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

Watts, Tom, Rutter, Nick, Toose, Peter, Derksen, Chris, Sandells, Melody and Woodward, John (2016) Brief communication: Improved measurement of ice layer density in seasonal snowpacks. The Cryosphere, 10 (5). pp. 2069-2074. ISSN 1994-0416

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2069-2016

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.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: 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.
Subjects: F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences
Department: Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Geography and Environmental Sciences
Depositing User: Dr Nick Rutter
Date Deposited: 20 Sep 2016 11:22
Last Modified: 16 May 2022 15:15
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/27779

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