The millimeter wave response to volume density and grain size of dry homogeneous snow. An algorithm for retrieval of snow depth from radiometer data at the frequencies 22 and 37 GHz

Abstract

Results of experimental investigation of dry homogeneous snow cover and man-made like-snow media emissivity and scattering properties in the microwave and millimeter wavelength ranges are presented. The effects of grain size, volume density and layer depth on the scattering properties were examined. Approximate expressions for scattering layer reflectivity and transmissivity based on the semi-empirical scattering model approach were obtained. Spectral relationship between basic parameters of emission from grained snow at the frequencies 22 and 37.5 GHz has been restored due to analysis of experimental data sets obtained for both dry snow and man-made like-snow media. As a result the algorithm for retrieval of snow depth has been developed using radiometry frequency channels at the 22 and 37.5 GHz. This algorithm permits to retrieve snow depth regardless of crystal size. It was scheduled to use this algorithm in the space program LtPrirodaGt.