Anna and Elsa Contribute to Dyatlov Research
The computer snow animation used in the movie Frozen impressed Puzrin and Gaume. They connected with Disney’s snow effects specialist, who shared the movie’s code. The research team changed the code to simulate the impacts of a small avalanche on the human body. They applied General Motor’s seatbelt safety cadaver crash test results. These tests revealed different scenarios about heavy snow impact on the hikers as they were in the tent. They found cadaver test results that most resembled the tent setup, where the hikers lay their skis under the tent to create a rigid platform to sleep on. This allowed the team to run scenarios about how the tent and the hikers would have held up under even a smaller avalanche, one that would hit the tent and fill the pit, but not have much impact to the surrounding area.