Low‐cost monitoring of snow height and thermal properties with inexpensive temperature sensors |
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| Authors: | Dominik E. Reusser Erwin Zehe |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of Potsdam, Institute of Geoecology, Karl‐Liebknecht‐Strasse 24‐25, Potsdam‐Golm 14476, Germany;2. Technische Universit?t München, Institute of Water and Environment, arisstra?e 21, München, Munich 80330, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Small, self‐recording temperature sensors were installed at several heights along a metal rod at five locations in a case study catchment. For each sensor, the presence or absence of snow cover was determined on the basis of its insulating effect and the resulting reduction of the diurnal temperature oscillations. Sensor coverage was then converted into a time series of snow height for each location. Additionally, cold content was calculated. Snow height and cold content provide valuable information for spring flood prediction. Good agreement of estimated snow heights with reference measurements was achieved and increased discharge in the study catchment coincided with low cold content of the snow cover. The results of the proposed distributed assessment of snow cover and snow state show great potential for (i) flood warning, (ii) assimilation of snow state data and (iii) modelling snowmelt process. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | snow measurements cold content temperature index approach heat diffusion temperature |
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