14th eaws meeting, starý smokovec, 21-22 june 2007 activities of the eaws working group jakob...

14th EAWS Meeting, Starý Smokovec, 21-22 June 2007

Activities of the

EAWS working group

Jakob Rhyner, SLF


Short History of the EAWS

Meetings: 1983 München (D)1985 Davos (CH)1985 Vill (A)1986 Grenoble (F)1991 Bozen (I)1993 Wildbad Kreuth (D) Unified Danger Scale1994 Davos (CH)1995 Davos (CH)1997 St. Christoph (A)1999 Chamonix (F)2001 Trento (I)2003 München (D)2005 Davos (CH)2007 Starý Smokovec (SK) http://www.slf.ch/laworg/map.html


EAWS Permanent Working Group

Members (since 2001):Anselmo Cagnati (I)Cécile Coléou (F)Enrico Filaferro (I)Daniele Moro (I)Patrick Nairz (A)Christoph Oberschmied (I)Jan Peto (SK)Jakob Rhyner (CH), leadMichael Staudinger (A)Jacques Villecrose (F) †Thomas Stucki (CH)Bernhard Zenke (D)


EAWS Working Group Activities Since 2001

Danger scale: Various refinements

Unified Danger Matrix (Bavarian Matrix)

Danger Characterization by Examples (ongoing)

Avalanche Size and Frequency Classification

Multilingual glossary (G, F, I, E, SK, R)

Level 4...

Restructuring of Avalanche Bulletins (ongoing)

Simplified information (ongoing)


Group Meetings since Davos 2005

6 May 2006, Bozen

Main Topic: Danger level characterization by examples

6 October 2006, Salzburg

Main Topic: Information structure and simplification


RAREReducing Avalanche Risks in

Europe(New EU FP7 project)

Jakob Rhyner, SLF


RARE Partners

Full partners:1. Icelandic Meteorological Office IMO (IS)2. Bundesforschungs- und Ausbildungszentrum für

Wald, Naturgefahren und Landschaft BFW (A)3. MétéoFrance, Centre des Etudes de la Neige CEN

(F)4. University of Cambridge (UK)5. University of Pavia (I)6. CEMAGREF (F)7. Consulting Office FLOW-ING (I)8. Norwegian Geotechnical Institute NGI (N)9. Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche

Research SLF (CH)In addition: Several Associated

Partners!


RARE Work packages

1. Spatial variation of snow cover properties and their effect on initial conditions for snow avalanche release

2. Prediction an warning3. Avalanche path variability of snow cover and its

influence on avalanche hazard4. Harmonizing hazard, vulnerability, and risk

mapping methods5. Effect of permanent and temporary risk control

measures6. Quantifying uncertainty and including effects of

climate change7. Harmonisation of avalanche forecasting, data

management, and education outreach


RARE WP 7 tasks / deliverables

1) Web page for the storage of RARE data and meta data2) RARE Portal for external use, with data exploitations

tools for extracting, viewing and analysing data3) Further development of the common EAWS platform

(common XML)4) Document on the best practices and „minimal“

standards for avalanche forecast and warning systems5) Harmonized course program for safety services and

observers6) Special session „EU-RARE Forecast and Warning

Procedures“ within 16th EAWS meeting 20117) Teaching material (case study based)8) Framework for permanent European forecaster

exchange9) Workshop on hazards mapping


RARE might provide...

.... a channel to discuss new research results from the point of view of practice

.... some (limited) financial support for the EAWS

work

.... a framework for a forecaster exchange programme

The RARE consortium is still looking for Associated Partners !


RARE Associated Partners

Associated partners obtain... ... access to products and data ... invitation to the most important meetings

Associated partners are expected to... ... Share their ideas and views with the project

consortium and give input to the ongoing discussions

... Carry the results and to and them within their region of responsibility


Open Pointsfor the Working Group

Jakob Rhyner, SLF


Graphically based information (1st session Thursday afternoon)

Graphical Information in Bulletins:

Basic decision: Include exposition, altitude, and time development as „mandatory“ graphic informationProposal: NOT TO WORKING GROUP, DECIDE IT HERE !

Details of graphical icon design: working group develops pilot solution ready for winter 07/08

Greenhorn Icons:

Swiss proposal should be tested as a pilot. Icons are open for use by any warning service. Working group make assessment after winters

07/08 and 08/09 and decide on possible improvements


Standardization – harmonization – credibility(2nd session Thursday afternoon)

Canadian and European Standardization approach:

Canadian: Probability - Consequence SchemeEuropean: Bavarian matrix

Two approaches are most probably very similar. Working group should keep close contact to Canadian colleagues

Comprehensibility / perception of danger terms:

Problem: „3“ is perceived more problematic than „considerable“

Solution (Decision ?): Communicate that only levels 1-4 are relevant. Then „3“ is in the „upper half“.


Hazard levels Examples(1st Session Friday morning)

Level 1 (Mauro Valt) Level 2 (Bernhard Zenke) Level 4 (Thomas Stucki) Level 5 (Patrick Nairz) Spring situation 2 3 (Christoph Oberschmied)

Level 3 (Thomas Stucki) Level 4 without spontaneous releases (Cécile Coléou) Less catastrophic 5 / transition 4 to 5

Level „Skier 4“ (Lukas Dürr): ?, Switzerland and Tyrol use it

(Bernhard Zenke): Fact sheet be made by working group!!

Decided:

To be taken up by the working group:

Special cases:

More numerous compressed examples


Hazard levels Examples(1st Session Friday morning)

Avalanche size scale:

Patrick Nairz proposes to (re-)introduce 5th size level Take it up in Working Group again?


General Issues

Protected section on EAWS web page

„decided issues“ available in structured form

guidelines for automatic stations and observer networks

Law issues. Make documents available.

Forum for Questions and Answers (to be decided: who takes care?)

Info on interesting projects

European wide phone number

Check possibilities for a no / low cost solution


Requests of small and new avalanche services to the working group of EAWS(collected by Jan Peto)

1/ Requests on automatic stations of avalanche service (kind of sensors, measurement frequency, data transmission, localisation of stations, etc.)

2/ Requests on observation stations of avalanche service (kind of observations, frequency etc.)

3/ Requests on stable snow-profile places and on measurements of snow profiles on leaning slopes (dimensions of stations, orientation /exposition, methodology of measurement –hammer-probe, hand-profile, unification the methodology of snow stability on the slopes – slide block test, slide wedge test, compression test, K.O. test, norwegian method, etc.)

4/ Unification the methodology of measurements and observations, multilingual software development, exchange an experiencies on avalanche courses organised by EAWS countries

5/ Summarisation the directives in various countries about blasting avalanches and avalanche defenses.

6/ Juridical instructions (laws, edicts, etc.) about avalanche accidents, tragedies, damages.

7/ Continuos filling-up the multilingual avalanche vocabulary with special terms and definitions.

14th eaws meeting, starý smokovec, 21-22 june 2007 activities of the eaws working group jakob...

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