Blowing snow at Mizuho station, Antarctica

Abstract

Blowing snow observations were carried out at Mizuho station, Antarctica, from October to November 2000. A blowing snow observation system including snow particle counters, which can sense not only the number of snow particles, but also their diameters, was situated on a 30 m tower. All instruments worked correctly and the data obtained revealed profiles of mass flux and particle size distributions as a function of the friction velocity. Measurements were compared with a blowing snow model that accounted for most physical processes including aerodynamic entrainment, grain/bed collisions, wind modification, particle size distribution and turbulent fluctuations on the particle trajectories. Simulated and measured results showed close agreement, and the validity of the model was demonstrated. Vertical profiles of horizontal mass flux from saltation to suspension, as well as the particle size distributions were expressed precisely, which could not be achieved using the previous models.