Recording microscale variations in snowpack layering using near-infrared photography

Tape, Ken, Rutter, Nick, Marshall, Hans-Peter, Essery, Richard and Sturm, Matthew (2010) Recording microscale variations in snowpack layering using near-infrared photography. Journal of Glaciology, 56 (195). pp. 75-80. ISSN 0022-1430

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Tape K, Rutter N, Marshall H, Essery R, Sturm M - Recording microscale variations in snowpack layering using near-infrared photography - Article.pdf

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/002214310791190938

Abstract

Deposition of snow from precipitation and wind events creates layering within seasonal snowpacks. The thickness and horizontal continuity of layers within seasonal snowpacks can be highly variable, due to snow blowing around topography and vegetation, and this has important implications for hydrology, remote sensing and avalanche forecasting. In this paper, we present practical field and post-processing protocols for recording lateral variations in snow stratigraphy using near-infrared (NIR) photography. A Fuji S9100 digital camera, modified to be sensitive to NIR wavelengths, was mounted on a rail system that allowed for rapid imaging of a 10 m long snow trench excavated on the north side of Toolik Lake, Alaska (68°3? N, 149°36? W). Post-processing of the images included removal of lens distortion and vignetting. A tape measure running along the base of the trench provided known locations (control points) that permitted scaling and georeferencing. Snow layer heights estimated from the NIR images compared well with manual stratigraphic measurements made at 0.2 m intervals along the trench (n = 357, R2 = 0.97). Considerably greater stratigraphic detail was captured by the NIR images than in the manually recorded profiles. NIR imaging of snow trenches using the described protocols is an efficient tool for quantifying continuous microscale variations in snow layers and associated properties.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: snow analysis, infrared photography
Subjects: F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences
Department: Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Geography and Environmental Sciences
Depositing User: EPrint Services
Date Deposited: 29 Apr 2010 14:19
Last Modified: 17 Dec 2023 12:35
URI: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/3733

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