This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Microwave Snow Sounding for Trafficability Analysis
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
A newly developed microwave snow sensor, snow fork, measures the dielectric properties of snow in the 500 to 1000 MHz frequency range. The relation between the dielectric and physical properties is used to calculate the density and free water content of snow. The instrument is portable and battery operated. In March 1988, field tests were conducted to compare the fork with conventional measuring devices for the analysis of 13 snow profiles. In general, the curves of snow layer properties based on snow fork and comparative measurements were similar in shape but the fork results produced a more detailed profile. There was some systematic error in density values. The fork was easy and fast to handle and operate on the field. After further development the snow fork can be a useful tool in collecting data of snow properties for trafficability analysis.
Authors
Citation
Ala-llomäki, J., Saarilahti, M., Toikka, M., and Hallikainen, M., "Microwave Snow Sounding for Trafficability Analysis," SAE Technical Paper 890020, 1989, https://doi.org/10.4271/890020.Also In
References
- Tiuri, M. Sihvola, A. Nyfors, E. Hallikainen, M. “The complex dielectric constant of snow at microwave frequencies,” IEEE J. Oceanic Eng. OE-9 5 377 382 1984
- Sihvola, A. Tiuri, M. “Snow fork for field determination of the density and wetness profiles of a snow pack,” IEEE Trans. on Geoscience and Remote Sensing GE-24 5 717 721 Sept. 1986