Nordic Snow Radar Experiment

• Published in: Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems
• Main Authors: J. Lemmetyinen, A. Kontu, J. Pulliainen, J. Vehviläinen, K. Rautiainen, A. Wiesmann, C. Mätzler, C. Werner, H. Rott, T. Nagler, M. Schneebeli, M. Proksch, D. Schüttemeyer, M. Kern, M. W. J. Davidson
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2016
• Subjects: Geophysics. Cosmic physics; QC801-809; Arctic; Sodankylä
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-5-403-2016; https://doaj.org/article/52d565e79c37495a95fdc7c268cf7d16

The objective of the Nordic Snow Radar Experiment (NoSREx) campaign was to provide a continuous time series of active and passive microwave observations of snow cover at a representative location of the Arctic boreal forest area, covering a whole winter season. The activity was a part of Phase A studies for the ESA Earth Explorer 7 candidate mission CoReH2O (Cold Regions Hydrology High-resolution Observatory). The NoSREx campaign, conducted at the Finnish Meteorological Institute Arctic Research Centre (FMI-ARC) in Sodankylä, Finland, hosted a frequency scanning scatterometer operating at frequencies from X- to Ku-band. The radar observations were complemented by a microwave dual-polarization radiometer system operating from X- to W-bands. In situ measurements consisted of manual snow pit measurements at the main test site as well as extensive automated measurements on snow, ground and meteorological parameters. This study provides a summary of the obtained data, detailing measurement protocols for each microwave instrument and in situ reference data. A first analysis of the microwave signatures against snow parameters is given, also comparing observed radar backscattering and microwave emission to predictions of an active/passive forward model. All data, including the raw data observations, are available for research purposes through the European Space Agency and the Finnish Meteorological Institute. A consolidated dataset of observations, comprising the key microwave and in situ observations, is provided through the ESA campaign data portal to enable easy access to the data.