CSAS Hosts Snow Characterization Workshop in Silverton.

Thanks to the initiative of Dr. Hans-Peter Marshall and Dr. Martin Schneebeli of the  WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF,  the CSAS was able to host their fantastically successful, 3-day hands-on workshop in high-tech snow characterization methods and theory here in Silverton on March 18-20, 2008.  Marshall and Schneebeli discussed and demonstrated methods for snow casting and X-ray tomography,  snow micro-penetrometer measurement and signal analysis, near-infra-red photography and specific surface area characterization methods, and FMCW radar snowcover measurements and signal interpretation; Dr. Chris Hiemstra of Colorado State University also demonsrated the use of the MagnaProbe tool, another snow penetrometer tool used in extensive snowcover surveys throughout the Arctic and other shallow snowpacks.  All workshop participants agreed that this was a superlative experience and, for our part, we were honored to facilitate and participate.

Martin Schneebeli lecturing on snow micro-structure tomography techniques and data analyses methods that he has pioneered in his work at the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research at Davos.

Schneebeli and his former PhD student Ethan Greene, Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, discussing the fine points of snow casting techniques during a field session.

Hans-Peter Marshall demonstrating the operation of the SnowMicroPen® tool developed by the Swiss at SLF and which Marshall has used extensively in Arctic and alpine environments.  The group utilized the CSAS’s Animas Valley Study Site for the workshop, just a few minutes away from Silverton.

Workshop participant Dr. Chris Hiemstra from the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University demonstrates use of the MagnaProbe tool that he and Marshall have used extensively to make rapid measurements of snowcover depth.