We study a recently proposed equation for the avalanche distribution in the Bak-Sneppen model. We demonstrate that this equation indirectly relates t, the exponent for the power law distribution of avalanche sizes, to D, the fractal dimension of an avalanche cluster. We compute this relation numerically and approximate it analytically up to the second order of expansion around the mean-field ex...

An InGaAs/InAlAs Single Photon Avalanche Diode was fabricated and characterized. Leakage current, dark count and photon count measurements were carried out on the devices from 260 to 290 K. Due to better temperature stability of avalanche breakdown in InAlAs, the device breakdown voltage varied by < 0.2 V over the 30 K temperature range studied, which corresponds to a temperature coefficient of...

We examine avalanche statistics of rainand vibrationdriven granular slides in miniature soil mounds using experimental and numerical approaches. A crossover from powerlaw to non power-law avalanche-size statistics is demonstrated as a generic driving rate ν is increased, due to diminishing timescale separation (∼ ν) between stress buildup and release. For slowly-driven mounds, the tail of the a...

AIM Asphyxia is the primary cause of death among avalanche victims. Avalanche airbags can lower mortality by directly reducing grade of burial, the single most important factor for survival. This study aims to provide an updated perspective on the effectiveness of this safety device. METHODS A retrospective analysis of avalanche accidents involving at least one airbag user between 1994 and 20...

In 2006, the Canadian Avalanche Centre introduced the Avaluator, a decision support tool that offers amateur backcountry recreationists decision guidance based on expert opinion and historic avalanche accident records. Simultaneous with the launch, the curriculum of the standard introductory avalanche course (Avalanche Skills Training 1 – AST1) was revised to include the Avaluator as a central ...

In recent years, a number of decision-making frameworks have been developed to help European recreationists make better decisions in avalanche terrain. This study evaluated how well these frameworks might perform in North America by comparing four of them (the Reduction Method, NivoTest, Stop-or-Go, and the SnowCard) and one very simple decision strategy (based on obvious clues) against 33 year...

BACKGROUND The joint project “LWD Online Maps” between the Avalanche Warning Center Tyrol (Innsbruck, Austria) and the University of Vienna, Department of Geography and Regional Research is now ongoing for several years. Its goal has been and still is to develop and maintain a complex and very powerful database driven online decision support system for cartographic visualization and analysis of...

Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with thin avalanche regions have shown low excess noise characteristics and high gain-bandwidth products, so they are suited for long-haul optical communications. In this work, we investigated how carrier injection profile affects the avalanche gain and excess noise factors of Al0.85Ga0.15As0.56Sb0.44 (lattice-matched to InP substrates) p-i-n and n-i-p diodes with t...