DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER AVALANCHE CONTROL SYSTEM

SNOW AVALANCHES THREATEN LIFE, PROPERTY, FORESTS, AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. AVALANCHE DESTRUCTION OF CRITICAL AREAS IS PREVENTED BY RELEASING SMALLER AVALANCHES UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER AVALANCHE CONTROL SYSTEM (ATACS), AN AVALANCHE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY USING A NON-EXPLOSIVE, LOW FREQUENCY ACOUSTIC METHOD TO RELEASE AVALANCHES. DURING THE PHASE I RESEARCH, INTERSONICS WILL COLLABORATE WITH SNOW EXPERTS TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMAL SOUND PRESSURES AND FREQUENCIES REQUIRED FOR AVALANCHE RELEASE. AN EXTREMELY INTENSE LOW-FREQUENCY ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER WILL BE DESIGNED AND TESTED IN THE LABORATORY. THE RESULTS OF THESE ACTIVITIES WILL DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE TECHNIQUE.