SpringerLink
Log in

Change in fresh snow density in Tianshan Mountains, China

  • Published:
Chinese Geographical Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The fresh snow density was observed with snow analyzer (Snow Fork) at Tianshan Station for Snowcover and Avalanche Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences from February 21 to March 5, 2009. Results show that fresh snow density increases from the 5th h to the 291st h after the snowfall, with an average rate of increase of 4.0×10−4 g/(cm3·h) (R 2 = 0.943). Analysis shows that fresh snow density is negatively correlated with the compaction rate of fresh snow (R 2 = −0.960). Inversely, it is positively correlated with fresh snow viscosity (R 2 = 0.896). In relation to meteorological factors, ground temperature rising at a depth of 40 cm is the major driving factor of snow density increase. The temperature increase in fresh snow layer and the decrease in depth hoar layer have the most prominent impacts on the snow density increase in the afternoon. Principal component analysis shows that the determinant factors of fresh snow density change can be grouped into 3 types as follows: 1) dynamic factor contributes about 69.71% to fresh snow density change, with a significant effect from the 5th h to the 106th h after the snowfall; 2) exogenous energy factor contributes about 20.91% to it, with a significant effect at the 130th h; and c) endogenous energy factor contributes about 9.38% to it, with a significant effect at the 130th h and the 195th h.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Spain)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson D L, Benson C S, 1963. Densification and diagenesis of snow. In: Kingery W D (ed.). Ice and Snow: Properties, Processes, and Applications. Cambridge: MA. M. I. T. Press, 391–411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson E A, 1976. A point energy and mass balance model of snow cover. In: NOAA Technical Report. NWS Technical Report 19. Washington, D.C.: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergen J D, 1978. Some measurements of settlement in a Rocky Mountains snow cover. Journal of Glaciology, 20(82): 141–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Central Meteorological Bureau of China, 2003. Surface Meteorological Observing Rules and Regulations. Bei**g: China Meteorological Press. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Colbeck S C, 1972. A theory of water percolation in snow. Journal of Glaciology, 11(63): 369–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colbeck S C, 1982. The Permeability of a melting snow covers. Water Resources Research, 18(4): 904–908. DOI: 10.1029/WR018i004p00904

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dozier J, Melack J M, Elder K et al., 1989. Snow, snowmelt, rain, runoff, and chemistry in a Sierra Nevada watershed. In: Final Report, California Air Resources Board. Sacramento, California, Contract A6-147-32.

  • Gray D M, Male D H, 1981. Handbook of Snow, Principles, Processes, Management and Use. Toronto: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao **aohua, Wang Jian, Che Tao et al., 2009. The spatial distribution and properties of snow cover in Binggou Watershed, Qilian Mountains, measurement and analysis. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 31(2): 284–292. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedstrom N R, Pomeroy J W, 1998. Measurement and modeling of snow interception in the boreal forest. Hydrological Processes, 12(10): 1611–1625. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Weijun, Huang Zhen, Cui Caixia et al., 2007. Temporal and spatial distribution of **njiang snow density and its consequence. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 29(1): 66–72. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu Ruji, Ma Hong, Wei Wenshou, 1992. Snow hazard regionalization in China. Chinese Geographical Science, 2(3): 197–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Fengqing, Xu Junrong, 1996. A study on mass equilibrium of seasonal snowcover during snow-melting period in the Künes River valley in Tianshan Mountains. Arid Land Geography, 19(2): 50–54. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Judson A, Doesken N, 2000. Density of Freshly Fallen Snow in the Central Rocky Mountains. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 81(7): 1577–1587. DOI: 10.1175/1520-04-77(2000)081〈1577:DOFFSI〉2.3.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keeler C M, 1967. Some observations on the densification of alpine snow Covers. CRREL Tech. Rep., 197.

  • Kendra J R, Ulaby, F T, Sarabandi K, 1994. Snow probe for in situ determination of wetness and density. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 32(6): 1152–1159. DOI: 10.1109/36.338363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kojima K, 1974. A field experiment on the rate of densification of natural snow layers under low stress. IAHS-AISH Publication, 114: 298–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu **ming, Yu Yingchun, Lei Guilian et al., 2004. Using radiant balance theory to calculate concrete road-surface temperature in summer. Journal of Applied Meteorological Science, 15(5): 623–628. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Zongchao, Cai Guotang, Sun Li, 1988. Some characteristic of Snow cover radiation in the western hill area of Tianshan China. Arid Land Geography, 11(2): 73–80. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundberg A, Richardson-Näslund C, Andersson C, 2006. Snow density variations consequences for ground penetrating radar. Hydrological Processes, 20(7): 1483–1495. DOI: 10.1002/hyp.5944

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma Hong, Liu Zongchao, Liu Yifeng et al., 1992. Energy balance and snow melting Simulation of seasonal snow in Tianshan China. Chinese Science Bulletin, 21: 1978–1981. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinec J, Rango A, 1986. Parameter values for snowmelt runoff modeling. Journal of Hydrology, 84(3–4): 197–219. DOI: 10. 1016/0022-1694(86)90123-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomeroy J W, Gray D M, Shook K R et al., 1998. An evaluation of snow accumulation and ablation processes for land surface modeling. Hydrological Processes, 12(15): 2339–2367. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(199812)12:15〈2339::AID-HYP800〉3.3.CO;2-C

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin Dahe, 1987. Densification process of snow firn in the surface layer of the Antarctic ice sheet. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 9(3): 190–204. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin Dahe, Ren Jiawen, Kang Shichang, 2000. Review and prospect on the study of Antarctic glaciology in China during the last 10 years. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 22(4): 376–383. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Raymond C F, Tusima K, 1979. Grain coarsening of water-saturated snow. Journal of Glaciology, 22(86): 83–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roebber P J, Bruening S L, Schultz D M et al., 2003. Improving snowfall forecasting by diagnosing snow density. Weather and Forecasting, 18(2): 264–287. DOI: 10.1175/1520-0434(2003) 018〈0264:ISFBDS〉2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sihvola A, Tiuri M, 1986. Snow Fork for field determination of the density and wetness profiles of a snow pack. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, GE-24: 717–721. DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.1986.289619

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soukhov D, 1998. The probability distribution function for snow load in Germany. LACER, 3: 263–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sturm M, Holmgren J, 1998. Differences in compaction behavior of three climate classes of snow. Annals of Glaciology, 26: 125–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas C W, 1963. On the transfer of visible radiation through sea ice and snow. Journal of Glaciology, 4(34): 481–484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wei Wenshou, Qin Dahe, Liu Mingzhe, 2001. Properties and structures of the seasonal snow cover in the continental regions of China. Annals of glaciology, 32(1): 93–101. DOI: 10.3189/172756401781819328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen Jiahong, Kan Jiangcheng, Wang Dali et al., 2001. Snow Density and Stratigraphy at LGB65 in Princess Elizabeth Land,East Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 23(2): 156–163. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang Daqing, Zhang Yansheng, Zhang Zhizhong, 1992. A study on the snow density in the head aera of Urumqi River Basin. Acta Geographic Sinica, 47(3): 260–266. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang Zhenniang, Zeng Quanzhu, 2001. Glacier Hydrology. Chongqing: Chongqing Press. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Jianqi, Fang **, Zhang Haixing et al., 1997. A model to predict the radiative temperature of the snow surface. Journal of Infrared Millimeter Waves, 16(3): 206–210. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Shiqiao, Hashimoto S, Nakawo M et al., 2001. Mathematical modeling of water percolation in snow. Journals of Hydraulic Engineering, 1(1): 6–10. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Shiqiao, Nakawo M, Hashimoto S et al., 2002. Densification and grain coarsening of melting snow. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 24(3): 275–281. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. **njiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China

    **a Chen & Mingzhe Liu

  2. Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bei**g, 100049, China

    **a Chen

  3. Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi, 830002, China

    Wenshou Wei

  4. Tianshan Station for Snow-cover and Avalanche Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China

    Mingzhe Liu

Authors
  1. **a Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wenshou Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mingzhe Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wenshou Wei.

Additional information

Foundation item: Under the auspices of National R & D Project of Social Welfare, Ministry of Science and Technology Development, China (No. GYHY200706008, GYHY200806011), West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. RCPY200902)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, X., Wei, W. & Liu, M. Change in fresh snow density in Tianshan Mountains, China. Chin. Geogr. Sci. 21, 36–47 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-010-0434-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-010-0434-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation