Articles | Volume 17, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1755-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1755-2023
Research article
 | 
26 Apr 2023
Research article |  | 26 Apr 2023

Can Saharan dust deposition impact snowpack stability in the French Alps?

Oscar Dick, Léo Viallon-Galinier, François Tuzet, Pascal Hagenmuller, Mathieu Fructus, Benjamin Reuter, Matthieu Lafaysse, and Marie Dumont

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Saharan dust deposition can drastically change the snow color, turning mountain landscapes into sepia scenes. Dust increases the absorption of solar energy by the snow cover and thus modifies the snow evolution and potentially the avalanche risk. Here we show that dust can lead to increased or decreased snowpack stability depending on the snow and meteorological conditions after the deposition event. We also show that wet-snow avalanches happen earlier in the season due to the presence of dust.
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