HR: 0800h
AN: C21C-1132    [Abstracts]
TI: Small-scale snow cover variability of a headwater arctic basin
AU: * Berezovskaya, S
EM: ffslb2@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, 306 Tanana Drive, Duckering 485 PO Box 755860, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860 United States
AU: Kane, D L
EM: ffdlk@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, 306 Tanana Drive, Duckering 485 PO Box 755860, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860 United States
AU: Guritz, R
EM: fsrdg@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, 306 Tanana Drive, Duckering 485 PO Box 755860, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860 United States
AB: Spatial structure of snow cover at the end of winter in the small Arctic watershed, the Imnavait Creek, is analyzed over the period from 1998 to 2005. End of winter snow surveys include detailed snow depth data collected along a 900 m transect and snow water equivalent measurements provided at six sites, equally distributed along this transect. One striking feature is the large fluctuations of depth across the basin that occurred over small horizontal distances. Field observations, viewed in light of blowing snow redistribution theory, suggest snow erosion and deposition due to microtopography causes the observed snow distribution pattern. Scaling properties of snow and its dynamics from year to year are examined for representative terrain and surface conditions of the basin: valley bottom, east-facing slope, ridge. Efforts to establish quantative relationships between scaling properties and topography are ongoing.
DE: 0736 Snow (1827, 1863)
DE: 0740 Snowmelt
DE: 0744 Rivers (0483, 1856)
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005