Measuring Snow Water Equivalent by Cosmic Radiation

Abstract

We have reduced the time taken for measurement of snow water equivalent using cosmic radiation by two to four hours with an accuracy of 1 cm of water equivalent. When BF3 counters were used by Kodama in 1975, it took three days. For comparison we sometimes still have to make measurements manually or automatically in flat areas. These measurements can then be compared with measurements from avalanche starting zones where conditions can be quite different because of wind or ablation. For avalanche forecasting, or in similar situations, when an accuracy of 1 cm is needed within a few hours, we suggest the use of scintillation counters with a doped plastic material. The greatest accuracy is obtained by using a separate site where values are recorded without snow. In this case 200 000 pulses per hour are obtained (absorption length of 400 cm) which after measurements of 2 h duration gives the desired error of 1 cm of water. After 8 h the error is 0.5 cm of water, and after 24 h it is 0.3 cm of water. At an altitude of 2 000 m at which most avalanches are released, the count rate is doubled and the measuring error is 0.7 of that at sea-level. At an altitude of 3 000 m the count rate is four times that at sea-level. In other regions at other latitudes and elevations other values would be found. The necessary equipment can be built into the ground in autumn so that the surface is level with the ground. A slot antenna of frequency around 400 MHz is used for transmission of the data.