FACULTY OF GEOGRAPHY, TOURISM AND SPORTS STUDY PROGRAMME: TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING FULL TIME EDUCATION DISSERTATION ACADEMIC COORDINATOR PROF…. [307444]

[anonimizat]: TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING

FULL TIME EDUCATION

DISSERTATION

ACADEMIC COORDINATOR

PROF. UNIV. DR. OVIDIU GACEU

GRADUATE STUDENT: [anonimizat]

2018

[anonimizat]: TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING

FULL TIME EDUCATION

AVALANCHES IN THE RODNEI MOUNTAINS

ACADEMIC COORDINATOR

PROF. UNIV. DR. OVIDIU GACEU

GRADUATE STUDENT: [anonimizat]

1.[anonimizat], an area with superb landscapes and a remarkable biodiversity.

On a relatively small surface of about 50,000 hectares, [anonimizat], waterfalls, [anonimizat], [anonimizat].

Their 50-km-[anonimizat], from the pass Șetref to the Rotunda pass. [anonimizat] 30 peaks with heights of over 2000 meters.

Rodnei Mountains are distinguished by the highest altitude in the Eastern Carpathians (peak Pietrosul-2303m), but also by the existence of the largest glacial lake (Lala Mare with an area of 5637m).

In the Rodnei Mountains area is one of the most important mountain resorts in the northern area of Borșa and the spa resort of Sangeorz Băi. The high altitude and massif of the Rodnei Mountains are a consequnce of the petrographic composition and the tectonic conditions.

[anonimizat]. [anonimizat]: Buhăiescu, Pietrosul, Negoiescu, etc. Lakes, [anonimizat] 1800-1950m. Genetically it falls into the category of glacial lakes in the circuses or valleys of the former quaternary glaciers.

Under the main ridge there are 23 [anonimizat]: Iezer, [anonimizat], [anonimizat].

Since 1932, [anonimizat] 183 ha, which in 1979 became Biosphere Reserve. Currently, Rodnei Mountains National Park covers an area of 3300 ha.

[anonimizat], see the rich flora with many rare or endemic species ([anonimizat]-opal of Rodnei Mountains) [anonimizat]: [anonimizat], [anonimizat], Carpathian tower (Cervus elaphus), etc. [anonimizat], [anonimizat]. [anonimizat], [anonimizat] a special specific.

[anonimizat] carried out massively during the hivernal period on the slopes of Borșa and Valea Blaznei resorts.

In designing these papers, we parted the following stages:

-placement in the field, on site for detailed knowledge of the areas characterized, during which we also extracted the meteorological data from the meteorological station we needed.

-processing data by entering them in an Excel database that allows you to create the graphs and tables needed to draw up these papers. In order to carry out these works "Avalanches in the Rodnei Mountains", we used data from the dates of origin from the long-term observations recorded at the Iezer meteorological station in the Rodnei massif, and the base period was taken between 2003-2013.

2. GENERAL PRESENTATION

2.1 Settlement

The Rodnei Mountains that show the highest altitudes in the Eastern Carpathians (Pietrosul Rodnei-2303m) are located in the northern part of the country, with an area of 47 hectares. Being included in the Nordic group, also known as the Carpathians of Maramures and Bucovina, these mountains dominate the surrounding landscape, with the highest differences in the level of the Maramureș depression located in the North.

From an administrative point of view, the Rodnei massif extends to the counties of Maramureș and Bistrița Năsăud. By position, the Rodnei massif is at the contact of the second area of influence, namely the Baltic and the oceanic, with distinctions between the Nordic and the Southern slopes.

Fig. 1 Rodnei Mountains (Source: https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura12/carpatii-rasariteni/muntii-rodnei/borsa-si-muntii)

2.2. The Limits of Rodnei Mountains

The Rodnei Mountains are situated on a west-oriented crystalline horst, steep to the north and southward, beginning to drift north. The Rodnei Mountains are bordered by the Maramureș Depression, starting from Sacel, to Moisei, Borșa and the Prislop Pass (1416 m ). And from Prislop Pass, the border is given by the Golden Bistrita course, near Cârlibaba, in the area of ​​the Rotunda Pass.

In the eastern part the Rodnei Mountains are bordered by the Rotunda brook, the Rotunda (1271 m), the Preluci brook and the Somesul Mare river, which divides the Rodnei Mountain from the Suhard Mountains.

The southern limit is continued by the valley of Somesul Mare that separates the Rodnei Mountain from the Bârgăului Mountains between Valea Mare and Maieru. From Sîngeorz Băi to Ilva Mică to Parva and Coșbuc, the border is represented by Năsăud Hills.

In the west, the limit is given by Valea Sălăuței, and from Coșbuc to Ștefănița Hill, Șetref Pass (818m), Carelor Valley until it is poured into the Iza River in Săcel area.

Fig. 2. Rodnei Mountains

(Source: http://muntii-nostri.ro/munte/muntii-rodnei/)

2.3. Mathematical Settlement

The geographic location according to the mathematical coordinates indicates that the Rodnei Mountains are marked by the parallel 45 ° N and the meridian 23 ° long. E. So the geographical coordinates of the Rodnei Mountains are 24 ° 23 '- 25 ° 31' eastern longitude and 47 ° 19 '- 47 ° 39' north latitude.

2.4. Brief history of avalanche research

This paper addresses a number of problems related to the avalanches in the Rodnei Mountains, a study less approached by specialists. The first concerns regarding avalanches in Romania took place during the interwar period, and since then specialists have focused more on studying conditions favorable to avalanche formation (Stoenescu, 1956), identifying the areas avalanches are moving, as well and their role in modeling the relief (E. Nedelcu, 1962, Valeria Velcea, 1961, Gh. Niculescu, E. Nedelcu, 1961, Gh. Niculescu, 1966, Silvia Iancu, 1970, N. Popescu, M. Ielenicz, 1984), but not the classification of avalanches and their triggering factors (S. Ciulache, Nicoleta Ionac, 1995, Octavia Bogdan, Elena Niculescu, 1999, Florina Grecu, 1997, F. Moldovan, 2003).

This paper complements the little information about the avalanches in the Rodnei Mountains, which have unfortunately been more and more present in recent years.

Fig. 3 Avalanche from the Rodnei Mountains

(Source: https://www.romaniatv.net/oameni-surprinsi-de-avalansa-in-muntii-rodnei-misiune-dramatica-de-salvare_212420.html)

3. PHYSICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS

3.1. Geological factor

Since ancient times, geology is a very important factor for identifying and evolving a territory.

The Rodnei Mountains are distinguished by their height and massiveness, similar to the Făgăraș Mountains, characteristically determined by geological construction being the most prominent mountainous unit in the Eastern Carpathians.

Geology largely impresses the morphological features of the relief, which in the Rodnei Mountains due to the preponderant crystalline shale, give the massifs and the high height of the peaks, thus forming a favorable place for the production of avalanches. The Rodnei Mountains are mainly made of crystalline shale and a smaller percentage of new sedimentary and eruptive rocks.

The beautiful vestiges of the action of the glaciers in the Rodnei Mountains, such as the many glacial lakes, lizards, scattered in the upper masses of the massif, are also of great charm. Among them, the Buhăiescu and Lala Mare lakes are those whose appearance is more full of poetry and beauty.

Fig. 4 Glaciar Lake Iezer

3.2. The climatic factor

For a more detailed analysis of the duration, rhythm and intensity of the avalanches, the climatic factor has a very important role, and the climatic elements that have a maximum influence in their deployment are: rainfall, air temperature, winter days, wind and sunshine duration .

All these climatic elements were analyzed using the data from the Iezer meteorological station for a period of 10 years (2003-2012), being at an altitude of 1785 m, on the northern slope of the Rodnei Mountains.

Fig. 4 Meteorological station Iezer

3.2.1. Air temperature

Air temperature is the most important parameter of all climate elements and largely characterizes the climatic conditions of a region, and for this reason in a climate study this element is analyzed in great detail. The energy source of processes and weather phenomena is the radiant energy received from the Sun and which causes air heating, evaporation and other processes.

Air temperature is an important factor influencing the characteristics and evolution of the snow layer.

Average annual temperature

The values in the table below indicate the average annual values of the 10 years of meteorological research. In the period 2003-2012, the average annual temperature recorded in the Rodnei Massif at the Iezer Meteorological Station is relatively small in which only negative values were registered in 2004, so the average annual temperature was -1,13șC, and in the rest of the years there were recorded positive values and the highest value was registered in 2007, the average annual temperature being of 2.67șC.

Tabel 2

Source: data processed after the A.N.M Archives.

Fig.5 Evolution of the average annual temperature (2003-2012) (source: Data processed after the ANM archive)

3.2.2. Atmospheric precipitation

Atmospheric precipitation, by quantity and variation, plays an important role in triggering avalanches by forming the snow layer and its quantitative and qualitative characteristics.

The amount of monthly and annual rainfall in the Rodnei Massif is calculated over a period of 10 years (2003-2012) because rainfall has a great variability in time.

Mean monthly and seasonal averages give a clear picture of precipitation distribution during the year and serve to characterize the annual regime (Farcas, 1988).

Due to climatic conditions on the Alpine floor of the Rodnei Mountains, strong winds are recorded here, and therefore data on the amount of rainfall can be easily mistaken.

Figure 6 shows the graph showing the annual rainfall regime at the Iezer Meteorological Station, which recorded the lowest values ​​in January and February (76.8 mm and 82.9 mm respectively) and, as highlighted in the January graph, be the driest moon in the cold season.

The maximum atmospheric precipitation is recorded in May with a value of (164.2 mm), then decreases slightly each month. The great amount of rainfall in May is due to the high frequency of oceanic cyclones moving on the northern outskirts of the Azoric Anticicon, bringing cold and humid air masses favorable to precipitation formation as well as convective processes that unstable air through thermal and dynamic convection.

Fig. 6 Monthly rainfall rate at Iezer (2003-2012)

3.2.3. Winter days

Winter days in the Rodnei massif, with a maximum daytime temperature greater than or equal to 0°C, are recorded during the frost time, on high mountain peaks, and this phenomenon may also be present on some days in the months summer. Generally, the annual number of winter days increases with altitude and reaches over 155 days. The isotherm of 0°C outlines the heights at an altitude of 2303 meters and the isotherm with the lowest value of -2°C only delimits the highest peaks in the Rodnei Mountains, namely Pietrosul Peak.

3.2.4. Sunshine duration

Sunshine duration is an important climatic element, both theoretically and practically. From a theoretical point of view, it is used for the climatic characterization of a region, and from a practical point of view, it is used in agro-climatic, climato-tourism studies, it plays an important role in the treatment of diseases, as well as in specifying the favorable time for tourist activities.

The sunshine duration is the time interval of a day when the sun shines and expresses itself in hours and tens of an hour and depends on 3 categories of factors:

• Astronomy;

-Geographical;

• Meteorology;

Following research carried out at the Iezer meteorological station, it was concluded that in the Pietrosul Peak at an altitude of 2303 m, an average of 1,300 hours is recorded with the Sun due to the relatively high nebulosity and the presence of fog.

This is given by the location of the meteorological station in relief forms. In the case of the Rodnei Massif, where the meteorological station is located in a deeper valley, the sunshine duration is shorter compared to a meteorological station located on a mountainous peak, where the horizon is no longer limited by the neighboring slopes.

3.3. The hydrographic factor

The hydrological factor influences the occurrence of avalanches by the existence of numerous river basins that are well above the upper limit of the forest. Within them there are negative forms of relief of the type of valleys that favor the formation of avalanche aisles.

The Hydrographic Network of the Rodnei Mountains is organized mainly on two directions: north and south. The characteristics of the watercourses are given relief, so rivers on the northern slope are shorter and quicker while those on the southern slope are longer, forming larger hydrographic basins.

3.4. Flora

Altitude distribution, composition, structure and age of forests in the case of a mountainous mass, are of crucial importance in the genesis and evolution of avalanches.

The vegetation that covers the Rodnei Massif is arranged on a flat and almost even distribution on the slopes: over 1800 m altitude, almost 30% of the rocky surface is covered with alpine meadows alternating with (Pinus mugo), (Pinus cembra) and clusters of mountain peony (Rhododendron kotschy).

The natural vegetation of the Rodnei Mountains has suffered with time, significant changes caused by both anthropic and natural factors. Much of the juniper and most subalpine rarities have been abolished to widen the grassland. In many situations, the upper limit of spruce forests has been lowered by deforestation, favoring the flow of avalanches through these areas.

The forest, by its particular role as an obstacle to air masses, contributes to the increase of turbulence, to the uneven deposition of the snow layer, thus influencing the surrounding areas.

At the altitude of 1785m, where the Iezer meteorological station is located, the vegetation period is short and its role is limited, being replaced by the state of snow that averages 165.4 days / year.

A very important case that has taken place over time with regard to the destruction of forests by avalanches is the one in which a huge size (64.1 ha) destroyed a forest on a length of approximately 3.8 km, on the surface of Izvorul Oii.

3.5. The pedological factor

Within the Rodnei Mountains there are seven classes of soils: protisols, cernisols, umbrisols, cambisols, luvisoluri, spodisols and histisols, and 1,17% rock formation, and in terms of avalanche erosion they affect both superficial structure of the soil and the sludge deposits on the slope resulting from the meteorological processes.

Thus, in their path, they gather all these materials, as well as trunks of trees they store in the avalanche deposit area. The soil layer eroded and transported by avalanches originates from the stripping zone or their transport area.

Soil erosion is accentuated in the case of bottom avalanches, in which the sliding plane is on the ground. If surface avalanches predominate, the sliding plane is within the snow layer and then the soil layer is protected, and often in this situation, the transition zone is covered with grassy vegetation. This is the case with many avalanche colors in the Rodnei Mountains.

3.6. Anthropic activity

Since ancient times the Rodnei Mountains have been inhabited due to the natural resources of the soil and the underground so that the settlements are present on the southern slope: Valea Mare, Șanț, Rodnei, Maieru, Sângeorz-Băi, while in the north it is settled on several km the town of Borșa, located along the valley of the same name. (source, Gr. P. Pop, 2006, p. 46).

Anthropic activity is a determinant link in the geographic system of Rodnei Mountains, and human involvement in morphogenesis, through its multiple and diverse activities, influences the current morphodynamics, being also a morphogenetic agent (P. Udrea, 2000). Also, man and his goods may be vulnerable to certain hazards, many of them being the consensus of how they act on the environment (Anca Munteanu, 2009).

The most popular human activities in the Rodnei Mountains are: the shepherd, which is practiced many hundreds of years ago, the work that takes place in the mining operations around the towns of Rodnei and Borsa, as well as the forest cuttings all over the massif.

Most avalanches can be man-made and involuntarily by tourists, skiers, mechanical shocks, etc. Although the Rodnei Mountains practice many types of tourism such as recreation, spa, cultural, agrotourism, etc., but recreational tourism also involves areas prone to avalanches. Thanks to a special natural setting, during winter the tourism is intense, often on the skis. Most casual avalanches are produced by the people concerned by the extra weight they exert on the snow layer, which can initiate the breakage of a more fragile layer in the deep.

4. AVALANCHES

4.1. General aspects

The avalanches are a snow mass that separates and moves on the mountainside. According to the glossary of terms and the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, the avalanche is the rapid movement of a mass of snow reaching a volume of more than 100 m³ and the length of which exceeds 50 m. It is therefore a rapid gravitational movement of a snow masses that descend on a slope at a speed exceeding 1m / s (L. Besson, 1996).

Avalanches are formed in the mountainous area, at an altitude of more than 500 m, on land larger than 30-40%.

Avalanches are considered as a phenomenon of risk when the population, its goods and activities are exposed to their manifestations and become vulnerable. Also, there are phenomena of natural origin risk, with sudden local triggering due to the combination of some meteorological factors (S. Ciulache, Nicoleta Ionac, 1995).

Thus avalanches are considered:

– geomorphological sharks because it is manifested by sliding on the slopes and contributes to the movement of soil, vegetation, etc..

-climatic risks – because the main factor contributing to the existence of avalanches is the presence of the snow layer.

-hydrological risks – because the moving element is water in a solid form.

Avalanche research has been conducted in Switzerland, France, Austria, Spain, the USA, etc., and in the work of avalanches, we have encountered particularly heavy loads, due to high altitudes, excessive slopes, and so on

Most antiavalache works were executed in Austria, Switzerland and France.

4.2. Determinants of avalanches

Following several studies made by scientists, it was concluded that the dynamics of the avalanche phenomenon is determined by the following factors:

After studying and knowing the interferences and synchronizations between all these factors, it is easier to determine the probability of avalanches.

4.3. Characteristics of avalanche areas

All avalanches have along its longitudinal profile three sectors or areas with different characteristics:

• The area of separation – this area is located in the upper part of the slope, characterized by the slopes of 30ș to 35ș, representing the place from which the avalanche gathers much of the snow that will be transported and where the rupture in the snow layer underlies the avalanche;

-Transport area – this area is characterized by a slope of 40 ° to 50 ° along which snow mass is generally produced at high speeds;

-Deposit Area- represents the area characterized by slopes below 20 °, where the avalanche deposits all the material eroded and transported, generally in the form of an avalanche cone, the size of which depends on the amount of snow transported and the amount of avalanche-driven materials.

Fig. 7 Elements of an avalanche

In order to identify the avalanche gaps in the Rodnei Mountains, measurements were made along the numerous field campaigns, as well as information extracted and processed from orthophotomaps and forest landscapes. In this way, 47 avalanche colors have been identified that usually have a part of the transport area and the storage area under the upper limit of the forest vegetation.

Of the 47 avalanche color analyzed, one exceeds the length of 3000 m, which drops the highest level difference, 1246 m. This aisle was formed following a large avalanche of winter 2005. Since then, frequent avalanches, one of which is larger in 2009.

4.4. Classification of avalanches

Since ancient times there has been a problem in the classification of avalanches through several stages, so that each scientist or climber involved in this area has proposed a classification system.

At the 1959 IUGG International Congress held in Toronto, Quervain made an inventory of existing avalanche classifications recalling the avalanche of pulver and bottom avalanche.

Then in 1988, Coaz spoke of three types of avalanche, namely: avalanche pulver, wet snow avalanches and glacier avalanche.

The avalanche of pulver is produced after heavy snow falling in cold weather, triggering spontaneously at any day or night, not related to air temperature and not implying a qualitative change in the snow layer.

An avalanche pulver has two distinct components, namely the avalanche itself and the cloud, which is the mass of snow that slides down the slope, sometimes reaching speeds of 200-300 km / h.

Wet snow avalanches are heavily influenced by the elevated temperature rise, so the snow becomes soft, heavy, wet and its adhesion is reduced by the appearance of a liquid film with a lubricating effect. This is why it is triggered mainly on the bumper, not linear, and the flow speed is much slower somewhere at 40-100 km / h and does not produce blasting effects, and they are usually self-extinguished but can also be triggered by humans.

Unlike dry snow avalanches, which have a very high speed, the wet ones, being slower, leave the people involved a certain chance of escaping from their way by fleeing. In Romania, one of the first avalanche classifications was made by Topor in 1957. It divides them according to the way they are born in 5 groups:

– Snowy avalanches of snow that occur during heavy snowfall, consisting of ice crystals falling over an old snow cover;

– Bottom or compact avalanches that occur during warmer winter or spring periods, when snow or rains begin to melt;

– avalanches in snow planks, which occur on small inclines because of the lack of adhesion between the successive snow layers;

– Snowy avalanches or cataracts avalanches, frequent in spring or summer, when ice blocks fall out of the galleries of steep walls or chimneys where snow is deposited;

– Avalanches in cornices or balconies that occur in winter or spring, when the cliff where the cornwall is caught heats up, and the entire suspended platform collapses with noise.

Fig. 8. Avalanche in snow boards

(Source: http://avalanse.blogspot.ro/2011/02/live-to-tellavalansa-pietrosul-rodnei.html)

4.4. Avalanches – natural hazard. Impact of avalanches on the population and the environment

An avalanche can be considered a natural hazard when the man, his goods and the environment overlap with their area of manifestation, which imparts a certain degree of vulnerability and risk.

Thus the avalanches represent a threat at any moment, due to their capacity for destruction both human and material, sometimes even causing casualties.

The so-called avalanche hazard means that the avalanches occurring in the Rodnei Mountains are presented by their magnitude a potential danger to man and the environment. The avalanche risk is determined both by the existence of the natural phenomenon of avalanche itself and by the possibility of exposure of persons or their goods in the face of this phenomenon. (Anca Munteanu, 2009).

At European level, there is the Avalanche Risk Scale developed by EISL Davos and adopted in many European countries including Romania and comprises five levels of risk in ascending order, the European Avalanche Risk Scale being valid for skiers or hikers in the mountain area (Anca Munteanu, 2009).

Thus, each level is accompanied by a standard color to be more easily identified by those who practice at-risk sports:

Reduced risk (green) – the snow layer is generally stable on most of the slopes, and the avalanche can only be triggered in the event of an overload on sloping slopes. Spontaneously only small flowing or avalanches can occur:

Moderate risk (yellow) – in this case only on sufficiently sloping slopes, the snow layer is a stabilized environment. Avalanche triggers may occur due to overloading with skiers or tourists, on some slopes, and no spontaneous avalanches of large scale occur.

Significant risk (brown) – this risk appears on sloping slopes, where the snow layer is medium or slightly stabilized, and in some situations spontaneous springs of medium avalanches and sometimes large avalanches are possible.

High risk (light red) – at this level the snow layer is slightly stabilized on most slopes sufficiently inclined, and triggering is also possible by a slight overload, on slopes sufficiently inclined and in some situations spontaneous triggering is expected of medium and large avalanches.

Very high risk (dark red) – In this case, the snow layer is unstable and spontaneous spontaneous large avalanches can occur spontaneously, including on steep slopes, conditions are very favorable and the danger very high..

Unfortunately, there are many areas in the Rodnei Mountains where the avalanche risk is of high level, which over the years has made enough of the victims, but the effects on nature have been sufficiently large.

4.4.1. Impact of avalanches on the population

Generally in the Rodnei Mountains, the risk of avalanche occurs when man is exposed to it by practicing winter sports and other alpine activities in areas where the risk of avalanche production is very high.

The highest degree of avalanche risk exists especially for tourist activities, especially in the crest area, where cornices are formed above the avalanche corridors located in the walls of the glacier circles, cornices whose size is unknown and which can break when are crossed by skiers or tourists.

But at the same time a high degree of avalanche can be encountered, along other tourist paths that cross the avalanche corridors, or the slopes located on both sides of the main ridge.

Thus, in the Rodnei Mountains on 17 February 2006 a real disaster resulted from an avalanche where five people lost their lives because of an avalanche set in Pietrosul Rodnei, not far from the Iezer meteorological station. Unfortunately, this area is very dangerous, and avalanche occurred spontaneously from the negligence of those present.

This case was the worst of those that have happened so far, but there have been avalanches in the Rodnei Mountains, where fortunately the people involved managed to escape, namely in 2011, a tourist was caught by the avalanche while skiing.

As a result of some studies, in the case of the avalanche of 2011, the type of avalanche was a plate type with a thickness of about 70-90 cm, the air temperature ranged between -15-17 ° C, with wind gusts of 10m / s, and the depth of snow was variable. The avalanche occurred on a slope with a fracture area of approximately 40-42ș, and the slope of the tread was approximately 30ș.

Fig. 9 Victim caught by avalanches while skiing

(Source: http://avalanse.blogspot.ro/2011/02/live-to-tellavalansa-pietrosul-rodnei.html)

Fig. 9. One of the victims of the avalanche of 17 February 1996

(Source: http://adevarul.ro/locale/baia-mare/foto-locul-ucigas-pietrosul-rodnei-nu-scapare-terifianta-poveste-cinci-morti-inghititi-zpada)

Unfortunately, in the winter of 2015 in the Rodnei Mountains an avalanche event took place in the Piciorul Mosului area, where two cabanmen were captured as they moved from the Iezer Meteorological Station to the town of Borsa.

In this case, the avalanche occurred during an unfavorable weather because the air temperature of the day was -17ș C accentuated by a blizzard snow, which made the representatives of Salvamont Maramures to make it harder for the victims to save them.

The direct impact of avalanches on humans is manifested not only by the weight of snow but also by the pressure of the air that is very great. Generally, a snowy avalanche of snow, leads to tears in the lungs, but also to body deformations resulting from the impact of the avalanche that exerts great pressure on the human body.

By weight of snow, an avalanche can produce casualties by asphyxiation or crushing of bodies. Even if the avalanche buried sometimes have a chance of survival, if the snow layer above them has a lower thickness, it slips less and slow, and the rescue teams find it in time to be saved.

In the case of wet avalanches, the chances of survival are reduced, because the snow is denser, it squeezes quickly and is more difficult to release.

4.4.2. Impact of avalanches on the environment

Of all the elements of the environment, the most frequently affected is the forest fund, because most of the large avalanches reach the forest following the path of the lanes.

The impact of the avalanches on the stands is manifested either by total rupture and sweeping the entire material passage, or by partial breaks of the branches and stems, but at the same time the avalanche can also cause scarring on the stalk.

Fig. 21. The effects of the avalanche on the forest in the Rodnei Mountains

(Source: http://www.silvasv.ro/STUL_P9.htm)

In conclusion, in the Rodnei Mountains, the most affected anthropic avalanche elements are anthropic activities and forestry, each of which has a different vulnerability depending on the degree of proximity to the production area and the degree of avalanche risk.

4.5. Avalanche prevention measures

In order to be able to intervene with avalanche prevention measures, it is first and foremost the areas where avalanches occur most frequently, so avalanche risk maps of a permanent nature can be drawn, indicating where it is most likely to occur produces the avalanche when the necessary weather conditions, snow, etc. occur.

The mapping of these maps is based on:

– stereoscopic aerial photographs taken in summer;

– offshore field assessments of avalanche trails (areas with damaged vegetation, erosion traces).

– offshore field assessments of avalanche formation and flow conditions.

– monitoring the location and frequency of avalanches by air and satellite photography

– collecting and evaluating information from observers' reports.

Fig.12 Avalanche risk map

(Source: http://www.geo-spatial.org/galerii/?c=gal_geomorfologice&p=1603)

To prevent avalanches it is advisable that winter does not circulate in known areas, where the avalanche can be triggered, but only on the access roads to or from the heights, called "winter roads", on the northern slopes of the valleys.

Another important rule for preventing avalanches is that they do not start on the road if they have gone abundantly in the previous days and it is very important that they walk in groups at distances of at least 20 meters from each other, many people by the avalanche.

To prevent avalanches from being triggered, permanent protection measures can also be taken which consist in fixing the snow in the zone of separation, which can be achieved by morphological modification of the soil, namely afforestation, planting and reforestation, by moving snow masses deposited through fences, barriers , and by artificially supporting the snow cover that can be achieved through nets, fencing fences and small walls.

4.5. Land susceptibility to avalanches

Susceptibility is defined as the potential for manifestation of a process in a given area based on existing territorial conditions. This type of analysis represents the spatial component of the hazard, depending on the degree of land availability to certain risk processes, along with the presence of the factors favoring or triggering (Dana Gotiu, V. Surdeanu, 2008).

A map of susceptibility to avalanches in the Rodnei Mountains shows the locations where the land is predisposed to avalanches, and the areas most prone to Rodnei Mountains are those situated on the slopes of high and medium slope of the main ridge as well as those in the vicinity Pietrosu Peaks, Puzdrele, Great Laptele, Gărgălau and Roșu.

Areas characterized by medium avalanche susceptibility in the Rodnei Mountains are those located in the western part, namely on Piciorul Pleșcuței and between Galațu and Gărgălau Highlands.

Fig. 13 Map of susceptibility to Rodnei Mountains

4.6. Winter trails in the Rodnei Mountains

In the Rodnei Mountains, the most important tourist routes indicated for their winter walk to avoid avalanches are as follows:

– Iezer Heat – Pietrosu Peak, where the summer tour is not to be followed, the safest alternative to climb / descend from the meteorological station to Piatra Albă Peak;

– the ridge area between Buhăescu Mare Peak, Buhăiescu Mic Peak, Rebra Peak, Cormaia Peak, Repede Peak, which during the winter passes without peaks;

– Negoiasa Mare Peak and Negoiasa Mică Peak, which must ascend or bypass in the northern part of the country, falling sufficiently to avoid the area with a high susceptibility to the formation of avalanches;

– Mighty Milk, which must go up in winter and do not bypass the tourist trail;

Various forms of recreational and curative tourism (mountain hiking, winter sports, mountaineering, etc.) can be practiced in the Rodna Mountains. Thanks to the thick snow cover for the most part of the year, winter sports can be practiced in the Rodnei Mountains, and hiking can be enjoyed during the summer and the most favorable hiking months are July and August.

By having access to information on the situation of winter trails in the Rodnei Mountains, anyone wishing to escalate the Winter Mountains or winter sports lovers should take into account to avoid unpleasant avalanche situations and to be able to carry out the desired activity safely.

CONCLUSIONS

The Avalanche of the Rodnei Mountains attempts as far as possible to highlight the individuality of the avalanches, which are more and more present in the Rodnei Mountains, but are little studied.

In developing this paper, the main objective was to identify the main areas where avalanches occur, as well as to make a map of land susceptibility to avalanches, and this work is the result of field investigations in terms of taking data on climate elements that contribute to triggering avalenses , but also their processing at the office.

The local influence of the relief is made by means of the slope value and by the orientation of the slopes, but also by the geology of the areas, the relief being carved in crystalline shale and less in sedimentary and eruptive rocks. Thus Rodnei Mountains are individualized by their height and massiveness, and preserve the most developed glacial relief in the Eastern Carpathians. All these features make the Rodnei Mountains a good place for avalanches.

Relief imposes certain topoclimatic conditions, which in turn imparts a certain frequency and intensity of the avalanches. Of the climatic factors influencing the avalanche activity, the most important are the precipitation, which during the winter period records the smallest values, ie 76.8mm, as shown in the graph, the sunshine duration of the Sun, which totals 1300 hours of which during the winter period record a minimum of 0.16 hours compared to other lower regions (for example at Stana de Vale, sunshine duration is 1601, 4 hours), snow cover and air temperature, which decreases with the increase of altitude, thus in the Rodnei Mountains recorded an average annual temperature of 1.91ș C.

Biotic factors, by type of vegetation and afforestation, play an important role in triggering and braking avalanches. Over the last 31 years, the avalanches have destroyed 187.6 hectares of forest in the Rodnei Mountains.

One of the factors generating avalanches is also the man, who, through his activities and interventions, is a disturbing factor. Anthropic activities in the Rodnei Mountains,

by cutting the juniper trees and lowering the upper boundary of the forest through deforestation, favors the flow of avalanches.

The Rodnei Mountains are a touristic area where recreational tourism can be practiced (climbing, winter sports, mountain hiking), due to the thick snow layer, this is another characteristic that contributes to the avalanche.

Due to the high natural and tourist potential in the Rodnei Mountains area, areas with different degrees of susceptibility could be established, so areas with high susceptibility are situated on the slopes with a large slope on both sides of the main ridge as well as in Peaks approach: Pietrosu (2303m), Puzdrele (2188m), Great Laptele (2167m), etc.

In conclusion, the avalanche processes taking place in the Rodnei Mountains are complex as a manifestation and the knowledge of the factors that trigger them can allow a more accurate knowledge of the avalanche manifestation.

The results of this study, related to avalanche damage, and the identification of areas with varying degrees of susceptibility to avalanches, can be useful in reducing the damage and loss of life that unfortunately causes this natural hazard.

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ANEXA 10

DECLARAȚIE DE AUTENTICITATE

A LUCRĂRII DE FINALIZARE A STUDIILOR

Titlul lucrării

Avalanches in the Rodnei Mountains

Autorul lucrării

Hojda Maria

Lucrarea de finalizare a studiilor este elaborată în vederea susținerii examenului de finalizare a studiilor organizat de către Facultatea de Geografie, Turism și Sport din cadrul Universității din Oradea, sesiunea februarie 2018 a anului universitar 2016-2017.

Prin prezenta, subsemnatul, Hojda Maria, 2921229244031, declar pe proprie răspundere că această lucrare a fost scrisă de către mine, fără nici un ajutor neautorizat și că nici o parte a lucrării nu conține aplicații sau studii de caz publicate de alți autori.

Declar, de asemenea, că în lucrare nu există idei, tabele, grafice, hărți sau alte surse folosite fără respectarea legii române și a convențiilor internaționale privind drepturile de autor.

Oradea,

16.02.2018 Semnătura