Contact: Science Press Package
scipak@aaas.org
202-326-6440
American Association for the Advancement of Science

The Makings of an Avalanche (2 of 5)

Caption: Looking downhill from an avalanche path: During wintertime, snow avalanches are a major concern for the population in mountain areas. The monitoring by specialists of the constantly changing snow conditions is one of the most important measures to reduce risk. This image relates to an article that appeared in the July 11, 2008, issue of Science, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. Joachim Heierli and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, UK, was titled "Anticrack Nucleation As Triggering Mechanism for Snow Slab Avalanches."

Credit: Image courtesy of A. Duclos, www.data-avalanche.org

Usage Restrictions: Please cite the owner of the image when publishing. This image may be freely used by reporters as part of news coverage, with proper attribution. Non-reporters must contact Science for permission.