Articles | Volume 15, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-983-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-983-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
24 Feb 2021
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 24 Feb 2021
| 24 Feb 2021
Mapping avalanches with satellites – evaluation of performance and completeness
Elisabeth D. Hafner
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, 7260,
Switzerland
Frank Techel
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, 7260,
Switzerland
Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Silvan Leinss
Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich,
Switzerland
Yves Bühler
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, 7260,
Switzerland
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Cited
29 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Automated snow avalanche release area delineation in data-sparse, remote, and forested regions J. Sykes et al. 10.5194/nhess-22-3247-2022
- Snow avalanches in relation to tourism and transportation activities in the Făgăraş Mountains, Romanian Carpathians M. Voiculescu et al. 10.1016/j.ancene.2023.100407
- Snow Avalanche Hazards and Avalanche-Prone Area Mapping in Tibet D. Chu et al. 10.3390/geosciences14120353
- Snow Avalanche Debris Analysis Using Time Series of Dual-Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data S. Schlaffer & M. Schlögl 10.1109/JSTARS.2024.3423403
- Automated avalanche mapping from SPOT 6/7 satellite imagery with deep learning: results, evaluation, potential and limitations E. Hafner et al. 10.5194/tc-16-3517-2022
- Review article: Snow and ice avalanches in high mountain Asia – scientific, local and indigenous knowledge A. Acharya et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-2569-2023
- Characterizing Snow Dynamics in Semi-Arid Mountain Regions with Multitemporal Sentinel-1 Imagery: A Case Study in the Sierra Nevada, Spain P. Torralbo et al. 10.3390/rs15225365
- Avalanche size estimation and avalanche outline determination by experts: reliability and implications for practice E. Hafner et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-2895-2023
- Integrating Sequential Backward Selection (SBS) and CatBoost for Snow Avalanche Susceptibility Mapping at Catchment Scale S. Cetinkaya & S. Kocaman 10.3390/ijgi13090312
- Satellite detection of snow avalanches using Sentinel-1 in a transitional snow climate Z. Keskinen et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2022.103558
- Combining OBIA, CNN, and UAV photogrammetry for automated avalanche deposit detection and characterization S. Dewali et al. 10.1016/j.asr.2023.06.033
- Synoptic control on snow avalanche activity in central Spitsbergen H. Hancock et al. 10.5194/tc-15-3813-2021
- Automating avalanche detection in ground-based photographs with deep learning J. Fox et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2024.104179
- Mapping and characterization of avalanches on mountain glaciers with Sentinel-1 satellite imagery M. Kneib et al. 10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024
- Prediction of natural dry-snow avalanche activity using physics-based snowpack simulations S. Mayer et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-3445-2023
- When it comes to Earth observations in AI for disaster risk reduction, is it feast or famine? A topical review M. Kuglitsch et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/acf601
- Interactive snow avalanche segmentation from webcam imagery: results, potential, and limitations E. Hafner et al. 10.5194/tc-18-3807-2024
- Automated avalanche hazard indication mapping on a statewide scale Y. Bühler et al. 10.5194/nhess-22-1825-2022
- Real-Time Avalanche Hazard Monitoring System Based on Weather Sensors and a Laser Rangefinder N. Denissova et al. 10.3390/s25092937
- Automated snow avalanche monitoring for Austria: State of the art and roadmap for future work K. Kapper et al. 10.3389/frsen.2023.1156519
- Spatially continuous snow depth mapping by aeroplane photogrammetry for annual peak of winter from 2017 to 2021 in open areas L. Bührle et al. 10.5194/tc-17-3383-2023
- Remote Sensing and Modeling of the Cryosphere in High Mountain Asia: A Multidisciplinary Review Q. Ye et al. 10.3390/rs16101709
- Performance of manual and automatic detection of dry snow avalanches in Sentinel-1 SAR images M. Eckerstorfer et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2022.103549
- Snow avalanche susceptibility assessment based on ensemble machine learning model in the central Shaluli Mountain R. Bian et al. 10.3389/feart.2022.880711
- Automatic Color Detection-Based Method Applied to Sentinel-1 SAR Images for Snow Avalanche Debris Monitoring A. Karas et al. 10.1109/TGRS.2021.3131853
- Remote Sensing Techniques for Assessing Snow Avalanche Formation Factors and Building Hazard Monitoring Systems N. Denissova et al. 10.3390/atmos15111343
- Can big data and random forests improve avalanche runout estimation compared to simple linear regression? H. Toft et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2023.103844
- Examining snow avalanches using Sentinel-1 radar data: case of Gissar-Alai Mountain Range U. Kislyak et al. 10.29258/CAJWR/2025-R1.v11-1/106-122.rus
- Snow Avalanche Frequency Estimation (SAFE): 32 years of monitoring remote avalanche depositional zones in high mountains of Afghanistan A. Caiserman et al. 10.5194/tc-16-3295-2022
29 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Automated snow avalanche release area delineation in data-sparse, remote, and forested regions J. Sykes et al. 10.5194/nhess-22-3247-2022
- Snow avalanches in relation to tourism and transportation activities in the Făgăraş Mountains, Romanian Carpathians M. Voiculescu et al. 10.1016/j.ancene.2023.100407
- Snow Avalanche Hazards and Avalanche-Prone Area Mapping in Tibet D. Chu et al. 10.3390/geosciences14120353
- Snow Avalanche Debris Analysis Using Time Series of Dual-Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data S. Schlaffer & M. Schlögl 10.1109/JSTARS.2024.3423403
- Automated avalanche mapping from SPOT 6/7 satellite imagery with deep learning: results, evaluation, potential and limitations E. Hafner et al. 10.5194/tc-16-3517-2022
- Review article: Snow and ice avalanches in high mountain Asia – scientific, local and indigenous knowledge A. Acharya et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-2569-2023
- Characterizing Snow Dynamics in Semi-Arid Mountain Regions with Multitemporal Sentinel-1 Imagery: A Case Study in the Sierra Nevada, Spain P. Torralbo et al. 10.3390/rs15225365
- Avalanche size estimation and avalanche outline determination by experts: reliability and implications for practice E. Hafner et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-2895-2023
- Integrating Sequential Backward Selection (SBS) and CatBoost for Snow Avalanche Susceptibility Mapping at Catchment Scale S. Cetinkaya & S. Kocaman 10.3390/ijgi13090312
- Satellite detection of snow avalanches using Sentinel-1 in a transitional snow climate Z. Keskinen et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2022.103558
- Combining OBIA, CNN, and UAV photogrammetry for automated avalanche deposit detection and characterization S. Dewali et al. 10.1016/j.asr.2023.06.033
- Synoptic control on snow avalanche activity in central Spitsbergen H. Hancock et al. 10.5194/tc-15-3813-2021
- Automating avalanche detection in ground-based photographs with deep learning J. Fox et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2024.104179
- Mapping and characterization of avalanches on mountain glaciers with Sentinel-1 satellite imagery M. Kneib et al. 10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024
- Prediction of natural dry-snow avalanche activity using physics-based snowpack simulations S. Mayer et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-3445-2023
- When it comes to Earth observations in AI for disaster risk reduction, is it feast or famine? A topical review M. Kuglitsch et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/acf601
- Interactive snow avalanche segmentation from webcam imagery: results, potential, and limitations E. Hafner et al. 10.5194/tc-18-3807-2024
- Automated avalanche hazard indication mapping on a statewide scale Y. Bühler et al. 10.5194/nhess-22-1825-2022
- Real-Time Avalanche Hazard Monitoring System Based on Weather Sensors and a Laser Rangefinder N. Denissova et al. 10.3390/s25092937
- Automated snow avalanche monitoring for Austria: State of the art and roadmap for future work K. Kapper et al. 10.3389/frsen.2023.1156519
- Spatially continuous snow depth mapping by aeroplane photogrammetry for annual peak of winter from 2017 to 2021 in open areas L. Bührle et al. 10.5194/tc-17-3383-2023
- Remote Sensing and Modeling of the Cryosphere in High Mountain Asia: A Multidisciplinary Review Q. Ye et al. 10.3390/rs16101709
- Performance of manual and automatic detection of dry snow avalanches in Sentinel-1 SAR images M. Eckerstorfer et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2022.103549
- Snow avalanche susceptibility assessment based on ensemble machine learning model in the central Shaluli Mountain R. Bian et al. 10.3389/feart.2022.880711
- Automatic Color Detection-Based Method Applied to Sentinel-1 SAR Images for Snow Avalanche Debris Monitoring A. Karas et al. 10.1109/TGRS.2021.3131853
- Remote Sensing Techniques for Assessing Snow Avalanche Formation Factors and Building Hazard Monitoring Systems N. Denissova et al. 10.3390/atmos15111343
- Can big data and random forests improve avalanche runout estimation compared to simple linear regression? H. Toft et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2023.103844
- Examining snow avalanches using Sentinel-1 radar data: case of Gissar-Alai Mountain Range U. Kislyak et al. 10.29258/CAJWR/2025-R1.v11-1/106-122.rus
- Snow Avalanche Frequency Estimation (SAFE): 32 years of monitoring remote avalanche depositional zones in high mountains of Afghanistan A. Caiserman et al. 10.5194/tc-16-3295-2022
Latest update: 29 Jul 2025
Short summary
Satellites prove to be very valuable for documentation of large-scale avalanche periods. To test reliability and completeness, which has not been satisfactorily verified before, we attempt a full validation of avalanches mapped from two optical sensors and one radar sensor. Our results demonstrate the reliability of high-spatial-resolution optical data for avalanche mapping, the suitability of radar for mapping of larger avalanches and the unsuitability of medium-spatial-resolution optical data.
Satellites prove to be very valuable for documentation of large-scale avalanche periods. To test...
