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A large wet snow avalanche cycle in West Greenland quantified using remote sensing and in situ observations

Author

Listed:
  • Jakob Abermann

    (University of Graz
    Asiaq, Greenland Survey)

  • Markus Eckerstorfer

    (Norut)

  • Eirik Malnes

    (Norut)

  • Birger Ulf Hansen

    (Copenhagen University)

Abstract

On 11 April 2016 we observed high slushflow and wet snow avalanche activity at the environmental monitoring station Kobbefjord in W-Greenland. Snow avalanches released as a result of snow wetting induced by rain-on-snow in combination with a strong rise in air temperature. We exploit high-resolution satellite imagery covering pre- and post-event conditions for avalanche quantification and show that nearly 800 avalanches were triggered during this cycle. The nature of this extraordinary event is put into a longer temporal context by analysing several years of meteorological data and time-lapse imagery. We find that no event of similar size has occurred during the past 10 years of intense environmental monitoring in the study area. Meteorological reanalysis data reveal consistent relevant weather patterns for potential rain-on-snow events in the study area being warm fronts from Southwest with orographic lifting processes that triggered heavy precipitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Jakob Abermann & Markus Eckerstorfer & Eirik Malnes & Birger Ulf Hansen, 2019. "A large wet snow avalanche cycle in West Greenland quantified using remote sensing and in situ observations," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 97(2), pages 517-534, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:97:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s11069-019-03655-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-019-03655-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karl Birkeland & Cary Mock, 2001. "The Major Snow Avalanche Cycle of February 1986 in the Western United States," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 24(1), pages 75-95, July.
    2. R. Bintanja & F. M. Selten, 2014. "Future increases in Arctic precipitation linked to local evaporation and sea-ice retreat," Nature, Nature, vol. 509(7501), pages 479-482, May.
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