Title

Validation of Forest Algorithms in a Snow Process Model

Document Type

Grant Proposal

Date Accepted

Spring 2008

Project Description/Abstract

Forest canopies strongly modify interactions between snow-covered surfaces and the atmosphere, thereby modulating the temperature and hydrological balance in natural and developed landscapes. Decreasing snowfall trends in New England over the last half of the 20th century pose new challenges for water resource assessment and management. This project will deploy intensive field techniques to validate and improve existing forest and snow cover sub-models within UEBMOD numerical snow model. The approach includes: 1) a field campaign from November 2007 to May 2008 including installation of accumulation stakes, web-cams and environmental sensors at open, deciduous and Hemlock plots at Harvard Forest and subsequent snow density measurements, 2) collecting charts to document significant weather events, and 3) using observations to refine sub-models within the UEBMOD model to improve simulations. Results will help support current modeling objectives of the international SnowMIP2 project and will benefit forest management practices and improve climate modeling.

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