Every winter, we organize a training on Snow and Atmosphere at Col du Lautaret in the French Alps for the master Earth Sciences at University Grenoble Alpes (UGA).

This year, the training is open to 8 international students at master level or beginning of their PhD.

The program comprises field work by group of 3 persons (6-7h/day) and lectures (1h/day) on the following topics:

- snow stratigraphy in snowpits, snow metamorphism (2x 0.5 day)
- snow thermal regime (0.5 day).
- snow albedo and surface energy budget, micro-meteorology (0.5 day).
- snow depth distribution by GPR and DGPS and data processing (3x 0.5 day).
- atmospheric ozone (0.5 day).
- snow optics (0.5 day).
- data processing and interpretation (0.5 day)

The training will be held 28 February – 5 March 2022 (Monday to Saturday included), during the peak of the snow season. 13 local students from UGA will attend. The fees are 450€, and include the courses, basic accommodation in chalets on site (Jardin alpin du Lautaret) and food (each group is responsible for cooking for one day).

Col du Lautaret is at the altitude of 2100m.a.s.l and climate conditions in March can be harsh – with sustained -15°C and windy as in 2018 – or clement – 0°C and sunshine as in 2017. While all the field activities take place within 200 m around the chalets, good health conditions, adequate clothing and some initial experience with mountain environment are a prerequisite. Road access to the pass (and the training site) is occasionally closed for a few hours to a full day during snowfall and storm, which may alter the program or the end date.

To apply, please send us an email with CV, details of your master curriculum and motivations before 1 December 2021. We will give a response within 3 weeks.

Best regards,

Ghislain Picard, Manu Le Meur, Didier Voisin

Training flyer: https://snow.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/files/flyer-lautaret.pdf

Jardin alpin du Lautaret: https://www.jardinalpindulautaret.fr/?language=en

University Grenoble Alpes: https://www.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/

Pictures: https://www.google.com/search?q=col+du+lautaret+winter&tbm=isch

Webcam: https://www.skaping.com/serrechevalier/coldulautaret

P.S. For PhD students experienced in snow science, we recommend to apply to the Snow Science Winter School rather than this training: https://www.slf.ch/en/about-the-slf/events-and-courses/snow-science-winter-school.html