken an interest in the West’s avalanche conditions this winter with three articles so far. Today they profile a the serious study of snow being done by Dr. Ed Adams, a professor of civil engineering at Montana State University in Bozeman. In his newly completed “cold lab” he is seeking to understand how snow crystals change over time and in response to environmental conditions such as temperature and sunlight, so they either bond and help stabilize the snow, or they don’t bond and instead act as ball bearings facilitating snow slippage and avalanches.
We powder lovers need to know as much as possible about snow and what makes it either safe or dangerous to venture into. Hopefully Dr. Admas work will advance the science of avalanche predictions and help save lives. The Times article is well worth a read.
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