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

Tom Watts; Nick Rutter; Peter Toose; Chris Derksen; Melody Sandells; John Woodward

doi:10.5194/tc-10-2069-2016

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

Tom Watts, Nick Rutter, Peter Toose, Chris Derksen, Melody Sandells, John Woodward

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2069-2074
Number of pages	6
Journal	The Cryosphere
Volume	10
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2069-2016
Publication status	Published - 14 Sept 2016

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title = "Brief communication: Improved measurement of ice layer density in seasonal snowpacks",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Tom Watts and Nick Rutter and Peter Toose and Chris Derksen and Melody Sandells and John Woodward",

note = "Funding information: The authors would like to thank Arvids Silis for assistance throughout the fieldwork, Gail and Andrew Rees for support during data collection in North Bay, Dave Halpin and Dave Thomas for help facilitating field and lab work, and James Reeve for support with experiment design. This work was supported by a Northumbria University RDF studentship (Tom Watts) and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (Discovery Grant: Chris Derksen); field activities were funded by Environment Canada.",

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AU - Sandells, Melody

AU - Woodward, John

N1 - Funding information: The authors would like to thank Arvids Silis for assistance throughout the fieldwork, Gail and Andrew Rees for support during data collection in North Bay, Dave Halpin and Dave Thomas for help facilitating field and lab work, and James Reeve for support with experiment design. This work was supported by a Northumbria University RDF studentship (Tom Watts) and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (Discovery Grant: Chris Derksen); field activities were funded by Environment Canada.

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N2 - 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.

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

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