HR: 0800h
AN: H21B-0513    [Abstracts]
TI: Development of High Spatial and Temporal Measures of Snow Thermal Regimes using Fiber Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing Systems
AU: * Tyler, S W
EM: styler@unr.edu
AF: Dept. of Geological Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, MS 175, Reno, NV 89557,
AU: Burak, S
EM: sburak@psnl.com
AF: Dept. of Geological Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, MS 175, Reno, NV 89557,
AU: McNamara, J P
EM: jmcnamar@boisestate.edu
AF: Dept. of Geosciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725,
AU: Dozier, J
EM: dozier@bren.ucsb.edu
AF: Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2400 Bren Hall, Santa Barbara, CA 93106,
AU: Selker, J
EM: selkerj@engr.orst.edu
AF: Dept. of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvalis, Gilmore Hall, Corvalis, OR 97331,
AB: Recent advances in fiber optic Raman spectra response instruments, known generically as Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS), can allow high resolution temperature mapping of many environmental processes. DTS uses the scattered light in a standard telecommunications fiber optic cable to infer absolute temperature along the entire length of the fiber. These methods allow for the remote acquisition of temperature at spatial resolutions of ~1 meter over cable lengths of up to 10 km and at temporal frequencies of up to 0.1 Hz. The first applications of this technology to snow monitoring are reported here and show significant promise for high resolution mapping of energy balances and melting phenomenon. Measurements along a 330 m fiber during late-spring snowmelt at Mammoth Mountain, California showed basal snow temperatures of 0°C±0.2°. For those zones where the fiber optic cable traversed bare ground, surface temperatures approached 40°C during midday. Data from Dry Creek experimental watershed in Idaho across a small stream valley showed little variability of temperature on the north-facing, snow-covered slope, but clearly showed melting patterns and the effects of solar heating on south-facing slopes. The durability of the fiber optic was shown to be excellent, as no major damage or breaks during a full winter of burial by several meters of snow. This proof-of-concept experiment indicates that Raman spectra distributed temperature sensing represents a significant advance over traditional, point measurements of temperature.
DE: 0694 Instruments and techniques
DE: 0704 Seasonally frozen ground
DE: 1823 Frozen ground
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting