Estimating alpine snowpack properties using FMCW radar

Marshall, Hans Peter; Koh, Gary; Forster, R. R.

doi:10.3189/172756405781813500

Cited by 35 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Many authors have used GPR to characterize alpine (Marshall et al, 2005;Bradford et al, 2009a;Heilig et al, 2010), arctic (Holmgren et al, 1998), and on-glacier (Macguth et al, 2006) snowpack. Studies on freshwater ice have demonstrated that GPR can profile lake ice (Arcone et al, 1997) and river ice (Arcone and Delaney, 1987) thickness.…”

Section: Field Area and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ground penetrating radar detection of subsnow slush on ice-covered lakes in interior Alaska

Gusmeroli

Grosse

2012

The Cryosphere

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Abstract. Lakes are abundant throughout the pan-Arctic region. For many of these lakes ice cover lasts for up to two thirds of the year. The frozen cover allows human access to these lakes, which are therefore used for many subsistence and recreational activities, including water harvesting, fishing, and skiing. Safe traveling condition onto lakes may be compromised, however, when, after significant snowfall, the weight of the snow acts on the ice and causes liquid water to spill through weak spots and overflow at the snow-ice interface. Since visual detection of subsnow slush is almost impossible our understanding on overflow processes is still very limited and geophysical methods that allow water and slush detection are desirable. In this study we demonstrate that a commercially available, lightweight 1 GHz, ground penetrating radar system can detect and map extent and intensity of overflow. The strength of radar reflections from wet snow-ice interfaces are at least twice as much in strength than returns from dry snow-ice interface. The presence of overflow also affects the quality of radar returns from the base of the lake ice. During dry conditions we were able to profile ice thickness of up to 1 m, conversely, we did not retrieve any icewater returns in areas affected by overflow.

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Section: Field Area and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ground penetrating radar detection of subsnow slush on ice-covered lakes in interior Alaska

Gusmeroli

Grosse

2012

The Cryosphere

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“…Using a sliding assembly, the antennas are moved over a short distance (less than 3 m) to obtain images of snowpack stratigraphy [Marshall et al, 2004]. Movement of the radar system enables a measurement of SWE to be made over a large area [Marshall et al, 2005]. The FMCW radar can also be set up to measure snowpack stratigraphy at a point location [Ellerbruch and Boyne, 1980].…”

Section: Radar Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement of the physical properties of the snowpack

Kinar

Pomeroy

2015

Reviews of Geophysics

190

202

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This paper reviews measurement techniques and corresponding devices used to determine the physical properties of the seasonal snowpack from distances close to the ground surface. The review is placed in the context of the need for scientific observations of snowpack variables that provide inputs for predictive hydrological models that help to advance scientific understanding of geophysical processes related to snow in the near-surface cryosphere. Many of these devices used to measure snow are invasive and require the snowpack to be disrupted, thereby precluding the possibility for multiple measurements to be made at the same sampling location. Moreover, many devices rely on the use of empirical calibration equations that may not be valid at all geographic locations. The spatial density of observations with most snow measurement devices is often inadequate. There is a need for improved automation of snowpack measurement instrumentation with an emphasis on field-based feedback of measurement validity in lieu of postprocessing of samples or data at a lab or office location. The scientific future of snow measurement instrumentation thereby requires a synthesis between science and engineering principles that takes into consideration geophysics and the physics of device operation.

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“…As a more thorough summary of previous FMCW radar work in snow has been given elsewhere (e.g. Marshall et al, 2004b), here we briefly indicate the major studies. Ellerbruch and Boyne (1980) were the first to publish results of FMCW measurements in alpine snow.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microwave FMCW radar responds to changes in dielectric properties within the snowpack, as major reflections have been shown to be highly correlated with changes in dielectric properties measured in situ in a nearby snowpit (Marshall et al, 2004b). Using metal reflectors inserted at layer boundaries, this study also showed that the major reflections often coincide with boundaries observed visually in a nearby snowpit, and that using the mean density to approximate the velocity of propagation leads to an error in the depth scale Copyright  2004John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Hydrol.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Ground‐based frequency‐modulated continuous wave radar measurements in wet and dry snowpacks, Colorado, USA: an analysis and summary of the 2002–03 NASA CLPX data

Marshall

Koh

Forster

2004

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:Ground-based frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar measurements made throughout the 2002-03 NASA Cold Lands Processes (CLPX) mission in Colorado, USA, were designed to study the major electromagnetic transitions within the alpine snowpack over a wide range of conditions, and their effect on measurements made with different active radar measurement parameters. Measurements during 2002 determined that measurements at C-, X-, and Ku-band frequencies were necessary to retrieve the most snowpack information in a wide range of conditions. Measurements at four different incidence angles indicated that the snowpack layering was still visible at 15°but that the rough surface scattering of the snow-ground interface dominated the signal above 30°incidence. Measurements during 2003 were focused on characterizing the microwave response at C-, X-, and Ku-band frequencies at four different sites with different snowpack conditions, indicating that the optimal measurement parameters vary with snowpack conditions. Measurements at different bandwidths illustrate the effect of bandwidth on vertical resolution. This ground-truth data will help interpretation of air-and space-borne active and passive microwave radar measurements that were made coincident with this study. In addition, this work may help guide future researchers when choosing FMCW radar measurement parameters, depending on the type of snowpack information their study requires.

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Estimating alpine snowpack properties using FMCW radar

Cited by 35 publications

References 23 publications

Ground penetrating radar detection of subsnow slush on ice-covered lakes in interior Alaska

Ground penetrating radar detection of subsnow slush on ice-covered lakes in interior Alaska

Measurement of the physical properties of the snowpack

Ground‐based frequency‐modulated continuous wave radar measurements in wet and dry snowpacks, Colorado, USA: an analysis and summary of the 2002–03 NASA CLPX data

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