Vår 2025

GEO-3139 Snow Avalanche Science and Management - 10 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for geovitenskap

Type of course

This course is available as a single course.

Course contents

The course is about the technical aspects of snow avalanches from snow in the clouds, processes in the snowpack, avalanche formation, avalanche movements and dynamics, mitigation and avalanche forecasting. The course gives an understanding of all the physical processes of avalanches as a natural hazard, as well as management and mitigation strategies.The students learn about meteorology that leads to snow precipitation, physics of snow on the ground, snow mechanical behaviour and fracture mechanics, and avalanche release. The movement of avalanches will be described with the help of a simple block model. Statistical and dynamic avalanche models are used to describe avalanche runout, velocities and pressure. A review of mitigation measures and avalanche forecasting will demonstrate methods of avalanche risk management. The acquired knowledge will be applied in the assessment of avalanche hazard in selected settlements around Tromsø. Students will spend one week in the field visiting snow avalanche sites, study risk management for roads and study snow properties and processes in the mountains.

Admission requirements

Bachelor's degree in geology, or a similar degree following a programme of study of at least three years, or similar education approved in accordance with the Norwegian Universities Act section 3-4. In addition, specialization in geology worth the equivalent of at least 80 ECTS credits is required. Normally, an average mark of C or better is required at the bachelor's degree level or other program for basis of admission.

Application code: 9371.

Obligatory prerequisites

MAT-0001 Calculus in Applicationsor FYS-0001 Applied physics

Objective of the course

Knowledge

The student has:

Knowledge of basic meteorology and the physical process of snow formation
Knowledge of the physics in snow on the ground, and how to describe snowpack properties
Understanding how snowpack properties affect the mechanical behaviour and when this leads to snow avalanches
Knowledge and understanding of snow avalanche movement and dynamics to estimate velocities, pressure and runout
Knowledge on avalanche -object interaction
Knowledge of how snow avalanche warning systems function
Knowledge of different mitigation measures used in snow avalanche protection, and understand how the different measures may be selected and applied

Skills

The student can:

Identify and distinguish avalanche terrain
Recognise different snow avalanche types and their meteorological and other triggers
Use advanced knowledge and field skills to assess the potential mechanical behaviour of a snowpack to determine if an avalanche will occur
Use a statistical avalanche model to estimate the runout length
Use a basic block model to calculate snow avalanche velocities
Use a dynamic avalanche model to calculate avalanche dynamics in two dimensions
Detailed interpretation of local forecasting systems and snow pack assessments to determine physical safety in the mountains
Suggest mitigation measures for a given site
Produce a basic hazard assessment following the Norwegian guidelines in tek17

General competence

The student can:

Recognise, assess, quantify and communicate the hazard posed by avalanches to human infrastructure and settlements
Use the correct terminology to describe the snow pack and different types of snow avalanches
Solve a basic problem of avalanche terrain, snow pack stability and model runout behaviour
Communicate the national regulations for snow avalanche hazard management and make basic recommendations about management approaches

Language of instruction

English

Teaching methods

The course is in a block format and consists of two weeks of class time (70 hours) followed by a one-week excursion (40 hours). The students are expected to spend up to 25 hours outside of class working on their final report following the block weeks.