Abstract
Abstract. Snow in rock faces plays a key role in the alpine environment for permafrost distribution, snow water storage or runoff in spring. However, a detailed assessment of snow depths in steep rock walls has never been attempted. To understand snow distribution in rock faces a high-resolution terrestrial laser scanner (TLS), including a digital camera, was used to obtain interpolated snow depth (HS) data with a grid resolution of one metre. The mean HS, the snow covered area and their evolution in the rock face were compared to a neighbouring smoother catchment and a flat field station at similar elevation. Further we analyzed the patterns of HS distribution in the rock face after different weather periods and investigated the main factors contributing to those distributions. In a first step we could show that with TLS reliable information on surface data of a steep rocky surface can be obtained. In comparison to the flatter sites in the vicinity, mean HS in the rock face was lower during the entire winter, but trends of snow depth changes were similar. We observed repeating accumulation and ablation patterns in the rock face, while maximum snow depth loss always occurred at those places with maximum snow depth gain. Further analysis of the main factors contributing to the snow depth distribution in the rock face revealed terrain-wind-interaction processes to be dominant. Processes related to slope angle seem to play a role, but no simple relationship between slope angle and snow depth was found. Further analyses should involve measurements in rock faces with other characteristics and higher temporal resolutions to be able to distinguish individual processes better. Additionally, the relation of spatial and temporal distribution of snow depth to terrain – wind interactions should be tested.
Highlights
Knowledge on spatial and temporal variability of snow depths in alpine terrain is of high importance because snow plays an important role in many alpine environmental aspects, e.g. water management, snow avalanche formation or permafrost occurrence
The evolution of mean HStot at Chupfenflue, Albertibach and Versuchsfeld Weissfluhjoch (WFJ) were similar (Fig. 3): At all three sites the peak of winter accumulation was reached at the end of March and from January to the end of the accumulation season, the mean HStot increased by about 50 %
At all three locations a reduction of HStot occurred at the beginning of February due to a Fohn event
Summary
Knowledge on spatial and temporal variability of snow depths in alpine terrain is of high importance because snow plays an important role in many alpine environmental aspects, e.g. water management, snow avalanche formation or permafrost occurrence. Gruber and Haeberli, 2007), knowledge about the distribution of snow depth in them is important. Such studies are rare due to the limitations of traditional measurement methods in combination with the inaccessibility and the existence of alpine hazards. Fohn and Meister, 1983; Cline et al, 1998; Liston and Sturm, 1998; Gauer, 2001; Deems et al, 2006; Doorschot et al, 2001; Mott and Lehning, 2010) and recent ground temperature trend analyses underline the importance of spatial and temporal snow depth distribution (Zenklusen et al, 2010). For example within alpine watersheds, the spatial variability of snow depth is mainly determined by terrain-wind interactions (e.g. Fohn and Meister, 1983; Elder et al, 1991; Luce et al, 1998; Gauer, 2001; Winstral et al, 2002; Raderschall et al, 2008; Lehning et al, 2008) and a lot of effort has been carried out to link snow depths to meteorological (especially wind) and topographic factors (e.g. Bloschl and Kirnbauer, 1992; Anderton et al, 2002; Winstral et al, 2002; Trujillo et al, 2007; Grunewald et al, 2010; Mott et al, 2010)
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