Snowpack stability variation on small wind effected slopes

This project deals with wind and rugged terrain being influencing factors of snowpack stability on a small slope. If a slope is unstable, it is likely to fail as an slab avalanche, which poses a threat to skiers and mountaineers. The best way to investiga te snowpack stability and its variation on a small slope is to do snowpack studies, by snow pit excavation. To achieve the goal of investigating how wind and rugged topography influence snowpack stability on a small slope, the following tasks need to be c arried out: - a small suitable slope needs to be found. - Snow pits need to be excavated and standardized stability tests need to be run in the snow pits. - these snow pits need to cover the entire slope to receive a good spatial resolution. In order to be able to carry out this type of fieldwork, a given infrastructure in terms of field locations, as well as knowledge on the test configuration are of great use. The research group of Karl Birkeland and Jordy Hendrikx, from Montana State University, Depa rtment of Earth Sciences. This group can offer various well investigated field locations as well as the knowledge to carry out my study in the best possible way. So besides carrying out my project, a goal of my visit to Montana is to get to know the avala nche research group, work within the group and learn from their experience. Thus I foresee my research visit to Montana to have 2 main objectives: 1) to carry out my own research project in the best suitable environment. The goal is to publish the outcom e of the study in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. 2) to get to know one of the best avalanche research groups worldwide, establish a cooperation and learn from them. this knowledge transfer will be a great opportunity for Norwegian avalanche research.