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: F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences; Arctic; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/27779/; https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2069-2016; https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/27779/1/Watts_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.