Method of and System for Inducing a Planned Avalanche

Abstract

A method and system for inducing a planned or controlled avalanche is disclosed. The system includes one or more sources of vibration mounted within a mass which is mounted within an aperture in the ground in the area where an avalanche has been determined to be likely to occur. One or more sensors is mounted between the source of vibration and the avalanche area (spaced from the vibration source), then the vibration source is operated at different frequencies to determine which frequency transmits the greatest force through the intervening terrain. Based on the analysis of the forces sensed at a distance from the vibration source, the best frequency for operation of the vibration source is determined and that frequency is used. Periodically, the process of testing the frequency versus force can be reviewed and the operating frequency adjusted. The present method and system envisions a plurality of vibrational sources arranged in a spaced array and uses more than one vibrational source to trigger a single avalanche at a desired time.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.