SnowEx 2023�Tundra / Boreal Forest �Field campaign

1

March participant meeting – Jan 5

Agenda:

• Introductions (5 min) - all
• SnowEx Overview (10 min) - Carrie
• Study Areas (10 min) - Sveta
• Description of sites
• Team assignments
• Campaign Priorities & Culture (5 min) - Kelly
• Logistics - Sarah
• Safety Briefing (20 min) – Dan
• Training
• COVID
• Personal equipment list
• Expectations (10 min)
• Conditions – Dragos
• Participants – HP
• Discussion/Questions (20 min)
• Next meeting

2

What is SnowEx?

3

SnowEx is a multi-year field and airborne experiment, to collect extensive ground-based and remote sensing snow observations to advance snow estimation throughout the season in various landscapes, and help address key science questions:

• Tundra snow
• Prairie snow
• Mountain Snow
• Maritime snow
• Forests
• Wet Snow
• Surface energetics

Durand, M., C. Gatebe, E. Kim, N. Molotch, T. Painter, M. Raleigh, M. Sandells, and C. Vuyovich, NASA SnowEx Science Plan: Assessing approaches for measuring water in Earth's seasonal snow, Version 1.6,  https://snow.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/SnowEx_Science_Plan_v1.6.pdf

NASA SnowEx

4

Multi-year field experiment, designed to prepare for snow satellite missions to observe global snow water equivalent and albedo.

• Includes extensive airborne and surface-based observations to evaluate different snow remote sensing technologies throughout the season in various landscapes.
• Help address key issues impacting snow remote sensing and algorithm development.

​

​

SnowEx 2017 – Colorado

• Impact of forests on snow distribution and remote sensing capability

SnowEx 2020 –13 sites in 5 W.US states; IOP in Grand Mesa, CO

• SWE retrieval from L-band InSAR, X-/Ku-band active/passive
• Thermal IR observations for energy balance modeling

SnowEx 2021 – 6 sites in 4 W.US states

• SWE retrieval from L-band InSAR
• Spatiotemporal variability in albedo in forested, mtn basins
• Snow distribution at an agricultural, prairie site

SnowEx 2023 – Boreal forest and Tundra sites in Alaska

• SWE retrievals from X-/Ku-band active/passive microwave
• Snow depth retrievals from Lidar/Stereo-imagery

5

Taiga Snow

Tundra

Snow

Permafrost

Active Layer

Snow

^

^

^

^

^

^

Organic Layer

Active Layer

Organic Layer

Permafrost

Snow

^

^

^

^

^

^

^

^

Tundra and Taiga Snow represent unique and significant remote sensing challenges:

• Variable permafrost, water and vegetation in northern latitudes impact altimetry methods
• Strong temperature and humidity gradients modify snow characteristics
• Forest cover obscures snow from remote sensing measurements or impacts the signal

Void

Graphics by C. Hiemstra

SnowEx Tundra/Boreal Forest Science Objectives:

1. Snow depth/SWE: How does microstructure model accuracy and scaling issues impact use of models to inform Ku-scattering retrievals in tundra snow? Taiga snow: How much does Ku penetrate forest canopies in boreal forests?

2. Snow depth/SWE: How well do snow depth retrieval methods (e.g., lidar and SfM) work where “bare earth” surfaces fluctuate, due to the variable permafrost, water, and vegetation characteristics ubiquitous at high latitudes?

3. Snow depth/SWE: How does the L-band interferometric SAR approach perform where “bare earth” surfaces change?

4. Snow albedo: What is the nature of spatial variability of snow reflectance/albedo and physical properties in the Boreal/taiga/ tundra regions of North America?

5. Snow albedo: How does the spatial variability of snow reflectance/albedo change with scale?

6. Snow process: How do vegetation and snow cover processes impact the “zero curtain” or freeze-thaw status of the surface layer and active layer transitions over seasonal time scales, and how does this affect remote sensing?

8. Data assimilation: How well do methods that integrate multiple types of data with process-based models help to fill in observational gaps given the uncertainties with bare earth elevations and other factors?

7. Snow process: What factors control variability in snow cover and physical properties across latitudinal, topographic, vegetation and disturbance gradients during the accumulation and melt seasons?

Three classes of objectives/questions: Measurement Science, Snow Science, Information Science

SnowEx 2022-23 – Timeline

7

SnowEx Hackweek

• Experiment Plan
• Operational Plan
• Flight agreement
• Logistics contracts
• Onboard participants

Lidar/Stereo snow- on flights

• Corner Reflectors installed
• Tree-temp, soil moisture sensors
• X-band data dates selected

• Lidar flight boxes delineated
• SnowEx equipment inventory complete & shipped to AK

Lidar/Stereo low-snow flights

AGU SnowEx Session

AVIRIS-NG Snowmelt Campaign

SWESARR: Snow-on campaign

Lidar snow-on flights

Lidar snow-off flights

• Site visit
• Ground validation coordinated with lidar flights

SnowEx community meeting?

NISAR Science meeting, Aug 30 – Sep 2

• Finalize Sampling Strategy & Flight Plans
• Participant Training

Airborne:

• Flight approvals
• Mission Readiness Review

• Equipment installation
• Lidar processing

Frontiers in Hydrology

*Potential delays

AGU SnowEx Session

Measurement Strategy

Ground Measurements (snow-on):

• Sites selected based on vegetation gradient (boreal forest) and spatial variability (tundra)
• Ground conditions: soil moisture and F/T state
• Snow conditions:
• Snow pits – selected with input from models, 2022 lidar data
• Snow depth transects or spirals (magnaprobe, GPR)
• Mini-pits/SMP – variability in stratigraphy
• Snow density variability
• Microstructure (SSA, SMP, Casting)
• TLS (Bonanza, Toolik): Characterize under/within canopy no-snow conditions; survey corner reflectors

Airborne Measurements: Observations over boreal forest and tundra sites

• Lidar/Stereo: coincident observations with Lidar and stereo optical imager
• Active/passive microwave: Snow Water Equivalent Synthetic Aperture Radar & Radiometer (SWESARR)

Targeted Satellite Observations:

• C-band: Sentinel-1
• Commercial X-band: TerraSAR-X, ICEye, Capella, etc.
• Lidar: ICESat-2 – Overpasses & TOOs identified for the March campaign
• Stereo-imagery: Worldview, Pleiades, Planet, BlackSky

​

OCTOBER 2022

MARCH

Study Areas

Description of sites

Team assignments

Study Areas

Caribou-Poker Creek Research

Watershed

Creamers Field and Farmers Loop

Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest

Fairbanks Boreal Forest Sites

Arctic Coastal Plain

Arctic /North Slope Tundra Sites

Toolik and Upper Kuparuk

ALASKA

Diverse Boreal Forest and Arctic sites to span conditions

​

Site Criteria:

• Access
• Existing instrumentation/infrastructure
• Long-term meteorological, snow and soil data records
• Substrate/vegetation characterization
• Permissions

​

Science criteria:

• Sites with variable snow characteristics, vegetation, permafrost, and disturbance
• Vegetation (tundra & boreal forest)
• Forest diversity – range of cover fraction & density (boreal)

​

Creamer’s Field and Farmers Loop

12

• Variable landscape conditions: Black spruce, mixed forest, shrubs, wetlands
• Elevation range 130 m – 165 m
• Discontinuous permafrost
• Taiga / boreal forest snow
• Easily accessible from lodging; trail access
• Long-term CRREL observations, met station and line power at Farmers Loop
• SNOTEL site at Creamer’s Field
• Large open areas, opportunity to test SWE retrievals in varying forest densities

Caribou Poker Creek Research Watershed

• Variable landscape conditions: black spruce, mixed forest, wetlands
• Elevation range 200 m – 800 m
• Discontinuous permafrost
• Taiga / boreal forest snow
• Fire disturbance to the landscape (i.e. Haystack Fire, June 2021)
• Ongoing research project focused on boreal forests & water use
• NEON site, line power
• Challenging for SWE retrievals
• Existing snow-free lidar data

Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest

• Focus on black spruce area with variable forest density
• Elevation range 120 m – 400 m
• Discontinuous permafrost
• Taiga / boreal forest snow
• Corner reflector experiment to measure X- and Ku-band penetration in forests
• Road access between lines
• Weather stations
• CRREL snow survey lines
• Overlaps with AirSWOT/SWOT cal/val site (future effort)

Toolik Field Station and Upper Kuparuk

• Tundra, riparian shrubland, shrub tundra, wetland, barren
• Elevation range 700 m – 1500 m; foothills of the Brooks Range
• Continuous permafrost
• Shallow tundra snow with deep snow drifts
• Long-term research site with weather and hydrological stations
• SNOTEL site
• CLPX (2007) & CoReH20 (2013) observations
• Base out of Toolik Field Station

Arctic Coastal Plain

• Polygonal tundra, shrubs, lakes, wetlands, barren land
• Elevation range 20 m – 45 m
• Continuous permafrost
• Shallow tundra snow with deep snow drifts
• Different ratio and characteristics of wind slab and depth hoar layers
• SNOTEL weather station
• Base out of Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse

​

North Slope Team - Logistics Tag Up Meeting

January 17, 2023, Tuesday, 6:00 AK / 10:00 ET / 16:00 Europe

Boreal Forest Team - Logistics Tag Ups

Doodle Poll for meeting day/time

Participants - March 2023

SnowEx Alaska - Safety Overview�Campaign safety guidance from 30k Feet

Campaign Priorities

We have many tasks and

goals in SnowEx campaigns.

​

Campaign Priorities

We tend to focus on science.

​

Campaign Priorities

​

We give safety a lot of attention, but it tends to be one of those other things on the list.

Campaign Priorities

Putting SAFETY in bold red at the top of the list doesn’t really seem to help.

​

SAFETY

Science Objectives

Data Quality

Data Quantity

Logistics

Equipment

Blah

Blah

Campaign Culture

We don’t want SAFETY to be just one

of the elements that we deal with.

​

SAFETY

Equipment

Logistics

Data quantity

Objectives

Data quality

BLAH

Campaign Culture

We want SAFETY to be the atmosphere that we operate in.

We want to change the culture of SnowEx campaigns.

​

SAFETY

BLAH

Equipment

Logistics

Data quantity

Objectives

Data quality

BLAH

SAFETY

SAFETY

SAFETY

SAFETY

Campaign Culture

We do not want to tell you to be safe.

​

We want to give you

permission

to be safe.

​

We want to give you an

invitation

to be safe.

​

Campaign Culture

​

​

​

​

You need to be

present

and

engaged.

​

Campaign Culture

​

​

​

​

If you are uncertain,

uncomfortable,

or have a question,

then say something!

​

Campaign Culture

​

​

​

​

​

If you need something,

then ask!

​

Campaign Culture

If you see something that appears to be unsafe,

then say something!

​

Campaign Culture

We are working hard to change the culture of SnowEx campaigns.

You have permission and an invitation. Please help us!

Logistics & Transportation

Travel Information

Shuttle to/from Airport

Hotel & Operations Center

Flight Dates

Arrive: Saturday, March 4th

Fairbanks International Airport (FAI)

Depart: Saturday, March 18th

Fairbanks International Airport (FAI)

Make your tickets refundable/exchangeable as campaign could end early if weather is favorable.

Airport Shuttle

Tour Alaska Shuttle for SnowEx

A minivan with a SnowEx sign loops continuously between the airport and hotel for the duration of the scheduled times below:

• March 4 from 3:00pm to 11:00pm
• March 18 from 5:00am to 1:00pm

Masks required on shuttle

Outside of these times you will be required to find your own transportation (Taxi, Uber, Wedgewood free shuttle).

Wedgewood Resort Shuttle

Once you have your luggage,

please call your hotel for the shuttle

(907) 452-1442

Hotel: Wedgewood

Wedgewood Resort

212 Wedgewood Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99701

Check in March 4 anytime after 4pm

Check out March 18 anytime before 11am

​

SnowEx participants arriving from out of town already have a reservation under their name for the above dates.

People staying outside these dates need to call Wedgewood and provide credit card for the extra days.

Meals will be provided for ALL participants at the operations center starting with breakfast on March 5 and ending with dinner on March 17.

Coin operated laundry facilities available at Wedgewood

Operations: Taiga Center

Taiga Center is a part of Wedgewood Resort

• Meals
• Morning & Evening Meetings
• Daily Safety Briefings
• Drying Out Pit Kits
• Charging Stations
• WIFI

Campaign Transportation

• All transportation to and from field sites will be provided
• Vehicles and snowmachines
• Limited town truck use for errands while in FAI
• First come, first serve basis with a checkout system at ops center
• All other transportation will be on your own
• Uber, Taxis, Rideshare, etc.

​

Safety Briefing

Required Trainings

COVID Protocols

Personal Packing List

Training

Complete BEFORE Arrival

ABoVE Safety Training Plan

• Orientation Video
• Bear Safety Video (Optional)
• Basic First Aid w/CPR
• Field Site Specific Trainings
• Toolik

​

If you haven’t accessed your ABoVE Safety Training Plan yet, please do so asap.

Look for an email from Sarah on access to your account.

• Snowmachine Training
• Inexperienced - in person
• Experienced - online
• Certified - send in certificate to safety@cce.nasa.gov

​

Locals - training option before campaign with Jeb - fill out Doodle Poll by tomorrow!

​

Training

In Person: First Few Days of Campaign

• Snowmachine Orientation
• Wildlife Safety
• SnowEx Emergency Plan
• Emergency Kit Reviews
• Loading snowmachines/trailer safety
• Reporting procedures
• InReach/Sat phone operation
• Site orientations

​

Safety Plan and Operations Handbook

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10r7dzMx2tXm7J8kYIq2G4wxlJjPsZ5aA/view?usp=sharing

COVID Protocols

Taiga Center

To be Determined, but likely to include:

• Masking In Operations Center for first 3 days
• Working and eating in “pods” based on site assignments
• Testing every day for first 5 days

Toolik

• Test morning of departure
• Masking will be required in general use areas
• Medivac insurance required
• https://alaska.guardianflight.com/
• One year membership is $125, no other insurance required for membership

Campaign Provided Equipment

• All Scientific Equipment
• Emergency Burritos - 2
• Sleeping bag, stove and pot, firestarter, compass, whistle, headlamp, candle, tape, socks, gloves, first aid kit, MREs, leatherman, handwarmers
• Satellite Communication Devices
• InReach Devices - assigned to site leads
• Additional safety equipment from Toolik
• Vehicle Safety
• Sat phone

Personal Packing List

For more detailed information refer to the Safety Plan and Ops Handbook:

6. Personal Information, Packing, and Gear Selection

Clothing - LAYERS!

• Under layer
• Wicking
• Insulating layer
• Fleece, wool, puffy
• Outer layer
• Wind and waterproof
• More insulation

Weather changes rapidly in AK, pack for all possibilities: wind, snow, cold, & sunny.

​

Daily high temperatures increase by 17°F, from 17°F to 34°F, rarely falling below -3°F or exceeding 47°F. Daily low temperatures increase by 15°F, from -5°F to 10°F, rarely falling below -26°F or exceeding 25°F.

https://weatherspark.com/m/273/3/Average-Weather-in-March-in-Fairbanks-Alaska-United-States

Packing List Cont.

Other

• Backpack
• Personal Hygiene
• Sunglasses/Goggles
• Headlamp
• Chargers
• Communication Devices

All scientific equipment will be provided - do not bring your own unless it has been approved by SnowEx Leadership.

Clothing Cont.

• Boots
• Gloves
• Hats
• Helmets
• Loungewear
• Town Clothes

​

​

Site Specific Meetings

• Meet the Team
• Site Specific Safety Considerations
• Site Specific Logistics

​

Look for an email from the Safety and Logistics team scheduling your site specific meeting.

44

Safety and Logistics Team

Dan Hodkinson

Leanne Kendig

Sarah Dutton

​

Contact us at safety@cce.nasa.gov if you have any questions.

45

Expectations: Participants - Be a Team Player!

46

SnowEx has adopted AGU’s Code of Conduct

AGU Code of Conduct "rejects discrimination and harassment by any means, based on factors such as ethnic or national origin, race, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, or economic class."

We have a zero tolerance policy for any form of harassment of any kind. SnowEx welcomes and strongly encourages participation from people of all backgrounds, races, religions and gender

47

Diversity and Equity in Geosciences

• Bernard and Cooperdock, 2018, Nature Geoscience, 11, 292-296
• No progress increasing diversity in last 40 years
• Cryosphere is even less diverse
• Recent issues with gender discrimination in Antarctica
• SnowEx should be a model for field efforts in terms of inclusivity - we need you to be an ambassador for this effort
• If you see harassment or discrimination, please report it to your field lead, or any of the SnowEx leadership
• Please make everyone on your field team feel welcome, and check in with each other daily - SnowEx is as much about community building as it is about testing a particular remote sensing approach

​

​

48

Site Conditions

​

Average Temperature in March

​

Fairbanks Toolik Lake Deadhorse

Normal Max/ High Temperature -4.2°C (24°F) -16°C (4°F) -18.9 °C (-2°F)

Average Temperature -10.7°C (11°F) -20°C(-4°F) -22.2 °C (-8°F)

Min/ Low Temperature -15.5°C (-2°F) -25°C(-13°F) -27.9 °C (-18°F)

Average Daylight in March 11:42 hr 11:38 hr 11:36 hr

​

Fairbanks Sites:

Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest (BCEF), 20 km southwest of Fairbanks.

Farmers Loop and Creamer’s Field (FLCF).

Caribou-Poker Creek Research Watershed (CPCRW), 50 km northeast of Fairbanks.

​

Toolik Field Station and Upper Kuparuk (Kuparuk)

Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP)

​

​

​

https://en.climate-data.org/

49

50

Questions?