Method of and system for inducing a planned avalanche

Abstract

A method and system for inducing a planned or controlled avalanche is disclosed. The system includes one or more sources of vibration mounted within a mass which is mounted within an aperture in the ground in the area where an avalanche has been determined to be likely to occur. The source of vibration is a drive system from a vehicle (such as a golf cart), preferably modified to increase the vibration and mounted in a vibrating mass (such as a concrete culvert). The vibrating mass may be mounted within an aperture in the ground and secured in place using concrete to increase the vibration-transmitting characteristics of the vibrating mass. An electrical system including a source of electricity and a storage device, as well as controls, is mounted separate from the source of vibration and the vibrating mass (e.g., the concrete culvert) to isolate portions of the electrical system (including the storage device) from some of the effects of the vibration.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of triggering a controlled avalanche, the steps of the method comprising:
 removing a drive system from a vehicle;   modifying the removed drive system to increase its vibration;   mounting the removed drive system in a member having a significant mass and mounting the significant mass in the ground in an area where a controlled avalanche is desired;   mounting a power source adjacent the drive system and coupling the power source to the drive system; and   using the power source to controllably energizing the drive system with its increased vibration to vibrate the member of significant mass and thereby cause a controlled avalanche.   
     
     
         2 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the step of removing a drive system includes the step of removing the drive system from a golf cart. 
     
     
         3 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the step of mounting the significant mass in the ground includes the steps of preparing an aperture in the ground and mounting the significant mass within the aperture in the ground. 
     
     
         4 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the step of increasing the vibration includes the step of mounting weights on a portion of the vehicle drive system. 
     
     
         5 . A method including the steps of  claim 4  wherein the step of mounting weights on a portion of the drive system includes the step of mounting at least one weight on at least one tire of the drive system and thereby creating an asymmetric weight distribution about a rotational axis of the tire. 
     
     
         6 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the step of mounting a power source includes the step of isolating the power source from the vibration of the significant mass. 
     
     
         7 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the step of mounting a source of power includes the steps of installing a solar cell and connecting the solar cell to an electrical storage device. 
     
     
         8 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the method further includes the step of isolating at least one of the solar cell and the storage device from the vibration of the drive system and the significant mass. 
     
     
         9 . A method including the steps of  claim 1  wherein the step of mounting the drive in a member having a significant mass includes the step of mounting the drive to a concrete culvert. 
     
     
         10 . A method including the steps of  claim 6  further including the step of coupling a single power source to power more than one drive system, each of the more than one drive system having its own significant mass and source of vibration. 
     
     
         11 . A method including the steps of  claim 6  wherein the method includes positioning the power source between a first and second vibrating masses and electrically coupling the same power source to the first vibrating mass and the second bvibrating mass. 
     
     
         12 . A system for causing a controlled avalanche on command comprising:
 a massive base mounted within the ground in an area where a controlled avalanche is desired;   components from a vehicle drive system mounted to the massive base, said vehicle drive components being modified to provide an increased level of vibration; and   a source of electrical power mounted to drive the vehicle drive system to general vibration of the massive base upon command.   
     
     
         13 . A system including the elements of  claim 12  wherein the source of electrical power includes a solar cell and an electric power storage device. 
     
     
         14 . A system including the elements of  claim 12  wherein at least a portion of the the source of electrical power is isolated from the vibration of the vehicle drive system and the massive base to reduce the impact of the vibration on the source of electric power. 
     
     
         15 . A system including the elements of  claim 12  and further including a second vibrating mass mounted in the ground at a spaced location from the massive base, said second vibrating mass, being coupled to the same source of electrical power as massive base with its drive system to generate vibration. 
     
     
         16 . A system including the elements set forth in  claim 12  and further including a second vehicle drive system mounted to a second massive base located at a spaced distance from the other massive base and drive system, said other massive and drive system each electrically coupled to the same source of electric power, allowing the same power source to control two different drive systems to create a controlled avalanche in the vicinity of the second drive system or the other drive system.