Comparison of different methods to retrieve optical-equivalent snow grain size in central Antarctica

Carlsen, Tim; Birnbaum, Gerit; Ehrlich, André; Freitag, Johannes; Heygster, Georg; Istomina, Larysa; Kipfstuhl, Sepp; Orsi, Anaïs; Schäfer, Michael; Wendisch, Manfred

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2727-2017

Articles | Volume 11, issue 6

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2727-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Special issue:

Intercomparison of methods to characterise snow...

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2727-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 11, issue 6

Research article

|

27 Nov 2017

Research article |

| 27 Nov 2017

Comparison of different methods to retrieve optical-equivalent snow grain size in central Antarctica

Tim Carlsen, Gerit Birnbaum, André Ehrlich, Johannes Freitag, Georg Heygster, Larysa Istomina, Sepp Kipfstuhl, Anaïs Orsi, Michael Schäfer, and Manfred Wendisch

Data sets

Snow specific surface area (SSA) retrieved from spectral surface albedo (ground-based and airborne) and reflectance (spaceborne) measurements at Kohnen research station, Antarctica, during austral summer 2013/14 T. Carlsen, G. Birnbaum, A. Ehrlich, G. Heygster, L. Istomina, M. Schäfer, and M. Wendisch https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.880815

Short summary

The optical size of snow grains (r_opt) affects the reflectivity of snow surfaces and thus the local surface energy budget in particular in polar regions. The temporal evolution of r_opt retrieved from ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne remote sensing could reproduce optical in situ measurements for a 2-month period in central Antarctica (2013/14). The presented validation study provided a unique testbed for retrievals of r_opt under Antarctic conditions where in situ data are scarce.