6533b826fe1ef96bd12843be

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Quantification des hauteurs de neige et des températures de l'air à la surface d'un glacier : du terrain à l'interpolation, confrontation de méthodes

subject

description

Quantifying snow cover and surface air temperature on a glacier is usually based on point data. The density of point measures is dependent on the local context. Interpolation brings the opportunity to generate a continuous surface. This surface can be used to derive a global measure for the whole glacier. These measures (total snow water equivalent, average thermal state) are integrated in glaciological and hydrological equations. Interpolation also renders the spatial variations of processes and provides information on inaccessible or not-monitored zones. Using the example of an arctic glacier, several interpolation methods were tested and compared. These methods were applied to snow drilling and air temperature monitoring data acquired on Loven East glacier (Svalbard, Norway).