AMIGOS-III Cavity and Channel Snow Height and Thermistor Snow Temperature Data

• Main Author: Scambos, Ted
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) Data Center 2022
• Subjects: Ice Shelf; Snow Temperature; Snow Accumulation; Cryosphere; Antarctica; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.15784/601552; https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601552

Campbell Scientific data loggers with eight platinum resistance thermometers (PRTs) and an acoustic snow height detector were installed as part of the AMIGOS-III instrumentation (AMIGOS: Automated Meteorology Ice Geophysics Observing System) The data are hourly reports of snow and near-surface air temperatures at different depths. At Cavity AMIGOS site, snow temperatures at ~1.2 meters depth (four PRTs) were used to provide reference temperatures for a coil of Distributed Thermal Sensing (DTS) fiber optic cable. At both sites, PRTs were attached to the tower (wrapped in reflective metal foil tape) as a means of investigating inversion strength and snow burial. At both sites, hourly snow height data using an acoustic sensor placed (initially) at 6.75 meters above the snow on a sensor cross-arm were acquired. A correction based on separately-measured air temperature was applied as per Campbell Scientifics correction algorithm. Both snow height sensors failed after just over one year (Cavity) or 10 months (Channel). Thermistor data continued to be acquired for 13 months (Cavity) or 19 months (Channel) The two sites latest positions (01 Oct, 2021) are: Cavity AMIGOS: 75.037°S, 105.58°W Channel AMIGOS: 75.049°S, 105.44°W both stations are moving NNE at roughly 850 m.yr, having accelerated from about 650 m/yr in early 2020.