Biocomplexity of Frost-Boil Ecosystems
Data Report: Snow on the Alaska North Slope Grids
April 2003

D.A. Walker, M.K. Raynolds, C.R. Martin

Alaska Geobotany Center
Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks Alaska 99775
Date: 200310

Funding: National Science Foundation, OPP-0120736
Online Link: http://www.geobotany.uaf.edu/library/reports/snow2003_dr0310.pdf

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ........................................................................................1
Methods..............................................................................................1
Relevé Snow Depth And Soil Surface Temperatures .....................................................1
Snow Density And Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) At The Grids ...........................................2
Grid Snow Depths ....................................................................................2
Snow Profiles .......................................................................................2
Literature Cited ....................................................................................3
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................3
Tables ..............................................................................................4
Table 1. Relevé Snow Depth And Soil Surface Temperatures ............................................4
Table 2. Detailed Depth And Density Measured On The Four Sides Of The 10 X 10 M Biocomplexity Grids..7
   a) Howe Island ...................................................................................7
   b) West Dock .....................................................................................7
   c) Deadhorse .....................................................................................7
   d) Franklin Bluffs ...............................................................................7
   d) Franklin Bluffs ...............................................................................8
   e) Sagwon ........................................................................................8
   f) Happy Valley ..................................................................................9
Table 3. Depth, Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), And Snow Density At The Biocomplexity Grids ...........10
Table 4. Snow Depth Measurements (cm) On The 10 X 10 M Biocomplexity Grids .........................11
   a) Howe Island ..................................................................................11
   b) West Dock ....................................................................................12
   c) Deadhorse ....................................................................................12
   d) Franklin Bluffs, dry .........................................................................13
   f) Franklin Bluffs, wet .........................................................................14
   g) Sagwon grid: MNT-1 (old) .....................................................................14
   h) Sagwon grid: MNT 2 (new) .....................................................................15
   i) Sagwon MAT ...................................................................................15
   j) Happy Valley grid: Hilltop (dry) .............................................................16
   k) Happy Valley grid: Mid-slope (moist) .........................................................16
   l) Happy Valley, grid: Toe slope (wet) ..........................................................17
Figures ............................................................................................18
Figure 1. Grid Snow Densities ......................................................................18
Figure 2. Snow Water Equivalent Vs Snow Depth ......................................................18
Figure 3. Mean Grid Snow Depths ....................................................................18
Figure 4. Soil Surface Temperature . ...............................................................18
Appendices..........................................................................................20
Appendix A. Photographs ............................................................................20
Appendix B. Snow Densitiy Form......................................................................24
Appendix C. Grid .Snow Depth Form...................................................................25
Appendix D. Snow Profile Form.......................................................................26
Appendix E. Classification Of Snow Crystals (Colbeck Et Al 1992)....................................27


Introduction

This data report is a summary of snow-survey information collected during a trip
to the Arctic Slope April 9-14, 2003. The data were all collected as part of the
Biocomplexity of Frost-Boil Ecosystems study (Walker et al. 2003, in press).
Snow is an important factor affecting soil-surface temperatures during the
winter. These data will be used to help model the influence of snow on frost
heave.

Members of the survey team included Dr. D.A. (Skip) Walker, Mr. Hilmar Maier,
Ms. Anja Kade, and Ms. Corinne Munger, all from the Alaska Geobotany Center, and
Dr. Dmitri Sergueev, from the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska
Fairbanks.

The data collected included
   1. Snow depth and soil temperature information from 106 permanent plots
   (relevés) that are part of a vegetation classification study.

   2. Snow density and snow-water-equivalent (SWE) measurements from the
   midpoints of the four sides of each of twelve 10x10-m grids at Happy Valley,
   Sagwon, Franklin Bluffs, Deadhorse, West Dock, and Howe Island.

   3. Snow depths at every meter within the grids.

   4. Snow profile descriptions from each grid.

Information from this data report and other information from the grids are
available on the Alaska Geobotany Center web site:
http://www.geobotany.uaf.edu/. Additional climate and snow data were collected
by Dmitri Sergueev in conjunction with Vladimir Romanovsky’s climate stations
and heave instruments. These data can be obtained from Vlad Romanovsky,
ffver@aurora.alaska.edu. Photos from the survey are in Appendix A.