That's snowbusiness
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The foundation of the SLF took place in 1942, on the Weissfluhjoch above Davos. This followed on from the first snow experiments in Davos in 1936. (RDB) RDB -
Avalanche warning signs are one way of alerting skiers to dangers. (Keystone/Arno Balzarini) Keystone -
Measuring snow resistance power on the Weissfluhjoch in 1953. (Keystone) Keystone -
Avalanche barriers help keep the white peril at bay. (Keystone/Michael Kupferschmidt) Keystone -
Snow research, seen here in 1953, and practical support for avalanche warning were stepped up after the extreme winter of 1950/1 claimed many lives. (Keystone) Keystone -
A researcher weighs a snow sample in profile on the experimentation field below the Weissfluhjoch. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone -
Reading a barograph on the Weissfluhjoch. (Keystone) Keystone -
Explosives can be detonated to preempt an avalanche if risks are high. (Keystone/Dietmar Stiplovsek) Keystone -
Avalanches can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. (Keystone/Alessandro della Valle) Keystone -
At the beginning, the principal fields of research were snowpack development, snow mechanics and avalanche formation, and the crystalline structure and metamorphosis of snow. (Keystone/Photopress/Margrit Bäumlin) Keystone -
Putting a snow sample under the microscope. (Keystone) Keystone -
Researchers examine a metre-high snow layer. (Keystone) Keystone -
Snow research has become high-tech, here adjusting a sensor inside the wind channel. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone -
Canadian hailstones arrive and are examined at the SLF. (RDB) RDB -
An SLF employee analyses layers of snow which have accumulated in front of a window. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone -
The power of an avalanche, as seen in this undated photo. A European hazard scale for avalanche risk was agreed in 1993. (Keystone) Keystone -
Avalanche bulletins, which are produced twice a day during the winter season, are a core SLF task. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone -
Preparing a bulletin in 1990, 45 years after responsibility for the bulletins was first transferred to the SLF from the army. (Keystone/Arno Balzarini) Keystone -
Two researchers dig out what is called a "sliding block" of snow which helps test for avalanches. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone
Celebrating 75 years of looking into snow and avalanches.
This content was published on March 25, 2011 - 09:08When the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) in Davos opened its doors, snow research was in its infancy. Now it's a high-tech domain and much more is known about avalanche risk.
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