Publications

Avalanches are natural hazards that occur when an unstable mass of snow breaks away from a mountain slope. It is expected that climate change will lead to increased avalanche activity, which can cause interruptions to water and power infrastructure, transportation blockages, higher risk for loss of life, and changes to ecosystems. Avalanche forecasts are key to mitigating hazards, and observations of recent avalanches comprise one of the key observations for deciding danger level. It is well understood that infrasound can be used to detect and locate snow avalanches in transitional snowpacks, even during snowstorms, but similar studies are lacking for maritime snowpacks. Here we show results from an infrasound field experiment in Tutl’uh (Turnagain Arm), Alaska, USA between January 31 – April 30 field deployment campaign. We show that (1) methods developed for transitional snowpacks can be applied to maritime snowpacks in Alaska, (2) background noise may be higher in this region due to natural and anthropogenic influences, and (3) low-cost infrasound sensors can withstand the harsh Alaskan winter and successfully collect data. We also discuss the impact of this work and a path forward.

Abstract not provided.

Low frequency sound below 20 Hz, also known as infrasound, is generated by both natural and anthropogenic sources. Local surface winds also generate signals within this frequency band and can dominate signals. Effectively monitoring sources of interest requires filtering out the influence of wind. Recently, the National Center for Physical Acoustics developed a 1 m fabric dome made from trampoline material that can serve as a wind filter for temporary field deployments. We assess the performance of this new dome by quantifying its overall noise reduction and show that it is an acceptable wind filter for temporary infrasound field deployments.

Abstract not provided.