Sensing of Snowpack Melting by an Active Microwave System with Fixed Frequency

Abstract

Using continuous microwave systems at fixed frequencies in the X- and R-band, surface depression of a snowpack was obtained from interference between the emitted wave, at normal incidence to the snowpack surface, and the reflected wave from the snow surface. The microwave system worked as a simple interferometer in air with respect to the snow surface. The values of the depression could be obtained from the numbers of cycles of the fluctuation and the wavelength of the microwave used.