SNOW HYDROLOGY (GEOG 4321): HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 5
Instuctor: Mark Williams
Telephone: 492-8830
Homework 5
- Assigned 28 February.
- Due 4 March at 4 pm.
- There are 40 possible points.
We are going to examine radiation data from the Niwot Ridge
LTER site in order see how the radiation balance of a mountain snowpack
changes over the snow season. Go to the Niwot Ridge Data Catalog at http://culter.colorado.edu/. Enter
the old site. Click on data. Click on Data set catalog and keyword/investigator
search. Click on Subnivean
Laboratory Data. Next click on Snowmelt
and Meteorological Data from the Subnivean. Now go to Level
2D data. Acquire the Level 2D data from January through July
2000 (0001
to 0007). To complete the question, you will need the 4
components of
Net Radiation (Incident and Reflected Shortwave and Atmospheric and
Terrestrial Longwave) as well as measured Net Radiation. Under Data Level Selection, check Level 2D (Daily). Under Radiometric Data, select the five
components listed above. Click Send
Document. Next select either viewing option to work with the
data. Using this data
create three graphs:
- Create 3 graphs with the data you obtained (15 points):
- Net radiation versus time for the 7 months of record
- Incident and reflected solar radiation versus time for the
7 months of record
- Terrestrial and atmospheric longwave radiation for the 7
months
of record
- Describe the trends in net radiation. When does net radiation
become positive? When does it peak? Why? (5 points).
- How does the relationship between incident and reflected
shortwave change over the season? Calculate an albedo value for one
day in February, May, and July. How and why are they different? (10
points)
- What is the relationship between incoming and outgoing longwave
over the season?
Is longwave more or less variable than shortwave? Take a guess at why
this is. (5 points).
- Overall, what factors are most responsible for the seasonal
increase
in net radiation measured at Niwot Ridge? (5 points).