Microwave sensors for a long term monitoring of snow conditions and avalanche prevention

The paper introduces a compact sensing topology based on a distributed alignment of electromagnetic radiators, applicable to the analysis of water content in snow. A suitable set of sensors, deployed in a predefined space to form an ad-hoc network, reveals the differential variation of humidity inside snowfields, being a precise indicator of dramatic events such as avalanches and landslides. The light energy consumption and the compact dimensions foresee the possibility for an intensive exploitation to high mountain snowfields, as well as skiing areas.