Explosives
Explosives are primarily used to prevent avalanches, especially at ski resorts
where other methods are often impractical. Maintenance staff from the ski resort
travel to potential avalanche areas and areas with steep slopes. First, they measure
the depth of the snow and its quality. They want to check for hard, loose, wet or
icy snow layers. If an area is considered dangerous, small explosives are fired into
the side of the steep terrain. The explosion loosens the top layer of snow, which
tumbles harmlessly down the mountainside. But using explosives is costly and
dangerous. Some researchers are currently experimenting with the cheaper and
safer method of using ultrasonic sound waves that shock the snow into falling,
averting an avalanche and saving lives.