Collaborative Research: Implementing Low-power, Autonomous Observing Systems to Improve the Measurement and Understanding of Antarctic Precipitation

准确测量南极洲的降水量对于计算南极面积等目的非常重要。美国的物质平衡和对全球海平面上升的贡献，解释冰芯记录，并验证基于模式和卫星的降水估计。目前迫切需要对南极降水进行可靠、自主和长期的测量，以便更好地了解其在空间和时间上的变化。尽管这些记录很重要，但它们在欧洲大陆上基本上是缺失的。该项目将部署和测试仪器，以测量和记录南极洲的降雪和吹雪率。项目目标是基于在南极洲罗斯岛地区的自动气象站（AWS）站点安装四个低功耗、自主的南极降水系统（APS）。aps采用集成传感器方法设计，可在试验点提供多种类型的积雪类型观测。aps的设计目的是构建一个准确的积雪时间线，并将降水的水当量与地面吹雪（飘雪）区分开来，这是一个主要的混淆因素。将部署的标准仪器套件包括：带双Alter挡风玻璃的降水计、激光测差仪、激光雪高传感器、光学降水探测器、测量高度的风速计和一个可见/红外网络摄像头。这些仪器以前已被证明在寒冷地区的应用中工作良好。

Accurately measuring precipitation in Antarctica is important for purposes such as calculating Antarctica?s mass balance and contribution to global sea level rise, interpreting ice core records, and validating model- and satellite-based precipitation estimates. There is a critical need for reliable, autonomous, long-term measurements of Antarctic precipitation in order to better understand its variability in space in time. Such records over time are essentially absent from the continent, despite their importance. This project will deploy and test instrumentation to measure and record rates of snowfall and blowing snow in Antarctica.Project goals are based on installation of four low-power, autonomous Antarctic precipitation systems (APS) co-located at automatic weather station (AWS) sites in the Ross Island region of Antarctica. The APSs are designed with an integrated sensor approach to provide multiple types of observations of snow accumulation types at the test sites. The APSs are designed to construct an accurate timeline of snow accumulation, and to distinguish the water equivalent of fallen precipitation from surface blowing (lofted) snow, a prime confounding factor. The standard suite of instruments to be deployed includes: precipitation gauge with double Alter windshield, laser disdrometer, laser snow height sensor, optical precipitation detector, anemometer at gauge height, and a visible /infrared webcam. These instruments have previously been shown to work well in cold regions applications.