Development of a handheld integrating sphere snow grain sizer (HISSGraS)

Abstract We developed a Handheld Integrating Sphere Snow Grain Sizer (HISSGraS) for field use to measure the specific surface area (SSA) of snow. In addition to snow samples, HISSGraS can directly measure snow surfaces and snow pit walls. The basic measurement principle is the same as that of the Ic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of Glaciology
Main Authors: Aoki, Teruo, Hachikubo, Akihiro, Nishimura, Motoshi, Hori, Masahiro, Niwano, Masashi, Tanikawa, Tomonori, Sugiura, Konosuke, Inoue, Ryo, Yamaguchi, Satoru, Matoba, Sumito, Shimada, Rigen, Ishimoto, Hiroshi, Gallet, Jean-Charles
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2023
Subjects:
Annals of Glaciology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aog.2023.72
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0260305523000721
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Summary:Abstract We developed a Handheld Integrating Sphere Snow Grain Sizer (HISSGraS) for field use to measure the specific surface area (SSA) of snow. In addition to snow samples, HISSGraS can directly measure snow surfaces and snow pit walls. The basic measurement principle is the same as that of the IceCube SSA instrument. The retrieval algorithm for SSA from reflectance employs two conversion equations formulated using spherical and nonspherical grain shape models. We observed SSAs using HISSGraS, IceCube and the gas adsorption method in a snowfield in Hokkaido, Japan. Intercomparison of the results confirmed that with HISSGraS direct measurement, SSA profile observations can be completed in just ~1/10 the time required for measurement of snow samples. Our results also suggest that HISSGraS and IceCube have similar accuracy when the same snow samples are measured using the same grain shape model. However, SSAs of near-surface snow layers measured using the three techniques exhibited some biases, possibly due to rapid snow metamorphism or melting during measurement and some technical issues with optical techniques. When excluding SSA data for the surface layer, which metamorphosed remarkably during measurement, IceCube- and HISSGraS-derived SSAs correlated strongly with those obtained by gas adsorption and HISSGraS accuracy is 21–34%.

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