METHOD FOR DETERMINING THICKNESS OF SNOW COVER AT AVALANCHE SITES Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC G01W1/14 G01C3/08 

FIELD: measurement equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to methods for remote determination of snow cover thickness and can be used to forecast avalanche hazard. Essence of the invention is as follows: summer and winter soundings of a slope are performed subsequently using a laser distance meter. By sounding the slope at the corresponding guidance angles - as to azimuth (Az) and angle (β) of elevation, distance is measured from the place of its installation in a valley till test points in an avalanche generation zone relative to a datum point. As to difference between results of sounding during summer and winter periods, thickness (AE) of snow cover is determined in the direction of a sounding laser beam. For each test point on the slope there determined is slope exposition (Not shown in Fig. 6), slope curvature (β_curv), as well as projection ( $$\overline{n}$$ ) to the horizontal plane of normal (n) drawn to the test point on the slope, and a piece (AE) characterising thickness of snow cover on the slope in the direction of the sounding laser beam. Angle (ψ) is determined between these projections. As per the found values, true thickness of snow cover is determined in the form of a projection of piece (AE) to a normal drawn to the slope surface at the test point of the avalanche site.

EFFECT: improving accurate determination of snow cover thickness at avalanche sites.

5 cl, 8 dwg, 2 tbl