Put and . Multiplying the equation by gives
so its first integral is
These level curves give the positive phase plane for the avalanche front with linear mass entrainment. For , the curve starts at , and rises. For , it diverges as , has a minimum at , and then rises. The curve is . Forward-time arrows have increasing ; at a zero-velocity endpoint the equation gives .
Figure 1.
Avalanche phase trajectories approaching the linear-entrainment asymptote
. Details.
Every forward-moving trajectory has : after it has entered , a bounded limiting would force a zero of the displayed positive-branch speed ahead of it, but its only possible zero is the lower endpoint. For large ,
Expanding the equation as and substituting the first integral gives
Thus both the asymptotic phase plane trajectory and the limiting acceleration are independent of the initial data.