SNOWPACK FIELD DAY

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

(Schedules etc. subject to modification)
Snow:   Lecture, Prep, Field

8:30a –  Weather Briefing - Daily Weather Discussion handouts: Archive Lecture:   Intro - Snow and Ecology:  Snowpack structure and ecology · Avalanches and disturbance ecology Snow Processes –  Snowpack development: distribution and metamorphosis · Analysis of snow profiles Snowpack Processes lecture - Derek Sweeney.  pdf on Canvas Guest field instructor: Jennifer Morse, Climatologist, CU Mountain Research Station Climate Program.    Readings - Part II (for Part I, see: Next Weekend -- Assignments) LC =Life in the Cold, 4th ed.  (3rd ed. ok, unless specified otherwise) WEH = Winter, An Ecological Handbook WEH Chapter 2: pp. 38-41 (through end of section on "Falling Snow") Scanned: pdf, 20M LC Chapter 2 To understand this more, see complementary material on properties of snowpack: WEH Chapter 2: pp. 41-63 (optional reading) Hull 2010 "Packed to the Hilt," Audubon Nov-Dec 2010 (pdf, 4M) An introduction to the ecological importance of the snowpack environment Handouts Climate and snow lecture handout (pdf, 700k) Daily Weather Discussion handouts: Archive Lesson points: Snow How do global, continental, regional, local position determine snowpack features? What are key descriptors of snowpack structure? In what way and by what mechanisms do these change with time (over hours, days, season)? See also lesson points from Snow activity given below Other Resources Study Guide: Lecture ppt on Snowpack development: by Jake Gaventa (Certified Avalanche Instructor), guest instructor Spring 2014 - (pdf, 3M) Snowcover Dec 2008 & Feb 2009 Progression of Snowcover over North American, Winter 2001-2002:  movie clip (mpg, 4M) Scanned WEH Fig 28 (pdf file, 6.5M).  This figure on snow classification did not reproduce well in recent printings of WEH - this file is scanned from an earlier printing. General ref:  The Snow Booklet: A Guide to the Science, Climatology, and Measurement of Snow in the United States. 2nd ed. pdf (24M).  Source: http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/snowbooklet.php Near-surface faceting - Birkeland et al. 1998, in Arctic and Alpine Res. (pdf) "Snow and ice crystals." by Y Furukawa & JS Wettlaufer.  Physics Today, December 2007, page 70.  (pdf)  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2825081 more on the physics of snowflakes by Y Furukawa:  link (http://www.lowtem.hokudai.ac.jp/ptdice/english/aletter.html) drawing of snow crystals by René Descartes in 1637 (jpg): Physics Today (source: http://ptonline.aip.org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_12/70_1s.shtml - Accessed 1/2008) For fun - Propagation of ski moguls:  Bahr, D.B., W. T. Pfeffer, and R.C. Browning.  2009. The surprising motion of ski moguls. Physics Today, Nov 2009, pp. 68-69.  (2nd author is at INSTAAR).  ( pdf ) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3265246 online videos: 2nd of 3 time-lapse videos is slowed down enough to more easily see the migration: [No longer available.  http://ptonline.aip.org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_62/iss_11/68_1s.shtml?bypassSSO  9:30a-3:30p – Field: Snowpack structure and landscape distribution.  Guest field instructor: Jennifer Morse, Climatologist, CU Mountain Research Station Climate Program. FIELD - Bring Good flotation (snowshoes, skis with skins) Layers - be prepared for standing around in the cold/wind once at our field site Field Journal compass topo map (handout) pack lunch If you have:  Hand lens Snow shovel Handouts Snowpit protocol & snow crystal ID handout (pdf, 1.2M) Snowpack Profile datasheet (pdf, 60k)  Niwot Ridge Sites (docx, 130k) - edit to add field collection sites as needed Snowpack analysis, Winter Ecology 2005. (photo: Alan Rosacker) Lesson points  Lessons from exercise: What is the structure of the snowpack? -- what measures and techniques are used to describe this structure? What environment does the pack present to organisms? -- plants, mammals, birds, microbes? How have previous weather conditions led to changes seen in the snowpack?  -- can you diagram out the sequence for each layer? Also, lesson points for Snow processes given above Snowpack links Glossary of Snow & Avalanche Science Terms (illustrated and animated descriptions) Depth Hoar - Play demo Melt-freeze snow - animation Collapse - demo Snow Metamorphism Example snowpack analysis related to an avalanche accident report: Berthoud Pass - 6 Jan 2007 (CAIC) Tapping test of snowpack weak layer - CAIC video: http://youtu.be/uvhbG5sB-yk MetEd/Comet/UCAR Snowpack Assessment training module (.zip, 68M) from http://www.meted.ucar.edu/afwa/snowpack/ Niwot Climate/ Snowpack links Niwot Ridge LTER Climate page  see also other version MRS Mountain Climate Program Climate station locations: Map, Elevation profile showing most stns Snowpack history = Snotel at C1 - current & previous water year [ Stn C1 Monthly Snowpack Reports - Available for Previous Years- 2010/11 - 31 Dec 10, 31 Jan 11, 28 Feb 11 2009/10 - 31 Dec 09, 31 Jan 10, 2008/09 - 31 Dec 08, 31 Jan 09, 28 Feb 09 2007/08 - 31 Dec 07, 31 Jan 08, 29 Feb 08 2006/07 - 29 Dec 06, 31 Jan 07, 28 Feb 07 Regional snowfall maps of the two Dec 06 major storms: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/?n=winter2_storms 2005/06: 16 Dec 05, 30 Dec 05, 31 Jan 06, 28 Feb 06 3:30a-5:00p – Lab: Snowpack structure work up.

rev.  17 Fb 23