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How Does Snowpack Evolution Affect Climate

The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network is a community-based network of weather observers and the largest provider of daily precipitation observations in the USA. In this study, we embrace the CoCoRaHS mission to use low-cost measurement tools, provide training and education, and utilize an interactive website to create the first volunteer snow albedo network to collect high-quality albedo data for research and education applications. We trained a sub-set of 18 CoCoRaHS observers in the state of New Hampshire to collect albedo, snow depth, and snow density between 23 November 2011 and 15 March 2012. At less than $700 per observer, CoCoRAHS data measured using an Apogee MP-200 pyranometer fall within ±0.05 of albedo values collected from a Kipp and Zonen CMA6 at local solar noon. CoCoRAHS values range from 0.99 for fresh snow to 0.34 for shallow, aged snow. Snow-free albedo ranges from 0.09 to 0.39, depending on the underlying ground cover. In the 2011/2012 dataset, albedo increases logarithmically with snow depth and decreases linearly with snow density. The latter relationship is inferred to be a proxy for increasing snow grain size as snowpack ages and compacts, supported by spectral albedo measurements collected with an Analytical Spectral Devices FieldSpec 4 spectrometer. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Putting the capital ‘A’ in CoCoRAHS: an experimental programme to measure albedo using the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network

[1] Snow aging causes reflectance to vary significantly on timescales of days. This variability influences the strength of snow albedo feedback and can affect the timing of snowmelt. However, climate models have yet to incorporate important controls on snow aging and albedo evolution. We develop a physically based model that predicts evolution of dry, pure snow specific surface area, and apply aspherical ice particle theory to link these results with albedo evolution. This is the first theoretical study to quantify the relative roles of initial size distribution, vertical temperature gradient, and snow density in snow albedo evolution. Vapor diffusion caused by curvature differences causes rapid albedo decay in the first day following snowfall. Vertical temperature gradient generally dominates grain growth processes afterward but is modulated by snow density, irregularity in particle spacing, and temperature. These processes operate as a coupled system, which we uniquely represent without abrupt transitions between regimes. Model results agree very well with measurements of isothermal snow evolution and are within reasonable range of temperature gradient observations. We show that different snow state regimes cause albedo of nonmelting snow surfaces with identical initial albedo to vary by 0.12 or more after 14 days. Lack of quality observational data illuminates the need for well-controlled snow studies that simultaneously monitor specific surface area, temperature gradient, and albedo. Accounting for snow aging processes, especially temperature gradient, will improve understanding and assessment of snow albedo feedback and climate sensitivity. The modeling framework we develop will also be useful for air-snow chemistry studies that consider specific surface area.

http://clasp-research.engin.umich.edu/faculty/flanner/content/ppr/FlZ06_jgr.pdf

Linking snowpack microphysics and albedo evolution

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How Does Snowpack Evolution Affect Climate

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Putting the capital ‘A’ in CoCoRAHS: an experimental programme to measure albedo using the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network

Linking snowpack microphysics and albedo evolution

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