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Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Innsbruck, Austria, 2018 CHARACTERISTICS OF WEAK LAYERS OF SLAB AVALANCHES THAT OCCURRED IN HOKKAIDO IN THE DECADE FROM 2007 TO 2017 Toshihiro Ozeki1*, Hayato Arakawa2,12, Akihiro Hachikubo3, Yusuke Harada4, Go Iwahana5, Yuji Kodama6, Kazuki Nakamura7, Daiki Sakakibara8, Ken-ichi Sakakibara9, Takanobu Sawagaki10, Kou Shimoyama8, Shin Sugiyama8, Katsumi Yamanoi11, Satoru Yamaguchi12, Eizi Akitaya13, and Akihiro Tachimoto14 1 Sapporo Campus, Hokkaido University of Education, Sapporo, Japan 2 Yagai-Kagaku Co., Ltd., Sapporo, Japan 3 School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Kitami Institute of Technology, Kitami, Japan 4 Snow Avalanche and Landslide Research Center, Public Works Research Institute, Arai, Japan 5 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA 6 National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Japan 7 National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Tsukuba, Japan 8 Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan 9 Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Japan 10 Faculty of Social Sciences, Hosei University, Machida, Japan 11 Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Sapporo, Japan 12 Snow and Ice Research Center, National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Nagaoka, Japan 13 NPO Network of Snow and Ice Specialists, Sapporo, Japan 14 NORTE, Otaru, Japan ABSTRACT: The Hokkaido branch of the Japanese Society of Snow and Ice (JSSI) has organized its Snow Damage Research Team since 2007. In cooperation with mountain guides, the research team ascended to the avalanche starting zone and observed the mountain snowpack to obtain information pertaining to any weak layers. It contributed to an avalanche society in Japan by acquiring data on the starting zone, for which little information had existed previously in Japan. The research team investigates both the avalanche accident and also the behavior of the party involved in the accident. In this paper, we describe the characteristics of the weak layers that caused the major avalanche accidents observed in the past 10 years. Faceted crystals and depth hoar were the most common weak layers, accounting for two-thirds of the total. These hoar crystals formed near the surface layer and were subsequently buried. There were also four cases in which precipitation particles (snow crystals without riming) formed a weak layer. This type of weak layer made up one-third of the total, which is larger than the proportion for weak layers of surface avalanches occurring in Europe or North America. This trend may depend on the snowfall system in Japan, so it is necessary to pay attention to the precipitation pattern. KEYWORDS: slab avalanche, weak layer, snowfall system, Hokkaido 1. INTRODUCTION guides, the research team ascended to the ava- lanche starting zone (Figures 1 and 2) and observed The Hokkaido branch of the Japanese Society of the mountain snowpack to obtain information pertain- Snow and Ice (JSSI) has organized its Snow Dam- ing to any weak layers (Figure 3). age Research Team since 2007 (Ozeki et al., 2008). This team investigates avalanche damage as well as heavy snowfall events, snowdrifts, etc. For example, the research team investigated two accidents caused by heavy snowfall in Hokkaido in the past 10 years. One was an investigation of a heavy snowfall event at Sapporo and Ebetsu on January 17, 2010, and the other was a snow survey of heavy snow damage in the Sorachi region in 2012. However, investigation of avalanches is the main task for the research team. The research team investigates both the avalanche accident itself and also the behavior of the party in- volved in the accident. In cooperation with mountain *Corresponding author address: Figure 1. Ascending to the avalanche starting Toshihiro Ozeki, Hokkaido University of Educa- zone in cooperation with the mountain guides. tion, 5-3 Ainosato, Sapporo 002-8502, Japan; Photo: Mt. Kamihorokamettoku on November tel & fax +81-11- 778-0381; 17, 2007. e-mail: [email protected] 997 Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Innsbruck, Austria, 2018 One of the noteworthy aspects of the activity is an agreement with the Community Police Affairs Plan- ning Division of the Hokkaido Prefectural Police to obtain avalanche accident information quickly. Infor- mation on mountain weather conditions during field investigations is provided by the Japan Weather As- sociation. In this paper, we describe the characteristics of the weak layers that caused the major avalanche acci- dents observed in the past 10 years. 2. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS Figure 2. Observation at an avalanche starting The research team investigated with a focus on slab zone. Photo: Mt. Asahidake on December 31, avalanches that caused serious accidents such as 2015. fatality or serious injury. The team ascended from the debris to the crown, measured the avalanche size, and observed the mountain snowpack and debris. Table 1 shows the observational data of the slab av- alanches investigated by the research team in the past 10 years. The third column indicates the name of each respective mountain. The locations of these mountains are shown in Figure 4. The avalanche data do not include avalanche accidents that oc- curred around roads. Data pertaining to avalanches that reach national routes are collected at the Hok- kaido Road Management Engineering Center. 2.1 Locations The avalanches investigated occurred in Hokkaido, Figure 3. Crown surface of the avalanche (No.2 except for avalanche number 6 in Table 1. It is note- in Table 1) and grain shape of the weak layer. worthy that these avalanches occurred in two areas. Photo: Mt. Kamihorokamettoku on December One is the Niseko area, including Mt. Niseko An- 11, 2007. (Ozeki et al., 2008) nupuri and Mt. Yotei. The Niseko area is located in the southwestern part of Hokkaido. The area is known as a premiere ski resort in the world. It is par- ticularly popular with snowboarders and backcountry Table 1 Weak layer data of the slab avalanches that investigated in the past 10 years. 998 Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Innsbruck, Austria, 2018 skiers who enjoy the off-piste areas because of their They also pointed out that a large temperature gradi- powdery snow. ent is produced by radiative cooling. On the other hand, Schweizer and Jamieson (2000) investigated The other is the Daisetuzan area, including the To- the weak layer of skier-triggered avalanches in Swit- kachi Montain Range and Mt. Asahidake. The zerland and Canada. They reported that 82 % of the Daisetsuzan area, which is designated a national weak layers consisted of surface hoar, faceted crys- park, is located at the center of Hokkaido. This area tals, and depth hoar. Therefore, it can be stated that is one of the best places to observe snow crystals in the proportion of hoar crystal weak layers, two-thirds Japan. In addition, the number of skiers and snow- of the total in Hokkaido, is slightly smaller than that in boarders climbing the Tokachi Mountain Range and Europe or North America. Mt. Asahidake has tended to increase in recent years, and there is an increasing risk of occurrence of ava- Weak layers consisting of snow crystals without rim- lanche. ing, which means clear snow crystals, were charac- teristic in the investigation at Hokkaido. This type of 2.2 Weak layers weak layer made up one-third of the total, which is larger than the proportion for weak layers of slab av- Weak layers in the starting zone were observed alanches occurring in Europe or North America. through 13 avalanche surveys. The team contributed Schweizer and Jamieson (2000) reported that only to an avalanche society in Japan by acquiring data 6 % of the weak layers in Switzerland and Canada on the starting zone, for which little information had consisted of precipitation particles. This trend may existed in Japan previously. depend on the snowfall system in Japan. Snow crys- There were nine cases in which faceted crystals or tals without riming often form in front of cyclonic sys- depth hoar formed a weak layer. Hoar crystals were tems. Cyclones migrate eastward across Japan and the most common weak layers, accounting for two- the prevailing northwesterly winds then cause advec- thirds of the total. These hoar crystals formed near tion of cold air from Siberia to Japan and bring heavy the surface layer and then were buried. There were snowfall, which usually consists of precipitation par- also five cases in which precipitation particles (snow ticles with riming, to the west coast of Japan. There- crystals without riming) formed a weak layer. fore, it is necessary to pay attention to the precipita- tion pattern. 4. CONCLUSIONS The Snow Damage Research Team of the JSSI Hok- kaido branch investigated 13 major slab avalanche accidents in the past 10 years. The avalanches were located in two areas: the Niseko area including Mt. Niseko Annupuri and Mt. Yotei and the Daisetuzan area including the Tokachi Mountain Range and Mt. Asahidake. Both areas are very popular with snow- boarders and backcountry skiers. The research team ascended to the avalanche start- ing zone and observed the weak layers of slab ava- lanches. Faceted crystals and depth hoar were the most common types of weak layers, accounting for two-thirds of the total. Weak layers consisting of pre- cipitation particles (snow crystals without riming) Figure 4 Locations of investigated avalanches. made up one-third of the total, which is larger than The numbers indicate the locations of mountains the proportion for weak layers of surface avalanches in Table 1. Location of avalanche number 6 is in occurring in Europe or North America. This type of Toyama Prefecture, Honshu. Southwest: Niseko weak layer, which may depend on the snowfall sys- area, center: Daisetuzan area. tem in Japan, is characteristic of the investigation at Hokkaido. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3. DISCUSSION We express our gratitude to Ms.
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