Snow Stratigraphy and Water Equivalence Measured With an Active Microwave System

This paper reports on research on the relationship between the electromagnetic scattering properties and physical properties of snow-pack. An FM-CW active microwave radar system operating in the frequency range 8-12 GHz is used to scatter electromagnetic radiation from surface and subsurface stratigraphic layers in the snow-pack. The amplitude of the scattered radiation as a function of depth in the snow-pack can be correlated with such physical characteristics as density, hardness, stratigraphy, and moisture content. A direct determination of snow-pack water equivalence can be made from these observations.