Fuzzy Techniques for Artificial Snow Cover Optimization in the Ski Areas. Case Study: Obârșia Lotrului (Southern Carpathians, Romania)

Laurenţiu-Andrei Ilie, Laura Comănescu, Robert Dobre, Alexandru Nedelea, Ionuț Săvulescu, Ioana-Alexandra Bradea and Marcel Ioan Boloș
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Laurenţiu-Andrei Ilie: Geomorphology-Pedology Department, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Laura Comănescu: Geomorphology-Pedology Department, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Robert Dobre: Geomorphology-Pedology Department, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandru Nedelea: Geomorphology-Pedology Department, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Ionuț Săvulescu: Geomorphology-Pedology Department, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Ioana-Alexandra Bradea: Faculty of Economic Cybernetics, Statistics and Informatics, Academy of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
Marcel Ioan Boloș: Faculty of Economic Sciences-Finance Accounting Department, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: This paper focuses on the environmental conflicts induced by insufficient continuous snow cover on the ski areas in Romania. The case study aims envisions the area of Southern Carpathians, Latoriței Mountains, belonging to the group of Parâng Mountains. The area chosen to develop and improve the artificial snow system was conducted for in the proposed ski area, Obârşia Lotrului. This fulfilled a necessary condition (geomorphological and climatic) for the development of the ski domain. The methodology focuses on two main stages phases. In the first stage phase, based on the GIS, the areas that have shown problems in terms of continuity of the snow layer and its thickness were identified, while the second phase, there is a supposed optimization based on Fuzzy logic for the installation of artificial snow. The corresponding thickness of snow for a longer period of time can lead to a higher socio-economic efficiency, as well as the increase of the use duration of the respective ski area, and also a prevention mechanism to environmental conflicts that may arise. The proposed study supports civil society by optimizing artificial snow machines through a positive impact on water resources allocated to a ski area in order to maintain a continuous snow cover.

Keywords: fuzzy logic; optimization; ski area; environmental conflicts; Southern Carpathians; Romania (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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