Item: CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT OF SNOWPACK PHYSICAL PROPERTIES USING RADAR TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTS FROM TWO WINTER SEASONS IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, CANADA
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Title: CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT OF SNOWPACK PHYSICAL PROPERTIES USING RADAR TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTS FROM TWO WINTER SEASONS IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, CANADA
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2024, Tromsø, Norway
Authors:
- Jean-Benoit Madore [ Groupe de Recherche Interdicsiplinaire sur les Milieux Polaires, GRIMP, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada ] [ Centre d’Études Nordiques, CEN, Québec, Qc, Canada ]
- Alexandre Langlois [ Groupe de Recherche Interdicsiplinaire sur les Milieux Polaires, GRIMP, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada ] [ Centre d’Études Nordiques, CEN, Québec, Qc, Canada ]
Date: 2024-09-23
Abstract: Consistently assessing the physical properties of the snowpack throughout the winter season is both demanding and indispensable. The ongoing evaluation of the snow’s physical properties is crucial for various purposes, including satellite remote sensing applications and avalanche forecasting. A temporal dataset spanning two winter seasons was obtained from a 24 GHz Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave radar positioned at the Fidelity station in Glacier National Park, Canada. The radar continuously evaluated the snowpack at 15-minute intervals throughout the 2019 spring and the 2021-2022 winter. The 2019 spring season was characterized by early melt events followed by refreezing of the snowpack surface before the ablation period in May. Contrasting the lower snow height of the 2018-2019 season (max 295cm), the 2021-2022 winter experienced high snow height (max 431cm). The radar retrieved accurate snow height measurements for both seasons. Evaluation of snow water equivalent (SWE) yielded satisfactory results in both years, with the radar validating a maximum SWE measurement of 1660 mm in the 2021-2022 winter. Within the 2019 spring, melt/freeze events were identified by the radar. Surface refreezing was observed in the signal throughout the spring. The 2021-2022 winter saw a significant rain event in early December that led to an ice crust, triggering a major avalanche cycle and raising concerns throughout the winter. The crust was visible within the radar signal for most of the season. This sensor shows good potential for a variety of applications within mountainous areas for continuous evaluation of the snowpack’s vertical and bulk properties.
Object ID: ISSW2024_P9.9.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Jean-Benoit Madore
Keywords: Snowpack assessment, Radar measurements, Snow height, Snow water equivalent (SWE), Remote sensing
Page Number(s): 1295 - 1300
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