Contributions

Snow stability and avalanche forecasting

• SWarm: a free spreadhseet model to estimate daytime near-surface warming of dry snow by aspect and slope angle.
• Canadian regional danger ratings more accurate for smaller forecast areas and for more frequent bulletins. Greater accuracy possible by reducing area of large regions than by increasing frequency
• verification of Canadian avalanche bulletins
• distinguishing between persistent and non-persistent weak snowpack layers and identifying the prediction challenge for persistent weak snowpack layers 
• documentation of remote triggering of slabs overlying persistent weak layers 
• refinements to shear frame stability indices, e.g. RBcalc 
• objective interpretation of snow profiles associated with skier triggering (with SLF, Switzerland)
• nearest neighbour regional forecasting model for skier-triggered avalanches on persistent weak layers
• identification of weather and snowpack factors associated with deep slab avalanches

Spatial variability of slab stability within avalanche slopes

• effect of terrain on distribution of weak layers and stability (top of slope, etc.) 
• improved interpretation and limitations of stability tests on avalanche slopes with respect to spatial variability 
• documentation of triggering from isolated areas of weak snowpack 

Field tests and penetrometers

• development and validation of the Propagation Saw Test 
• improved signal interpretation of a digital penetrometer: tracing hardness changes over terrain; identification of "blips" associated with layers prone to sudden fractures
• improved interpretation of compression tests by characterizing fractures
• refinements, advantages and limitations of rutschblock test, compression test and shear frame test
• shear frame technique for monitoring deep weak layers

Fracture propagation

• verification that stronger, deeper slabs tend to result in wider slab avalanches 
• documentation of fracture propagation through areas too stable to be triggered
• first measurement of fracture speed in a buried weak snowpack layer
• preliminary theory for fracture propagation in weak snowpack layers in horizontal terrain

Decision-making by recreationists

• identification of quick field observations suitable for localizing the avalanche danger in the Columbia Mountains
• limitations of rutschblck and compression stability tests without expert site selection

Skier triggering

• effect of surface warming on skier-induced stress in buried weak layers
• identification of snowpack, terrain and weather associated with skier triggering

Surface hoar

• mechanism for surface hoar growth from valley clouds 
• microphotographs of fractured and unfractured surface hoar layers in situ. 
• relating shape and structure of surface hoar layers to stabilization (with CRREL, USA and SLF, Switzerland) 
• critical bonding at base of surface hoar crystals (with SLF, Switzerland) 
• model for strength change of buried surface hoar layers

Weak snowpack layers of faceted crystals

• documentation of faceted grains forming within a day over buried wet layers in field studies and cold lab
• heat flow from buried wet layers and associated faceting of overlying layer (with CRREL, USA; SLF, Switzerland)
• grain growth in dry snow overlying buried wet layer (with CRREL, USA; SLF, Switzerland)
• model for strength change for weak layers of faceted crystals.

Avalanche runout

• statistical model for extreme avalanche runout in Glacier National Park 
• statistical model for extreme avalanche runout from short slopes in Canada

Rescue

• faster more effective probing (with Parks Canada) 

Mapping

• GIS model for mapping avalanche terrain 
• map of avalanche activity areas and fatal accidents across Canada (with Geological Survey of Canada)