Creating a new community PWL

REQUIREMENTS
Permission	Operation administrator and higher
Connectivity	Online

This document describes how to create a new community PWL in the InfoEx system.

Background

Community persistent weak layers (Community PWLs) is a new concept in the InfoEx system. Since PWLs often exhibit significant spatial variability and might be buried on a range of days, individual operations might create their Operation PWLs differently. Community PWLs provide a mechanism for linking operation controlled Operation PWLs that relate to the same PWL in nature. This grouping of Operation PWLs allows for more meaningful queries in the InfoEx. For example, the community PWL functionality will allow users to more efficiently get a comprehensive picture on the assessments of a PWL that covers a large area and effectively visualize the associated observed avalanche activity.

NOTE	Please note that the avalanche problem/PWL filtering functionality for taking taking full advantage of PWL information the InfoEx report has not been implemented yet!

Step-by-step description

1.	Fig. 1: Accessing the Community PWL menu Click on the PWL menu in the header of the InfoEx application and select 'Community PWL'(Fig. 1). This will get you to a page that lists of all of the Community PWLs that have been created by the community.
2.	Fig. 2: Community PWL settings Click on the button beneath the 'Community PWL' title to open a pop-up window where you can provide the baseline information for your new Community PWL (Fig. 2). Provide the following baseline information for your new Community PWL: Name A meaningful name for your new Community PWL. Date A rough formation/burial date for your new Community PWL. This date is only used for sorting the list of community PWLs. Comment A descriptive comment about your new Community PWL, if desired. Operation PWLs The drop down list of this field lists all of the Operation PWLs that have defined by InfoEx subscribers. Select any Operations PWLs that you believe are linked to the PWL that this Community PWL represents. Colour A default colour that will identify any assessments and observations associated with this Community PWL in the InfoEx report.
3.	Click on the Okay to submit the new Operation PWL to the InfoEx system.

NOTE

At this point any user with Submission Moderator permissions can manage Community PWLs. However, once the necessary filtering functionality, the idea is that the CAC would be taking the lead in managing the Community PWLs that they are in the best position to assess large scale patterns. However, operators always has the ability to unlink their Operation PWLs from a specific Community PWLs if they disagree with the grouping.

Related documents

• Persistent weak layer overview

Operation PWLs

• Creating a new operation PWL
• Modifying the baseline information of an existing operation PWL
• Deleting an existing operation PWL

Community PWLs

• Creating a new community PWL
• Modifying the information for an existing community PWL
• Deleting an existing community PWL

Assessing PWLs

• Snowpack module

Functionality tested by

• Jan. 2, 2014: Pascal Haegeli