The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche
On 8th February 1996, in the north-western part of Andorra in the Pyrenees, the Les Fonts d’Arinsal (LFd’A) pure powder avalanche was triggered, descending some 1200 m to the bottom of the Arinsal valley and continuing up the opposite slope for about 200 m. This size 4–5 avalanche reached velocities...
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doaj-986f6f2261cc49a28b051db16be1decc2020-11-25T01:47:56ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632020-03-011012612610.3390/geosciences10040126The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow AvalancheGlòria Furdada0Aina Margalef1Laura Trapero2Marc Pons3Francesc Areny4Margaret Baró5Albert Reyes6Marta Guinau7RISKNAT Research Group, Geomodels Institute, Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, SpainSnow and Mountain Research Centre of Andorra (CENMA-IEA), AD600 Sant Julià de Lòria, AndorraSnow and Mountain Research Centre of Andorra (CENMA-IEA), AD600 Sant Julià de Lòria, AndorraSnow and Mountain Research Centre of Andorra (CENMA-IEA), AD600 Sant Julià de Lòria, AndorraDepartment of Industry and Transport, Ministry of Economy, Andorra Government (until 2006), c/Prat de la Creu 62–64, AD500 Andorra la Vella, AndorraASI Consultants (until 2003), Camí de l’Església Cs Joan PB-1, AD300 Anyós, AndorraCamp de Neu Ordino-Arcalís, Grandvalira Resorts, AD300 El Serrat, AndorraRISKNAT Research Group, Geomodels Institute, Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, SpainOn 8th February 1996, in the north-western part of Andorra in the Pyrenees, the Les Fonts d’Arinsal (LFd’A) pure powder avalanche was triggered, descending some 1200 m to the bottom of the Arinsal valley and continuing up the opposite slope for about 200 m. This size 4–5 avalanche reached velocities of up to 80 ms<sup>−1</sup>, devastated 18 ha of forest, involved a minimum volume of up to 1.8 × 10<sup>6</sup> m<sup>−3</sup> and caused major damage to eight buildings. Fortunately, no one was injured thanks to an evacuation, but 322 people lost their properties. This study describes the physical characteristics of the LFd’A avalanche path and provides data on earlier avalanches, the meteorological synoptic situation and snowpack conditions that generated the avalanche episode, the warning and preventive actions carried out, the effects and evidence of the large avalanche, and the defence system implemented afterwards. A discussion of the avalanche dynamics based on observations and damage, including the role of snow entrainment, the total lack of characteristic dense flow deposits, as well as the evidence of a two-phase flow (fluidisation and suspension), is presented. This case study is an example of a paradigmatic large, pure powder, dry-snow avalanche, which will be useful for model calibration.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/4/126snow avalanchespowder snow avalanchefield observationssnow entrainmentcase studyPyrenees |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Glòria Furdada Aina Margalef Laura Trapero Marc Pons Francesc Areny Margaret Baró Albert Reyes Marta Guinau |
spellingShingle |
Glòria Furdada Aina Margalef Laura Trapero Marc Pons Francesc Areny Margaret Baró Albert Reyes Marta Guinau The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche Geosciences snow avalanches powder snow avalanche field observations snow entrainment case study Pyrenees |
author_facet |
Glòria Furdada Aina Margalef Laura Trapero Marc Pons Francesc Areny Margaret Baró Albert Reyes Marta Guinau |
author_sort |
Glòria Furdada |
title |
The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche |
title_short |
The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche |
title_full |
The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche |
title_fullStr |
The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Avalanche of Les Fonts d’Arinsal (Andorra): An Example of a Pure Powder, Dry Snow Avalanche |
title_sort |
avalanche of les fonts d’arinsal (andorra): an example of a pure powder, dry snow avalanche |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Geosciences |
issn |
2076-3263 |
publishDate |
2020-03-01 |
description |
On 8th February 1996, in the north-western part of Andorra in the Pyrenees, the Les Fonts d’Arinsal (LFd’A) pure powder avalanche was triggered, descending some 1200 m to the bottom of the Arinsal valley and continuing up the opposite slope for about 200 m. This size 4–5 avalanche reached velocities of up to 80 ms<sup>−1</sup>, devastated 18 ha of forest, involved a minimum volume of up to 1.8 × 10<sup>6</sup> m<sup>−3</sup> and caused major damage to eight buildings. Fortunately, no one was injured thanks to an evacuation, but 322 people lost their properties. This study describes the physical characteristics of the LFd’A avalanche path and provides data on earlier avalanches, the meteorological synoptic situation and snowpack conditions that generated the avalanche episode, the warning and preventive actions carried out, the effects and evidence of the large avalanche, and the defence system implemented afterwards. A discussion of the avalanche dynamics based on observations and damage, including the role of snow entrainment, the total lack of characteristic dense flow deposits, as well as the evidence of a two-phase flow (fluidisation and suspension), is presented. This case study is an example of a paradigmatic large, pure powder, dry-snow avalanche, which will be useful for model calibration. |
topic |
snow avalanches powder snow avalanche field observations snow entrainment case study Pyrenees |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/4/126 |
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