Timeline for Why didn't I beat the avalanche?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
11 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Apr 18, 2023 at 18:59 | comment | added | njzk2 | "Hardpack under, with a moderately wet/heavy top layer of about 5'' of snow." I have to ask, what was your assessment of the avalanche risk given this sort of snow condition? | |
| Apr 18, 2023 at 18:58 | comment | added | njzk2 | "all free falling objects accelerate at the same rate". In a vacuum, yes. Otherwise,there's air resistance. | |
| May 21, 2016 at 18:36 | vote | accept | Billy Jean | ||
| May 21, 2016 at 11:07 | answer | added | Wolpertinger | timeline score: 6 | |
| May 21, 2016 at 9:48 | comment | added | Billy Jean | It was quite cloudy. 1 c +/- . The snow was semi compact from the rain/snow mix conditions the last few days prior. We have received over 400'' up there this season. It snowed 5'' the night prior. We call it "dust on crust" here. Hardpack under, with a moderately wet/heavy top layer of about 5'' of snow. | |
| May 21, 2016 at 9:46 | comment | added | CuriousOne | @Numrok: From the images I have seen avalanches to behave somewhat like liquids, even if they may glide in layers. The comparison is not perfect, of course, since the material is, at the very least, a non-Newtonian liquid. Put enough pressure on it and it will solidify quickly. That's the problem once one is under layers of the snow... then it becomes a trap. I wasn't aware that the airbag technology existed. That's interesting and it does give some hope that operating in alpine environments can be made safer. Cool. | |
| May 21, 2016 at 9:38 | comment | added | Wolpertinger | @BillyJean: could you describe the snow conditions? i.e. the compactness of the snow on the top layer and how deep it was. If you need inspiration: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_snow#On_the_ground . After that I will probably be able to answer your question. | |
| May 21, 2016 at 9:38 | history | edited | Qmechanic♦ |
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| May 21, 2016 at 9:36 | comment | added | Wolpertinger | @CuriousOne Such "suits" exist in the form of backpacks (e.g. abs-airbag.com/en). The do not work on the basis of reducing density though, rather on increasing area I would say. And concerning the statement that snow behaves more like "a liquid than a solid": that really only applies to powder, which I assume was not the snow conditions present, since that wouldn't give an avalanche as described. | |
| May 21, 2016 at 8:47 | comment | added | CuriousOne | You sank for the same reason you sink in water: there is nothing to stop you. The snow particles in an avalanche behave much more like a liquid than a solid, i.e. you can push them out of your way while you are sinking deeper. As long as your density is higher than that of the now flowing snow, you will sink. One could imagine a kind of avalanche "suit", like a large airbag, that would inflate and that could reduce your effective density by almost an order of magnitude. It would probably have to blow up to a cylinder of tw0 to three times your diameter. That may help to stay near the surface. | |
| May 21, 2016 at 8:29 | history | asked | Billy Jean | CC BY-SA 3.0 |