User:Avalanche Sandbox

This is an account to hold a sandbox for redevelopment of the avalanche page User:Avalanche_Sandbox/sandbox

Goals

The intended structure of the article is to proceed from the general to the specific, answering the questions, in order:

1. What is an avalanche? (introduction)
2. Where and when do avalanches occur? (regions)
3. What are the characteristics of an avalanche? (types)
4. What starts an avalanche? (triggers)
5. What contributes to avalanches? (terrain, weather, snowpack)
6. Why are they important in the nature? (natural significance)
7. Why are they important to people? (disaster management)
8. How are they studied? (observation methods)
9. How are they represented? (cultural significance)
10. What is the latest research? (ongoing research)

This will be followed by the standard sections found in other Wikipedia articles:

• See also
• References
• Further reading
• External links

Plan

A quick brainstorm for the main tasks

1. Draft outline - nearly stabilized
2. Validate outline - needs review from academic/professional community, awaiting feedback
3. Request references for each subsection in outline - sent, some encouragement, one very helpful set of references.
4. Write one to two paragraphs per subsection. Tactic: for each subsection look-up keywords in indexes of textbooks then cite accordingly - writing underway, working out citations
5. Request tables and lists for inclusion
6. Format and organize tables and lists - set space aside for some of the tables
7. Request images, diagrams, figures, animations, photos, and videos for inclusion
8. Obtain licences for visual content
9. Format and organize visual content
10. Request review and input on pre-release draft
11. Revise accordingly
12. Stage pre-release with one week count down to overwrite
13. Release and overwrite
14. One year follow-up

Draft of request for references letter

Dear friends and colleagues,

Five years ago I floated the idea of improving the avalanche page at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalanche, since then the page has languished in obscurity. Recently, interest in updating the page has been expressed by the Wikipedia user Thermodynamic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Thermodynamic; who is an undisclosed member of the avalanche science community, in the Pacific North West of the US. This has motivated me to resurrect the task of updating the avalanche page under the user identity of Avalanche_Sandbox http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Avalanche_Sandbox. To tackle this I am decomposing the process into small tasks that can be addressed with minimal demands on the academic, and professional avalanche science community.

The first task is to validate the proposed outline for the updated article, and to recommend references for each subsection in the outline. I have finished sketching an outline for a future version of the article; it can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Avalanche_Sandbox/sandbox.

I am requesting a donation of 5 minutes from your busy research, teaching, professional, and of course skiing schedules to review those parts of the outline that fall comfortably within your respective domains of expertise; and then recommend at least 1 reference for each subsection you review. You can do this either by directly editing the text of the outline using the Edit tab on the page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Avalanche_Sandbox/sandbox, or by responding to this email, enclosing the appropriate information.

Please note that within the context of this article acceptable references are textbooks, and reference books (both published and on-line), standardized curriculum from professional and academic courses, and references to information on web sites run by recognized authoritative bodies. This is not meant to be a comprehensive review of the state of the art research, but rather an approachable introduction to the topic, for the general public, from anywhere in the world. As such, references to the latest research findings, particularly in mathematical simulations, will be of little value to this endeavour.

Currently in my personal library I have the standard texts: Fredston & Fesler (1994), McClung & Scharerer (1998), Daffern (1999), and Jamieson (1997); and I recently found the online version of the very valuable Jamieson (1996) compendium of accidents. Unfortunately I do not have the resources at my disposal to extend my personal library through purchases.

I apologize for the mass mailing, and I hope that this request is not too much of a burden,

Thank you very much,

<<redacted personal name>>

Responses

Hi <<redacted>>:

1. Most of the texts are orientated towards back-country users, so aside from McClung I don't have any good reference material on professional avalanche management methods (I know broadly what they are, I just don't have much to cite).

So you are looking for reference to describe the professional avalanche hazard assessment process. McClung and Schaerer (2006) is definitely a starting point. Other references that come to mind are:

- McClung, D. M. (2002). The elements of applied avalanche forecasting - Part I: The human issues. Natural Hazards, 25, 111-129.

- McClung, D. M. (2002). The elements of applied avalanche forecasting - Part II: The physical issues and rules of applied avalanche forecasting. Natural Hazards, 25, 131-146.

These papers are interesting, but they only provide a one sided perspective.

Most of the material you are looking for is included in professional course (CAA Level 1 to Level 3) or operations manual and not available in peer-reviewed literature. Other publications that might be interesting are

- Statham, G. (2008). Avalanche hazard, danger and risk - a practical explanation. Paper presented at the International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC.

- Statham, G., Haegeli, P., Birkeland, K. W., Greene, E., Israelson, C., Tremper, B., et al. (2010). A conceptual model of avalanche hazard. Paper presented at the International Snow Science Workshop, Lake Tahoe, CA. (abstract only)

- Haegeli, P., Atkins, R., & Klassen, K. (2010). Decision making in avalanche terrain - a field book for winter backcountry users. Revelstoke, BC: Canadian Avalanche Centre. Background material available at <http://www.avalanche.ca/cac/pre-trip-planning/decisionmaking> http://www.avalanche.ca/cac/pre-trip-planning/decisionmaking

2. Do you know of anyone who has compiled a list of mountain ranges that have avalanche seasons, along with some basic information like the elevation band of the avalanche zones, time of year, and availability of professional forecast/control services?

This is a tough one. Avalanche are basically a problem in all mountains that have snow. I am not aware of any comprehensive survey that offices a detailed overview of the available avalanche warning services. A good starting point would be:

- European Avalanche Warning Services: <http://www.avalanches.org/> http://www.avalanches.org/

- Canadian Avalanche Centre: <http://avalanche.ca> http://avalanche.ca

- US Avalanche Centers: <http://www.avalanche.org> http://www.avalanche.org

- New Zealand: <http://www.avalanche.net.nz/> http://www.avalanche.net.nz/

- Argentina: <http://www.clubandino.org/> http://www.clubandino.org/ (not sure, just found the link on the US site)

I hope this information is useful.

<<redacted>>

By the way, I forgot about the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) near Manali, India yesterday (http://drdo.gov.in/drdo/labs/SASE/English/index.jsp?pg=homebody.jsp)

Draft of request for tables and lists

Phase 3 letter

Draft of request for figures, diagrams, images, animations, and videos

Phase 4 letter

Draft of request for review and input

Phase 5 letter

Draft of one year follow-up

Phase 6 letter