A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites
The lack of spatially distributed snow depth measurements in natural environments is a challenge worldwide. These data gaps are of particular relevance in northern regions such as coastal Labrador where changes to snow conditions directly impact Indigenous livelihoods, local vegetation, permafrost d...
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Copernicus Publications
2021
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1/2021/tc-15-1-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/bb5efdb930944697b176aa01e8b52e8a |
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fttriple:oai:gotriple.eu:oai:doaj.org/article:bb5efdb930944697b176aa01e8b52e8a 2023-05-15T15:09:58+02:00 A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites R. J. Tutton R. G. Way 2021-01-01 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1/2021/tc-15-1-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/bb5efdb930944697b176aa01e8b52e8a en eng Copernicus Publications doi:10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1/2021/tc-15-1-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/bb5efdb930944697b176aa01e8b52e8a undefined The Cryosphere, Vol 15, Pp 1-15 (2021) envir geo Journal Article https://vocabularies.coar-repositories.org/resource_types/c_6501/ 2021 fttriple https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 2023-01-22T19:16:45Z The lack of spatially distributed snow depth measurements in natural environments is a challenge worldwide. These data gaps are of particular relevance in northern regions such as coastal Labrador where changes to snow conditions directly impact Indigenous livelihoods, local vegetation, permafrost distribution and wildlife habitat. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of cost-efficient and reliable snow observation methods available to researchers studying cryosphere–vegetation interactions in remote regions. We propose a new method termed snow characterization with light and temperature (SCLT) for estimating snow depth using vertically arranged multivariate (light and temperature) data loggers. To test this new approach, six snow stakes outfitted with SCLT loggers were installed in forested and tundra ecotypes in Arctic and subarctic Labrador. The results from 1 year of field measurement indicate that daily maximum light intensity (lux) at snow-covered sensors is diminished by more than an order of magnitude compared to uncovered sensors. This contrast enables differentiation between snow coverage at different sensor heights and allows for robust determination of daily snow heights throughout the year. Further validation of SCLT and the inclusion of temperature determinants is needed to resolve ambiguities with thresholds for snow detection and to elucidate the impacts of snow density on retrieved light and temperature profiles. However, the results presented in this study suggest that the proposed technique represents a significant improvement over prior methods for snow depth characterization at remote field sites in terms of practicality, simplicity and versatility. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic permafrost Subarctic The Cryosphere Tundra Unknown Arctic The Cryosphere 15 1 1 15 |
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envir geo R. J. Tutton R. G. Way A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
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envir geo |
description |
The lack of spatially distributed snow depth measurements in natural environments is a challenge worldwide. These data gaps are of particular relevance in northern regions such as coastal Labrador where changes to snow conditions directly impact Indigenous livelihoods, local vegetation, permafrost distribution and wildlife habitat. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of cost-efficient and reliable snow observation methods available to researchers studying cryosphere–vegetation interactions in remote regions. We propose a new method termed snow characterization with light and temperature (SCLT) for estimating snow depth using vertically arranged multivariate (light and temperature) data loggers. To test this new approach, six snow stakes outfitted with SCLT loggers were installed in forested and tundra ecotypes in Arctic and subarctic Labrador. The results from 1 year of field measurement indicate that daily maximum light intensity (lux) at snow-covered sensors is diminished by more than an order of magnitude compared to uncovered sensors. This contrast enables differentiation between snow coverage at different sensor heights and allows for robust determination of daily snow heights throughout the year. Further validation of SCLT and the inclusion of temperature determinants is needed to resolve ambiguities with thresholds for snow detection and to elucidate the impacts of snow density on retrieved light and temperature profiles. However, the results presented in this study suggest that the proposed technique represents a significant improvement over prior methods for snow depth characterization at remote field sites in terms of practicality, simplicity and versatility. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
R. J. Tutton R. G. Way |
author_facet |
R. J. Tutton R. G. Way |
author_sort |
R. J. Tutton |
title |
A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
title_short |
A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
title_full |
A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
title_fullStr |
A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
title_full_unstemmed |
A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
title_sort |
low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1/2021/tc-15-1-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/bb5efdb930944697b176aa01e8b52e8a |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic permafrost Subarctic The Cryosphere Tundra |
genre_facet |
Arctic permafrost Subarctic The Cryosphere Tundra |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 15, Pp 1-15 (2021) |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1/2021/tc-15-1-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/bb5efdb930944697b176aa01e8b52e8a |
op_rights |
undefined |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1-2021 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1 |
op_container_end_page |
15 |
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1766341060430135296 |