Publication Date:
2011-08-18
Description:
Snow is treated as a heterogeneous dielectric material consisting of ice, air, and water. The greater difference in the high frequency relative permittivity of dry snow and water allows to determine the liquid water content by measurements of the relative permittivity of snow. A plate condenser with a volume of about 1000 cv cm was used to measure the average liquid water content in a snow volume. Calibration was carried out using a freezing calorimeter. In order to measure the liquid water content in thin snow layers, a comb-shaped condenser was developed, which is the two dimensional analogon of the plate condenser. With this moisture meter the liquid water content was measured in layers of a few millimeters in thickness, whereby the effective depth of measurement is given by the penetration depth of electric field lines which is controlled by the spacing of the strip lines. Results of field measurements with both moisture meters, the plate condenser and the comb-shaped condenser, are given.
Keywords:
EARTH RESOURCES AND REMOTE SENSING
Type:
NASA. Goddard Space Flight Center Microwave Remote Sensing of Snowpack Properties; p 69-92
Format:
text
