Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPXII Alaska Experiment

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Alaska Experiment Plan May 17, 2007 Don Cline Kelly Elder Simon Yueh Jared Entin National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center Rocky Mountain Research Station Jet Propulsion Laboratory Terrestrial Hydrology Program National Weather Service, NOAA US Forest Service, USDA NASA Headquarters, NASA

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Science Objectives • Advance airborne and spaceborne snow-measurement capabilities to support U. S. and international science objectives in: – hydrology, global water cycle, cryosphere, and climate • Test and develop high-frequency radar (Ku-, X-band) remote sensing techniques for measuring snow water equivalent (SWE) – Quantify the radar sensitivity to key snowpack properties – Test theoretical basis for the radar measurements – Develop improved measurement capabilities

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Field Objectives • Collect repeat coincident high-frequency radar and in situ snow observations of a wide range of snow-covered terrain, including: – Ku-band X-band Radar – Range of characteristic snow depths • shallow to deep – Range of characteristic grain sizes • small to large – Range of vegetation and terrain backgrounds • e. g. grass, shrub, forest

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Field Approach • Achieve necessary range of snow conditions with study areas in two regions (1 per season) – mid-latitude mountain and valley (north-central Colorado) – high-Arctic mountain and tundra (northern Alaska) • Achieve in situ observations with small ground team (<15) measuring transects and snow pits • Achieve Ku-band radar observations using airborne imaging polarimetric scatterometer (POLSCAT) • Achieve X-band radar observations using DLR spaceborne Terra. SAR-X Synthetic Aperture Radar

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Campaign Status • Colorado study area campaigns (3) are completed. • Alaska study area campaigns (2) to be conducted November 2007 and February 2008.

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Colorado POLSCAT Campaigns Study Area: 90 km x 9 km Lake Catamount under ice/snow cover Illinois River in January POLSCAT CLPX-II • 13. 9 GHz • VV, HH, HV, VH • 35 o Incidence Angle • 100 m Azimuth Resolution • 120 m Range Resolution • Noise equivalent Sigma 0 < -40 d. B • Calibration stability <0. 1 d. B Three campaigns: • Dec 2 – 5, 2006 • Jan 25 – 30, 2007 • Feb 22 -23, 2007 Rabbit Ears Pass Sagebrush in North Park

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Alaska Overview • Two Field Campaigns: Nov 07, Feb 08 • Northern Alaska – North Slope (Two study areas) – Brooks Range (One study area – contingency) • Radar Observations – JPL POLSCAT instrument flown daily on Twin Otter aircraft – Terra. SAR-X data contributed by DLR • Ground Observations – Small team of 6 based at NSF’s Toolik Field Camp (North Slope) – Multiple intensive snow depth transects in each study area – Intensive snow pit sampling throughout each study area • Other participants/aircraft – UK Met Office and NERC Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (large atmospheric research aircraft)

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Alaska Schedule • Campaign #1: Early Winter – Nov 24 – Dec 7, 2007 • Data collection scheduled Nov 28 – Dec 3 • Campaign #2: Mid-Winter – Feb 15 – 28, 2008 • Data collection scheduled Feb 19 -24 Ground Team Schedule • D 1 Nov 24: Travel to Fairbanks • D 2 Nov 25: Logistics, Crew to FAI • D 3 Nov 26: Drive to Toolik Camp • D 4 Nov 27: Prep, Recon, Training • D 5 Nov 28: Depth Sampling Area 1 • D 6 Nov 29: Pit Sampling Area 1 • D 7 Nov 30: Depth Sampling Area 2 • D 8 Dec 1: Pit Sampling Area 2 • D 9 Dec 2: Depth Sampling Area 3 • D 10 Dec 3: Pit Sampling Area 3 • D 11 Dec 4: Drive to Coldfoot • D 12 Dec 5: Drive to Fairbanks • D 13 Dec 6: Logistics, Crew Home • D 14 Dec 7: Return Home • D 1 Feb 15: Travel to Fairbanks • D 2 Feb 16: Logistics, Crew to FAI • D 3 Feb 17: Drive to Toolik Camp • D 4 Feb 18: Prep, Recon, Training • D 5 Feb 19: Depth Sampling Area 1 • D 6 Feb 20: Pit Sampling Area 1 • D 7 Feb 21: Depth Sampling Area 2 • D 8 Feb 22: Pit Sampling Area 2 • D 9 Feb 23: Depth Sampling Area 3 • D 10 Feb 24: Pit Sampling Area 3 • D 11 Feb 25: Drive to Coldfoot • D 12 Feb 26: Drive to Fairbanks • D 13 Feb 27: Logistics, Crew Home • D 14 Feb 28: Return Home

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas • Three study areas in northern Alaska – Area 1: Kuparuk River • North Slope • 22 km x 3. 4 km (2 overlapping POLSCAT flight lines) • Midpoint: 68. 6331, -149. 2649 – Area 2: Sagavanirktok (“Sag”) River • North Slope • 51 km x 3. 4 km (2 overlapping POLSCAT flight lines • Midpoint: 68. 9991, -148. 9462 – Area 3: Chandalar Shelf • Brooks Range • 18 km x 2. 1 km (single POLSCAT flight line) • Intended as weather contingency in case North Slope is unavailable • Midpoint: 67. 9930, -149. 4743

To Prudhoe Bay (70 mi) CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas N Happy Valley (Emergency Shelter) Dalton Highway, Trans-Alaska Pipeline Study Area #2: Sag River Length: 51 km Width: 3. 4 km North Slope Ownership: North Slope Borough Pump Station 3 NSF Toolik Field Station (Emergency Shelter) (Ground Operations Base) Study Area #1: Kuparuk River Length: 22 km Width: 3. 4 km Ownership: BLM Utility Corridor Pump Station 4 (Emergency Shelter) Brooks Range Atigun Pass Do. T Facility Study Area #3: Chandalar Shelf (Emergency Shelter) (Alternate for Weather Contingency) Length: 18 km Width: 2. 1 km Ownership: BLM Utility Corridor Landsat ETM+ July 1999 Bands 5, 3, 2 Projection: UTM Zone 6 N Datum: WGS 84 To Coldfoot (60 mi ), Fairbanks (315 mi)

CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas Study Area #1: Kuparuk River Length: 22 km Width: 3. 4 km POLSCAT Flight Lines: 2 Nominal POLSCAT Altitude: 5000’ AGL Nominal POLSCAT Swath Width: 2. 1 km (20% overlap) Nominal POLSCAT Resolution: 100 m Flight Heading: 250 o / 70 o Study Area #2 Dalton Highway Trans-Alaska Pipeline Toolik Field Station Sagavanirktok River Imnaviat Creek Snow Course (UAF) N Landsat ETM+ July 1999 Bands 5, 3, 2 Projection: UTM Zone 6 N Datum: WGS 84

CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas Study Area #1: Kuparuk River Length: 22 km Width: 3. 4 km POLSCAT Flight Lines: 2 Nominal POLSCAT Altitude: 5000’ AGL Nominal POLSCAT Swath Width: 2. 1 km (20% overlap) Nominal POLSCAT Resolution: 100 m Flight Heading: 250 o / 70 o Dalton Highway E 417673 N 7620524 Trans-Alaska Pipeline E 418836 N 7617329 E 397000 N 7613000 Imnaviat Creek SNOTEL N E 398163 N 7609805 Sagavanirktok River Imnaviat Creek Snow Course (D. Kane, UAF) Landsat ETM+ July 1999 Bands 5, 3, 2 Projection: UTM Zone 6 N Datum: WGS 84

CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas Study Area #2: Sag River E 420500 N 7681000 Length: 51 km Width: 3. 4 km POLSCAT Flight Lines: 2 Nominal POLSCAT Altitude: 5000’ AGL Nominal POLSCAT Swath Width: 2. 1 km (20% overlap) Nominal POLSCAT Resolution: 100 m Flight Heading: 0 o / 180 o E 423900 N 7681000 Dalton Highway Happy Valley Airstrip Trans. Alaska Pipeline Dalton Highway N Sagavanirktok River E 420500 N 7630000 Landsat ETM+ July 1999 Bands 5, 3, 2 Projection: UTM Zone 6 N E 423900 N 7630000 Pump Station Datum: WGS 84

CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas Study Area #3: Chandalar Shelf (Alternate for Weather Contingency) Atigun Pass Do. T Facility Length: 18 km Width: 2. 1 km POLSCAT Flight Lines: 1 Nominal POLSCAT Altitude: 5000’ AGL Nominal POLSCAT Swath Width: 2. 1 km Nominal POLSCAT Resolution: 100 m Flight Heading: 142 o / 322 o E 392655 N 7551865 E 391000 N 7550572 Dalton Highway E 403737 N 7537681 E 402082 N 7536388 Landsat ETM+ July 1999 Bands 5, 3, 2 Projection: UTM Zone 6 N N Datum: WGS 84

CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas Study Area Coordinates Study Area 1. Kuparuk River 2. Sag River 3. Chandalar Shelf Corner UTM Easting UTM Northing Longitude Latitude NW 397000. 0000 7613000. 0000 -149. 53120629 68. 61004239 NE 417673. 23770000 7620524. 44300000 -149. 02970916 68. 68434460 SE 418836. 10610000 7617329. 48799999 -148. 99850293 68. 65604947 SW 398162. 86850000 7609805. 04499999 -149. 49947590 68. 58184162 NW 420500. 0000 7681000. 0000 -149. 00884187 69. 22720409 NE 423900. 0000 7681000. 0000 -148. 92299094 69. 22818210 SE 423900. 0000 7630000 -148. 88345379 68. 77105375 SW 420500. 0000 7630000 -148. 96754235 68. 77009871 NW 391000. 0000 7550572. 0000 -149. 61347306 68. 04844744 NE 392654. 82260000 7551864. 88900000 -149. 57513728 68. 06065496 SE 403736. 72910000 7537680. 69600000 -149. 29692962 67. 93746414 SW 402081. 90660000 7536387. 80599999 -149. 33521022 67. 92532129 UTM Projection: UTM Zone 6 N UTM and Lat/Long Datum: WGS 84

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II POLSCAT Plan • Platform: Twin Otter out of Grand Junction, Colorado • Campaign Base: Fairbanks, AK – FBO TBD • Flight Parameters – Nominal data collection sortie from base is 600 nm – Assuming groundspeed of 130 knots, nominal sortie is 4. 7 hrs – Data collection altitude: 5000’ AGL • Data Collection Plan – Airborne team will attempt to collect data over all three study areas each designated data collection day (total of 6 sorties/campaign) • Issues – Approaching maximum range of aircraft. • May be necessary to refuel in Prudhoe Bay (Deadhorse), but airport is frequently closed in winter due to severe weather. • Alternate option is to supply a fuel depot near study areas

CLPX-II Alaska Study Areas Approximate Time on Station (TOS) Assume Groundspeed of 130 kts for data and transit Study Area #2: Sag River Length: 51 km # Lines: 2 Total Distance: 55 nm Total TOS: 0. 42 hr (25 min) + turns Study Area #1: Kuparuk River N Transit to site: 1. 8 hrs Data Collection: 1. 3 hrs Return Transit: 1. 6 hrs __________ TOTAL: 4. 7 hrs Start: 230 nm (1. 8 hrs) from Fairbanks Length: 22 km # Lines: 2 Total Distance: 24 nm Total TOS: 0. 18 hr (11 min) + turns Study Area #3: Chandalar Shelf (Alternate for Weather Contingency) Length: 18 km # Lines: 1 Total Distance: 10 nm Total TOS: 0. 08 hr (5 min) + turns Flight path shown (orange) is 170 nm (1. 3 hr) including turns. End: 200 nm (1. 6 hrs) from Fairbanks

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Ground Plan • Campaign Base: Toolik Field Station, North Slope AK – Food, lodging, telephone, high-speed internet, first-aid – 133 mi (214 km) to Prudhoe Bay • Data Collection Plan – Each study area will be sampled over two days. • Day 1: Snow Depth Transects – Six parallel transects over length of study area – Sampled intensively at TBD intervals using Magna. Probes » Digital-recording depth probe with built-in GPS • Day 2: Snow Pits – Intensive snow pits sampled at TBD intervals along each depth transect » Depth, density, and temperature profiles » Stratigraphy and grain size • Local Observing Systems – U. Alaska hydrological research is conducted within Area 1 and 2 • Micromet tower, historical snow depth data sets, SNOTEL site

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Additional Aircraft • Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) – UK Met Office and National Environmental Research Council – BAE 146 -301 out of Cranfield University, Bedfordshire UK • Objectives – Acquire dataset of brightness temperatures over snow-covered land sea ice for the parameterization and validation of microwave radiative transfer models • Data Collection – High-altitude profile and sonde-dropping run to sample atmospheric profile – Mapping patterns around study areas – Feb 08 campaign only Instrumentation In situ atmospheric conditions Radiation instrument suite Microwave radiometers 23. 8, 50. 1, 89. 0, 157. 0, and 183. 3 GHz Infrared interferometer Heimann radiometer (surface temperature)

Cold Land Processes Experiment II CLPX-II Links and Resources • POLSCAT – Information from CLPX-I (2002 -2003) • http: //nsidc. org/data/nsidc-0159. html – Note: POLSCAT did not scan at that time. It is now a conically scanning instrument. • In situ Snow Observations – Information on snow pit data collection from CLPX-1 (2002 -2003) • http: //nsidc. org/data/nsidc-0176. html – There is little change in CLPX-II snow pit data collection protocols • FAAM Aircraft and Instruments – www. faam. ac. uk • UAF Research in Area 1 and Area 2 – www. uaf. edu/water/projects/North. Slope/currentconditions. html – Note this site has a webcam near Area 2, updated every 15 min • www. uaf. edu/water/projects/North. Slope/sagriver_web_cam. html