Hansbreen Snowpit Dataset – over 30-year of detailed snow research on an Arctic glacier

Abstract

Snow cover is a key element in the water cycle, global heat balance and in the condition of glaciers. Characterised by high temporal and spatial variability, it is subject to short- and long-term changes in climatic conditions. This paper presents a unique dataset of snow measurements on Hansbreen, an Arctic glacier in Svalbard. The dataset includes 79 archived snow profiles performed from 1989 to 2021. It presents all available observations of physical properties for snow cover, such as grain shape and size, hardness, wetness, temperature and density, supplemented with organised metadata. All data has been revised and unified with current protocols and the present International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground, allowing comparison of data from different periods and locations. The information included is essential for estimations of glacier mass balance or snow depth using indirect methods, such as ground-penetrating radar. A wide range of input data makes this dataset valuable to the greater community involved in the study of snow cover evolution and modelling related to glaciology, ecology and hydrology of glacierised areas.

An agenda for the future of Arctic snow research: the view from Svalbard

“…Recent efforts have led to the combined modelling of glacier mass balance, seasonal snow conditions on glaciers and land, as well as runoff across Svalbard under past and future climates (van Pelt et al 2019;Schuler et al 2020 and references therein;Schmidt et al 2023). Of highest importance for snow model calibration and validation are in situ measurements of snow accumulation at glacier mass-balance stakes and of snow/firn density and temperature (e.g., Taurisano et al 2007;Laska et al 2022), as well as weather station records of air temperature and, most importantly, precipitation (snowfall and rainfall). Remote or in situ observations of snow albedo are also critical for accurate estimation of glacier surface energy balance and melt rates.…”

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“…The results indicate differences in the magnitude of hydrological response depending on the percentage of glacial coverage in the catchments. "Hansbreen Snowpit Datasetover 30-year of detailed snow research on an Arctic glacier" byLaska et al (2022) presents data on snowpack studies from Hansbreen. A unique dataset of snow measurements on Hansbreen, an Arctic glacier in Svalbard, has been compiled from 1989 to 2021, including 79 archived snow profiles.…”