Experts dealt with avalanche phenomena, their forecasting, and their effects at the Avalanche 2022 international conference, which was held at the University of Debrecen between August 29 and September 1. World-renowned researchers, mainly physicists, geologists, and biologists, took part in the interdisciplinary forum, but the participants could also hear a lecture by an internationally renowned brain researcher.
Avalanche research is wide-ranging, covering phenomena occurring on a very wide scale, from the deformation of nanometer-sized solid bodies with tiny jumps to earthquakes. The mathematical methods, the physical way of thinking, and the basic concepts are similar, the common denominator is the statistical physics of many-particle systems in the interdisciplinary field of science.
– Avalanche does not mean only snow avalanche, in fact, it is a very general phenomenon. We speak of an avalanche when a system, such as a solid body, is exposed to some constant external influence, such as a mechanical load, the magnitude of which is constant over time or only changes slowly. In response to this external influence, the internal rearrangement of the material takes place in sudden, leap-like, avalanche-like events. The same happens with fracture phenomena. If we slowly increase the load on a solid body, cracks will appear in sudden jump-like avalanches. By increasing the load, a catastrophic crack avalanche eventually occurs, in which the system is destroyed, the solid body breaks. Similarly, the activity of the brain’s neural network or the behavior of animal communities also show avalanche-like events – explained Ferenc Kun, dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Debrecen, one of the organizers of the conference.
The Avalanche conference is the most important international event of the scientific community dealing with avalanche phenomena, which is held every 2-3 years at various European locations. The outstanding importance of the Avalanche conference is given by the fact that it is the only international forum that focuses on the general characteristics of the phenomenon, enables communication between experimental and theoretical researchers of different fields, the development of interdisciplinary approach methods, and the establishment of international collaborations between seemingly distant subject areas. There is a significant scientific community of this field in Hungary at the Institute of Physics of the University of Debrecen and the Institute of Physics of ELTE. Their work is recognized by the fact that, after the universities of Cambridge, Barcelona and Göttingen, the conference could be held at the University of Debrecen.
– Avalanche phenomena can cause natural disasters and can also be responsible for the collapse of engineering structures. The creation of cracks in solid bodies is accompanied by the emission of sound waves, which we cannot usually hear with the ear, but if we place tiny microphones on the surface of the body, after analyzing the signals collected in this way, we can tell whether the system is developing towards a catastrophic fracture. Avalanche research is, among other things, very important, because through them we can gain a deeper understanding of fracture phenomena, and thus be able to predict the occurrence of landslides or earthquakes – stressed Ferenc Kun.
65 professionals participated in the professional forum. The four-day conference was hosted by the Learning Center of the University of Debrecen, but it was also possible for the participants to join the program online. At the event, 47 presentations were given by the most renowned international experts in avalanche research.
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