Swiss research finds cracks in the snowpack spread faster than expected

Cracks in the snow are spreading faster than previously assumed Keystone-SDA

Cracks in the snowpack can race across the surface at more than 100 metres per second – far faster than theory suggests is possible. Experiments in Davos Platz, in eastern Switzerland, have revealed rupture speeds that even exceed the limits predicted by existing models.

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The findings could help improve avalanche forecasting, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) said on Wednesday. The speed at which a crack spreads through the snowpack plays a key role in determining how big an avalanche can become.

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The researchers believe that fast‑moving cracks are less likely to slow or stop, increasing the chance of larger avalanches. Gaining a better understanding of how these fractures develop could improve estimates of an avalanche’s potential size. According to the SLF, this matters both for setting danger levels in the avalanche bulletin and for assessing the risk to buildings and other infrastructure.

Extensive experiments in Davos

The team, led by SLF scientist Bastian Bergfeld, reached this conclusion through extensive field experiments carried out in Davos Platz.

Over several years, the team deliberately triggered avalanches on a specially prepared test slope under controlled conditions. They isolated sections of the snowpack and triggered controlled fractures, capturing how they spread with high‑speed cameras.

The analysis showed that cracks can reach speeds of up to 130 metres per second. Until now, scientists had assumed they travelled at between 20 and 80 metres per second. A speed of 130 metres per second even exceeds the theoretical limit for this process, known as the shear‑wave speed. The researchers say gravity acting on the slope is likely behind the extra acceleration.

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The researchers have published their findings in Nature Communications. The experiments were carried out under controlled conditions, and it remains unclear how often such rapid crack propagation occurs in the real world. They add that the precise role of different snowpack properties in this process still needs further investigation.

Translated from German by AI/sp

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