The Cryosphere
The Cryosphere
TC
Articles | Volume 10, issue 3
Articles | Volume 10, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1229-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1229-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 10, issue 3
Research article
 | 
15 Jun 2016
Research article |  | 15 Jun 2016

Case study of spatial and temporal variability of snow cover, grain size, albedo and radiative forcing in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain snowpack derived from imaging spectroscopy

Felix C. Seidel, Karl Rittger, S. McKenzie Skiles, Noah P. Molotch, and Thomas H. Painter

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Short summary
Quantifying the snow albedo effect is an important step to predict water availability as well as changes in climate and sea level. We use imaging spectroscopy to determine optical properties of mountain snow. We find an inverse relationship between snow albedo and grain size as well as between elevation and grain size. Under strong melt conditions, however, we show that the optical-equivalent snow grain size increases slower than expected at lower elevations and we explain possible reasons.
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