Snow Science (Amber Group 7A)

Snow ScienceMonday, March 9, 2009

Group Members

Annie

Meg

Tayler

Pete

Monday, March 9, 2009

Background Information

Snow Grain InformationGrain types are rounds, facets, depth hoar and melt freeze crust.

Rounds and melt freeze crust both bond well together making the snow more stabile.

Facets and depth hoar do not blend together well making the snow less stabile and vulnerable to avalanches.


Background Info continued...

Avalanche Causes

Triggers start an avalanches.

Anchors stop avalanches.

Avalanches are effected by weather, terrain, and snowpack.


What does density mean?

Density is a measurement of mass and volume.

Density can be found in snow by calculating mass divided by volume.

Dense snow is snow that is thickly packed and bonded together well.

Density is measured in g/cm cubed.


Avalanche Safety

On average 6 people die in Colorado each year because of avalanches.

It is important to understand dangers of avalanches and what can affect them.


Question?????

Does density effect stability of the snow pack?


Hypothesis

Yes the density will effect stability.

Because we think the more dense the snow is the more it can withstand making it more stabile (rounds or melt freeze crust are the most dense of snow grains).

We think this because the dense snow will bond together and be more stabile.


Materials used in our project

popsicle sticks-labeling layers

measuring stick-measuring the height of the snow pit

shovel-compresion and sheer tests

Saw-cutting out chunks for stability tests

Ruler-measuring the height of the snow pit

Tube-calculating density

Spatula-for leveling out the snow in the tube

Squares of felt-looking at the grain type of the snow

Magnifying glass-looking at the grain

Pencil and paper-recording dataMonday, March 9, 2009

Procedure

Dig 3 pits in 3 different places

Control variables

Find layers

Measure density

Do stability tests

Find temperatureMonday, March 9, 2009

Video In PitMonday, March 9, 2009

Variables That We Can Control

Aspect-north facing

Height of pit-between 66-101cm.

Elevation-10100 ft. to 10800 ft.

Slope-between 22 degrees and 25 degrees

location-coniferous,shady areas


Data Analysis

EnergyQ0-The snow had no failure and was very safe

Q1-A very clean break in the snow which is unsafe for avalanches!

Q2-A combination of a very clean, unsafe break and a safe, “caky” break

Q3-A very safe break where all the snow doesn’t pop out, it resists and falls out like a piece of cake


Data Anaysis Continued

Sally Barber 1:20 PM- compression=Q0 and sheer=Q2

Peru Creek 10:45 AM- compression=Q0 and sheer=Q0

Peru Creek 12:25 PM- compression=Q2 and sheer=Q0


Graph at Sally Barber


first graph at perucreek


#2 Graph at Peru Creek


ConclusionDensity of snow does not affect the stability of the snowpack.

The snowpack will still break under pressure no matter what the density is.

Snowpack will still withstand no matter what the density is.


ErrorsWe only dug three pits, so it would have been better to have more data to work with.

We could have had the same people perform the same tests, because different people have different ways of hitting the snowpack in the stability tests, therefore affecting the tests.

We could have controlled the height of the pits more


The EndMonday, March 9, 2009

Education

Snow Science (Amber Group 7A)