Snow Physics and Hydrology
Master semestre 3, see the course on Is-Academia
Snow is a key component in the global climate system but also in our cultural life. The perennial or seasonal snow cover has a dominant impact on the energy budget at the earth’s surface and therefore on the climate system. It crucially influences the water mass balance by storing water for ecosystems, irrigation, drinking water supply, and hydropower. Snow is also an important resource for tourism and recreation and artificial snow production has become common in most ski resorts worldwide. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles of snow physics, snow hydrology, snow-atmosphere interaction and snow modeling. Dynamics and thermodynamics of snow will be discussed to develop a sound theoretical and practical understanding of physical processes within the snow and at its interfaces with the atmosphere and the ground. The course covers the broad field of snow science including field, laboratory, and modeling techniques. Practical work will include modeling problems with the snow model SNOWPACK and a field excursion (if conditions allow) presenting classical snow pit analysis.