High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation
International audience Blowing snow and snow drifts are common features in the Arctic. Due to sparse vegetation, low temperatures and high wind speeds, the snow is constantly moving. This causes severe problems for transportation and infrastructure in the affected areas. To minimise the effect of dr...
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ftinsu:oai:HAL:hal-00301574v1 2023-11-12T04:12:01+01:00 High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation Jaedicke, Ch. Sandvik, A. D. University Courses at Svalbard Geophysical Institute Bergen (GFI / BiU) University of Bergen (UiB) 2002 https://hal.science/hal-00301574 https://hal.science/hal-00301574/document https://hal.science/hal-00301574/file/nhess-2-147-2002.pdf en eng HAL CCSD Copernicus Publ. / European Geosciences Union hal-00301574 https://hal.science/hal-00301574 https://hal.science/hal-00301574/document https://hal.science/hal-00301574/file/nhess-2-147-2002.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess ISSN: 1561-8633 EISSN: 1684-9981 Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences https://hal.science/hal-00301574 Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 2002, 2 (3/4), pp.147-155 [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces environment [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean Atmosphere [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal articles 2002 ftinsu 2023-10-25T16:26:59Z International audience Blowing snow and snow drifts are common features in the Arctic. Due to sparse vegetation, low temperatures and high wind speeds, the snow is constantly moving. This causes severe problems for transportation and infrastructure in the affected areas. To minimise the effect of drifting snow already in the designing phase of new structures, adequate models have to be developed and tested. In this study, snow distribution in Arctic topography is surveyed in two study areas during the spring of 1999 and 2000. Snow depth is measured by ground penetrating radar and manual methods. The study areas encompass four by four kilometres and are partly glaciated. The results of the surveys show a clear pattern of erosion, accumulation areas and the evolution of the snow cover over time. This high resolution data set is valuable for the validation of numerical models. A simple numerical snow drift model was used to simulate the measured snow distribution in one of the areas for the winter of 1998/1999. The model is a two-level drift model coupled to the wind field, generated by a mesoscale meteorological model. The simulations are based on five wind fields from the dominating wind directions. The model produces a satisfying snow distribution but fails to reproduce the details of the observed snow cover. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of quality field data to detect and analyse errors in numerical simulations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Institut national des sciences de l'Univers: HAL-INSU Arctic |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Institut national des sciences de l'Univers: HAL-INSU |
op_collection_id |
ftinsu |
language |
English |
topic |
[SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces environment [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean Atmosphere [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences |
spellingShingle |
[SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces environment [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean Atmosphere [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences Jaedicke, Ch. Sandvik, A. D. High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
topic_facet |
[SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces environment [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean Atmosphere [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences |
description |
International audience Blowing snow and snow drifts are common features in the Arctic. Due to sparse vegetation, low temperatures and high wind speeds, the snow is constantly moving. This causes severe problems for transportation and infrastructure in the affected areas. To minimise the effect of drifting snow already in the designing phase of new structures, adequate models have to be developed and tested. In this study, snow distribution in Arctic topography is surveyed in two study areas during the spring of 1999 and 2000. Snow depth is measured by ground penetrating radar and manual methods. The study areas encompass four by four kilometres and are partly glaciated. The results of the surveys show a clear pattern of erosion, accumulation areas and the evolution of the snow cover over time. This high resolution data set is valuable for the validation of numerical models. A simple numerical snow drift model was used to simulate the measured snow distribution in one of the areas for the winter of 1998/1999. The model is a two-level drift model coupled to the wind field, generated by a mesoscale meteorological model. The simulations are based on five wind fields from the dominating wind directions. The model produces a satisfying snow distribution but fails to reproduce the details of the observed snow cover. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of quality field data to detect and analyse errors in numerical simulations. |
author2 |
University Courses at Svalbard Geophysical Institute Bergen (GFI / BiU) University of Bergen (UiB) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jaedicke, Ch. Sandvik, A. D. |
author_facet |
Jaedicke, Ch. Sandvik, A. D. |
author_sort |
Jaedicke, Ch. |
title |
High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
title_short |
High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
title_full |
High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
title_fullStr |
High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
title_full_unstemmed |
High resolution snow distribution data from complex Arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
title_sort |
high resolution snow distribution data from complex arctic terrain: a tool for model validation |
publisher |
HAL CCSD |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
https://hal.science/hal-00301574 https://hal.science/hal-00301574/document https://hal.science/hal-00301574/file/nhess-2-147-2002.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
ISSN: 1561-8633 EISSN: 1684-9981 Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences https://hal.science/hal-00301574 Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 2002, 2 (3/4), pp.147-155 |
op_relation |
hal-00301574 https://hal.science/hal-00301574 https://hal.science/hal-00301574/document https://hal.science/hal-00301574/file/nhess-2-147-2002.pdf |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
_version_ |
1782330810009911296 |