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A novel sensor combination (upGPR-GPS) to continuously and nondestructively derive snow cover properties

Monitoring seasonal snow cover properties is critical for properly managing natural hazards such as snow avalanches or snowmelt floods. However, measurements often cannot be conducted in difficult terrain or lack the high temporal resolution needed to account for rapid changes in the snowpack, e.g.,...

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Main Authors: Schmid, Lino (Author) , Koch, Franziska (Author) , Heilig, Achim (Author) , Prasch, Monika (Author) , Eisen, Olaf (Author) , Mauser, Wolfram (Author) , Schweizer, Jürg (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 5 May 2015
In: Geophysical research letters
Year: 2015, Volume: 42, Issue: 9, Pages: 3397-3405
ISSN:1944-8007
DOI:10.1002/2015GL063732
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063732
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/37933/
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Author Notes:Lino Schmid, Franziska Koch, Achim Heilig, Monika Prasch, Olaf Eisen, Wolfram Mauser, and Jürg Schweizer
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Summary:Monitoring seasonal snow cover properties is critical for properly managing natural hazards such as snow avalanches or snowmelt floods. However, measurements often cannot be conducted in difficult terrain or lack the high temporal resolution needed to account for rapid changes in the snowpack, e.g., liquid water content (LWC). To monitor essential snowpack properties, we installed an upward looking ground-penetrating radar (upGPR) and a low-cost GPS system below the snow cover and observed in parallel its evolution during two winter seasons. Applying external snow height (HS) information, both systems provided consistent LWC estimates in snow, based on independent approaches, namely measurements of travel time and attenuation of electromagnetic waves. By combining upGPR and GPS, we now obtain a self-contained approach instead of having to rely on external information such as HS. This allows for the first time determining LWC, HS, and snow water equivalent (SWE) nondestructively and continuously potentially also in avalanche-prone slopes.
Item Description:First published: 08 April 2015
Gesehen am 01.07.2020
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1944-8007
DOI:10.1002/2015GL063732

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