title: Two-threshold model for scaling laws of noninteracting snow avalanches.
abstract: The sizes of snow slab failure that trigger snow avalanches are power-law distributed. Such a power-law probability distribution function has also been proposed to characterize different landslide types. In order to understand this scaling for gravity-driven systems, we introduce a two-threshold 2D cellular automaton, in which failure occurs irreversibly. Taking snow slab avalanches as a model system, we find that the sizes of the largest avalanches just preceding the lattice system breakdown are power-law distributed. By tuning the maximum value of the ratio of the two failure thresholds our model reproduces the range of power-law exponents observed for land, rock, or snow avalanches. We suggest this control parameter represents the material cohesion anisotropy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire 3S, ENSHMG, INP de Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faillettaz
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Louchet
authors.forename: Jean-Robert
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Grasso