Site Description
a) Access
Access to the station (both sensor and VSAT sites) is possible throughout the year. At times where snow and ice are present (typically from November to March), the last few hundred meters to the station must be walked by foot.
- Next international airport: Zurich-Kloten (ZRH)
- Railway or freeway/main road from Zurich to Davos (160 km south east)
- Secondary road from Davos to the Dischmatal
b) Power Availability
A permanent power line is already available at the hut of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, Davos (SLF). The availability of electric power in Switzerland is generally very good and outages are seldom and usually of short duration only (in the order of seconds). An open-wire line for the power supply from the hut to the vault will be installed, as well as buffered power sources 230 V/50 Hz at both sites.
c) Geology
The Dischmatal consists mostly of Flüelagneiss, a Flaser-Granit-Gneiss which is partly overlaid by the foliated paragneiss of the Silvretta nappe.
The sensor is situated in a tectonic window (1300 x 300 m) of the Silvretta nappe, on the Flüelagranitgneiss.
d) Climate
The climate in Switzerland is temperate, but varies with altitude. The site is in an alpine area and approx. 1800 m above sea level.
Meteorological data for Davos (4 km from site):
Temperatures:
- -20 °C to 5 °C (January)
- 0 °C to 25 °C (August)
Precipitation:
- 50-120 mm/month, 1000 mm/year
e) Noise Sources
The following possible noise sources have been identified in the vicinity of the site:
- Railroads: 4 km
- Main Roads: 4 km (Davos)
- Secondary Roads: 400 m (Dischmatal)
- Pipelines, Pumping Stations, etc.: none
- Logging or Mining Roads: none
- Quarries and Large Mines: none
- Large Rivers: none
- Large Lakes, Oceans: none
- Deep Well Drilling Activity: none
- Cities or Small Villages: 4 km (Davos)
- Farm-house: 400 m
However, no significant noise of these sources was detected during our measurements.
