Earth Sciences 450

Snow Dynamics and Accumulation

Spring 2009

http://www.homepage.montana.edu/~uessc/esci450/450Syllabus01.html

W 12:00-12:50 224 AJM Johnson Hall
F 12:00-5:00 Lab in Field (or 100 Trap if not out side)
(You must be at field site or lab room at 1:00)

Instructor
Steve Custer
200 Traphagen Hall
Phone: 406 994 6906
e-mail: scuster@montana.edu
Office Hours

Contact info for students


Are we going into the Field?  
 
Did you click Reload?     
16 April 2009  We will go to Bridger.  We are going to work with the ram penetrometer.  We will need to skin or hike up hill.  Because of time considerations, we will stop at 68-6900 feet.   At the bottom of the Virginia City lift.  Shovels and snow kits and rams will be carried up hill. 

Prerequisites: Jr.  Standing; Ability to use Excel Spreadsheet; Word Processor operation); Math 110; STAT 216; Ability to ski from top of Bridger Lift; Physics 205 or 211 (Newtonian Physics). 
Required Books:
McClung, D., and Schaerer, P., 1993, The avalanche handbook. The Mountaineers, Seattle, 271p.

Greene, E., Birkeland, K., ELder, K., Johnson, G., Landry, C., McCammon, I., Moore, M., Sharaf, D., Sterbenz, C., Tremper, B., Williams, K., 2004, Snow, Weather, and Valanches: Observational Guidelines for Avlanche programs in the United States: American  Avalanche Association, Pagosa Springs CO, 136 p.

Colbeck, S., Akitaya, E., Armstrong, R., Gubler, H., Lafeuille, J, Lied, K., McClung, D., Morris, E., (eds.), 1990, The international classification for seasonal snow on the ground: International Association of Scientific Hydrology, 23 p.  On the web.


You will also be expected to read some papers on reserve in the library.
Journal Articles:  On reserve in Library.
Optional Book: Glover, T.J., 2000, Pocket Ref (second edition): Sequoia Publishing, Littleton, CO, 542 p.
Other Papers that may be of interest.
Student Equipment
Department Equipment 

Instructor's Backup Link to All Laboratories
 

Course Schedule ESCI 450 Snow Dynamics and Accummulation
Mon Date Day Topic Reading
Jan 14 W Syllabus, Equipment, Collect Contact Information Discuss Writing Read Syllabus;  *=required
Ch 1

16
F Lecture Marathon 1-5; Meet in 100 Traphagen  We prepare for field and calibrate intstruments
 

New Snow   *43-49; 316-317; 
 *Libbrecht Web Page;  Colbeck et al., 1990; Introduction to Water



New Deposition *p. 49-52; 36-42; 320;  *Birkeland, 1998a; Cooperstein et al, 2004 Colbeck et al. 1990; 
Lang et al., 1984



Stratigraphy *p. 67-68; 187-190; 192-193; *Colbeck et al., 1990; Greene et al., 2004 p. 21-36



Metamorphism I *52-67, p.318-319 *Colbeck, 1982;   Birkeland et al., 1998; *Colbeck et al.,  1990; 





Jan 21 W Metamorphism II *52-67, p.318-319; Colbeck, 1982; Colbeck 1998; Colbeck 2001
  23 F Snow Pit Stratigraphy Laboratory Colbeck, 1990; Custer 1991 (Skim); Bridger Map
Writing Expectations;  EXCEL PIT PROGRAM
 


 
Jan 28 W Snow Strength I p. 173(end)-1181; 226*Green et al., p36-55.
Jan 30
F Quick Snow Strength  *Green et al., p36-55. Birkeland, et al. 1996;  Jamieson and Johnston, 1992; Johnson and Birkeland, 1998; Birkeland and Johnson, 1999 CRST; Fohn, 1987; Fohn, 1989.
 


 
 Feb 04 W  Snow Strength II *80-82 *Green et al., 2004, p. 60-62. Conway and Abrahmson, 1984; Sommerfeld, 1984; Perla, 1983.
  06 F Shear Strength with Frame

*Green et al., 2004, p. 60-62+Web; Birkeland, 1998b; Fohn, 1988;
 



 Feb 11
W Snow Strength III Extended Column and Saw Propagation
 Simenhois and Birkeland 2006; Birkeland and SImenhois ,2008; Ross and Jamieson, 2008; Gauthier and Jamieson, 2006


13 F Snow Strength III
Extended Column; Saw Propagation



 
 
 Feb 18 W Avalanche Factors   *Ch 7 (some review); Ch 8 Myths
  20 F  Snow Stratigraphic Variablility
 



Feb 25 W Exam through Snow Strength III
Exam
Feb 27 F Bridger Terrain Tour/ Route Selection
Bridger Map
Old Bridger Air Photo  
New Bridger Sattelite Photo
Digital Orthophoto   NRIS
 


* 82-108; 109-118; Ch 6;
 Mar 04 W Avalanche Factors   *Ch 7 (some review); Ch 8 Myths

04 W Approved Project Plan by 5:00
  06 F Snow Density 
 


 
Mar
11
W
Avalanche Classification *73-80; 90-91; 109-111; 126-128 pics; p. 321-329; Green et al. 63-77. Int.Nat.Com. Snow Ice, 1981; Canadian Classification and    US Reporting system p.252

13
F
Project Work Time





Mar  18
W SPRING BREAK   
  20
F
SPRING BREAK  





 Mar 25 W Avalanche Control
*123-139; Ch 10
  27 F Snow-Water  Measurement *Goodison, 1981; Rovansek, et al., 1993
*NRCS Snow Survey Sampling Guide
 



Apr 01
W Avalanche Control
Apr 03
F Big Sky Avalanche Terrain and Mountain Planning

 
*300-301
Read Lab
Bring Equations
Big Sky Map
 


 
Apr 08 W  Avalanche Control *123-139; Ch 10
  10 F UNIVERSITY DAY HOLIDAY
 

South Madison Snow Stability Alternative.
 
Apr 15 W Ram Penetrometer;
Wet Snow Metamorphic
 Processes
68-72; 143-145;*Colbeck, 1982 (wet snow); Green et al, 2004, p.56. Trautman; 

17 F Ram Penetrometer Lab   Excel Ram Profile Program
 

Wind Redistribution and Radiation Melt Lab
 Wind in Trees Data from 2003
 *p. 21-36, Golding and Swanson, 1986;  Hardy and Hansen-Bristow, 1990; Skidmore et al, 1994;  Troendle and King, 1985; Gary, 1974
 Apr 22
W
Snow-Melt Runoff;
Wind Redistribution I;
*190-191; Peitzch; Trautman; Skim Sililo and Tellam 2000; *Golding and Swanson, 1986; Cooley 1988 
  24 F Snow Melt Laboratory    


24
F
Project due at 5:00 PM

 


*Grady, 1982; Conway and Raymond, 1993; *Rango and Martinec, 1996; Farnes, 1984; Dunne and Leopold, 1978
Apr 29
W Snow-Melt Runoff







68-72; 143-145;  *Grady, 1982; Conway and Raymond, 1993; *Rango and Martinec, 1996; Farnes, 1984; Dunne and Leopold, 1978

Ch 10
May 01
F MSU Snow Management
Snow and People (Streets/Roofs)
*Ford, 1985; *Ledbetter, 1984
Boyd et al. 1981; Keyser, 1981





May 08
F
Final Examination 8:00-9:50 AM
 AJM 224;  Avalanche Factors to End of Course






 
Grading:
Examination 1 10
Examination 2 20
Laboratory
65
Project/Paper
5
                                                     Total
100

Disagreements regarding grading: If, after looking at the key, you believe any written product has been miss scored, you may submit your test and a brief written defense of why you believe your work has been miss marked.

All papers for laboratory must be turned in outside room 200 in the turn-in box. Your paper should have your name on it.

Late work will be assessed 10% per day late including weekends and holidays. Work more than 4 days late will not be graded.

Absences: The student is responsible for all lecture, lab, and reading material assigned. There is no simple mechanism to make up a laboratory. For illness there may be possible alternative exercises, but the potential for an alternative exercise depends on the week's activity and will need to be arranged with the instructor. If a make-up is required, the make-up should be done as soon as possible after the missed lab. No end-of semester saves. Arrangements for make-up must be made with the instructor. The student is responsible for making arrangements for laboratory make-up. Role will be taken in Laboratory each week to be certain who is going out of bounds with us. Students are directed to obtain class notes for missed material from another student in the class if a class is missed. Instructor's class notes will not be copied. To make up an absence from an examination, the student must verify illness, severe injury, or family emergency. The student should notify the instructor before the exam to indicate extraordinary circumstances have arisen. His phone has a voice-mail 406-994-6906; email is scuster@montana.edu.

Student Conduct: Documented academic dishonesty will result in failure on the piece of work. Repeat offenses will result in course failure.

Please Turn off your cell phone when you come to class.

Students with Disabilities:  If you have a documented disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation(s), you are encouraged to contact your instructor and Disabled Student Services as soon as possible.



Last modified by Steve Custer 15 JANUARY 2009