The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack
The necessity of characterizing snow through objective, physically motivated parameters has led to new model formulations and new measurement techniques. Consequently, essential structural parameters such as density and specific surface area (for basic characterization) or mechanical parameters such...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9445334435464c3cb7b3448bd955ec76 2023-05-15T18:32:29+02:00 The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack N. Calonne B. Richter H. Löwe C. Cetti J. ter Schure A. Van Herwijnen C. Fierz M. Jaggi M. Schneebeli 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020 https://doaj.org/article/9445334435464c3cb7b3448bd955ec76 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1829/2020/tc-14-1829-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/9445334435464c3cb7b3448bd955ec76 The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 1829-1848 (2020) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020 2022-12-31T03:29:07Z The necessity of characterizing snow through objective, physically motivated parameters has led to new model formulations and new measurement techniques. Consequently, essential structural parameters such as density and specific surface area (for basic characterization) or mechanical parameters such as the critical crack length (for avalanche stability characterization) gradually replace the semiempirical indices acquired from traditional stratigraphy. These advances come along with new demands and potentials for validation. To this end, we conducted the RHOSSA field campaign, in reference to density ( ρ ) and specific surface area (SSA), at the Weissfluhjoch research site in the Swiss Alps to provide a multi-instrument, multi-resolution dataset of density, SSA and critical crack length over the complete winter season of 2015–2016. In this paper, we present the design of the campaign and a basic analysis of the measurements alongside predictions from the model SNOWPACK. To bridge between traditional and new methods, the campaign comprises traditional profiles, density cutter, IceCube, SnowMicroPen (SMP), micro-computed-tomography, propagation saw tests and compression tests. To bridge between different temporal resolutions, the traditional weekly to biweekly (every 2 weeks, used in this sense throughout the paper) snow pits were complemented by daily SMP measurements. From the latter, we derived a recalibration of the statistical retrieval of density and SSA for SMP version 4 that yields an unprecedented spatiotemporal picture of the seasonal evolution of density and SSA in a snowpack. Finally, we provide an intercomparison of measured and modeled estimates of density and SSA for four characteristic layers over the entire season to demonstrate the potential of high-temporal-resolution monitoring for snowpack model validation. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 14 6 1829 1848 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 N. Calonne B. Richter H. Löwe C. Cetti J. ter Schure A. Van Herwijnen C. Fierz M. Jaggi M. Schneebeli The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The necessity of characterizing snow through objective, physically motivated parameters has led to new model formulations and new measurement techniques. Consequently, essential structural parameters such as density and specific surface area (for basic characterization) or mechanical parameters such as the critical crack length (for avalanche stability characterization) gradually replace the semiempirical indices acquired from traditional stratigraphy. These advances come along with new demands and potentials for validation. To this end, we conducted the RHOSSA field campaign, in reference to density ( ρ ) and specific surface area (SSA), at the Weissfluhjoch research site in the Swiss Alps to provide a multi-instrument, multi-resolution dataset of density, SSA and critical crack length over the complete winter season of 2015–2016. In this paper, we present the design of the campaign and a basic analysis of the measurements alongside predictions from the model SNOWPACK. To bridge between traditional and new methods, the campaign comprises traditional profiles, density cutter, IceCube, SnowMicroPen (SMP), micro-computed-tomography, propagation saw tests and compression tests. To bridge between different temporal resolutions, the traditional weekly to biweekly (every 2 weeks, used in this sense throughout the paper) snow pits were complemented by daily SMP measurements. From the latter, we derived a recalibration of the statistical retrieval of density and SSA for SMP version 4 that yields an unprecedented spatiotemporal picture of the seasonal evolution of density and SSA in a snowpack. Finally, we provide an intercomparison of measured and modeled estimates of density and SSA for four characteristic layers over the entire season to demonstrate the potential of high-temporal-resolution monitoring for snowpack model validation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
N. Calonne B. Richter H. Löwe C. Cetti J. ter Schure A. Van Herwijnen C. Fierz M. Jaggi M. Schneebeli |
author_facet |
N. Calonne B. Richter H. Löwe C. Cetti J. ter Schure A. Van Herwijnen C. Fierz M. Jaggi M. Schneebeli |
author_sort |
N. Calonne |
title |
The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
title_short |
The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
title_full |
The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
title_fullStr |
The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
title_full_unstemmed |
The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
title_sort |
rhossa campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020 https://doaj.org/article/9445334435464c3cb7b3448bd955ec76 |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 1829-1848 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1829/2020/tc-14-1829-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/9445334435464c3cb7b3448bd955ec76 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1829 |
op_container_end_page |
1848 |
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1766216604383707136 |