| OCR Text |
Show the field, where effects of compressive loads and creep can be included. This is particularly true in the case of avalanche formation, where so many variables must be taken into account. In this case it can be noted that chemicals which enhance depth hoar fragility, such as apparently is the case with 2- octanol, may actually prove as useful as those which encourage stability, for they could result in early avalanching with a shallow snow cover and consequent minimization of avalanche size. A partial increase in mechanical strength may have the opposite effect from that desired, inhibiting avalanche formation only until a heavy slab layer has been built up* At . present, further tests are being made at Alta, Utah, and some field experiments with the chemicals listed above are being initiated at Berthoud Pass, Colorado, where natural depth hoar forms readily. Experiments reported here do indicate that depth hoar can be modified chemically, and point the way to the possibility of practical applications. As well as the exploration of applications, we now need to initiate some fundamental studies to find out just why and how chemical poisoning of ice crystals takes place. The latter is by far the more difficult and challenging problem © |
