Brief communication: Improved measurement of ice layer density in seasonal snowpacks

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Watts, Tom, Rutter, Nick, Toose, Peter, Derksen, Chris, Sandells, Melody, Woodward, John
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2016
• Subjects: article; Verlagsveröffentlichung; Arctic; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2069-2016; https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00043327; https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00042947/tc-10-2069-2016.pdf; https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/10/2069/2016/tc-10-2069-2016.pdf

The microstructure and density of ice layers in snowpacks is poorly quantified. Here we present a new field method for measuring the density of ice layers caused by melt or rain-on-snow events. The method was used on 87 ice layer samples taken from natural and artificial ice layers in the Canadian Arctic and mid-latitudes. Mean measured ice layer density was 909 ± 28 kg m−3 with a standard deviation of 23 kg m−3, significantly higher than values typically used in the literature.