Microwave Determination of Snowpack Liquid Water Content.

The measurement of liquid water in snowpack based on the electrical path length difference in snowpack depth in the region of high dielectric dispersion of water is described. The measurement system consists of a previously described LFM/CW microwave system (Ellerbruck and Boyne, 1980) operating at...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Boyne,H S
Other Authors: COLORADO STATE UNIV FORT COLLINS DEPT OF EARTH RESOURCES
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1985
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Test Facilities
Equipment and Methods
*SNOW
MEASUREMENT
VOLUME
PERMEABILITY
LABORATORY TESTS
LAYERS
LIQUIDS
WATER
CONTINUOUS WAVES
FIELD TESTS
DIELECTRICS
PATHS
TEST METHODS
ACCURACY
MICROWAVES
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
MOISTURE CONTENT
DEPTH
STRATIGRAPHY
DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
LENGTH
HETEROGENEITY
DILUTION
DETERMINATION
MICROWAVE FREQUENCY
DISPERSIONS
Snowpack water content
Ice
permafrost
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA161798
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA161798
Description
Summary:The measurement of liquid water in snowpack based on the electrical path length difference in snowpack depth in the region of high dielectric dispersion of water is described. The measurement system consists of a previously described LFM/CW microwave system (Ellerbruck and Boyne, 1980) operating at two frequency bands 2-5 GHz and 5-8 GHz. The system is tested, evaluated and intercompared with a dilution measurement technique (Davis, et. al. 1985) in both a laboratory and field environment. It is found that the two methods of intercomparison are equivalent provided the snowpack is homogeneous and free of stratigraphy. The accuracy of the intercomparison is + or - 2.5% at the 95% level of confidence. The intercomparison of the methods is not equivalent when compared in an inhomegeneous stratified snowpack. The microwave system consistently registers a higher volumetric liquid water content than the dilution method. This discrepancy is believed due to differences in the snowpack volumes sampled. In particular, it is believed that ponded water above impermeable layers regions in the snowpack is responsible for the discrepancy. These regions could not be cored successfully for measurement by the dilution method. (Author)

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