THE PROFILING RADIOACTIVE SNOW GAGE

DETERMINATION OF SNOWFALL AMOUNT OR WHETHER SNOW IS ACTUALLY FALLING IS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR AGENCIES INVOLVED IN SNOW REMOVAL OR CONTROL ON REMOTE MOUNTAIN ROADS ON REMOTE MOUNTAIN ROADS OR ON REMOTE, UNATTENDED AIRFIELDS. A SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY WHICH SNOW DENSITY AND DEPTH MAY BE MEASURED IN 1/2-IN. INCREMENTS BY VERTICAL PROFILING OF A SNOWPACK. THE SYSTEM IS HIGHLY ACCURATE AND MAY BE ADAPTED FOR REMOTE OPERATION. WITH IT ONE MAY DETERMINE WHETHER SNOW IS FALLING, THE INTENSITY OF SNOWFALL, THE DEPT OF THE SNOWPACK, AND ITS DENSITY AT ALL POINTS IN THE PACK. ONE MAY ALSO DETERMINE WHETHER RAIN IS FALLING ONTO A PACK, WHEN THE RAIN CEASES, AND WHEN SNOW BEGINS TO FALL AGAIN. PACK SETTLEMENT, MELT , OR ICE-CRUST FORMATION MAY ALSO BE MONITORED. THE GAGE CONSISTS OF A SMALL RADIOACTIVE SOURCE AND A DETECTOR THAT ARE DRAWN AT A RATE OF ONE FOOT PER MINUTE THROUGH TWO ACCESS TUBES EXTENDING FROM GROUND LINE TO A POINT ABOVE THE HIGHEST SNOW DEPOSITION. THE SIGNAL CAN BE SENT BY TELEPHONE LINE OR RADIO TO A BASE STATION WHERE THE SIGNAL IS CONVERTED TO DEPTH AND DENSITY AND IS RECORDED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr115/115-005.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board (HRB)

  Washington, DC   
• Authors:
  • Smith, James L
  • Halverson, Howard G
  • Jones, Ronald A
• Discussers:
  • Byrd, L G
• Conference:
  • Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Research
  • Location: Dartmouth New Hampshire, United States
  • Date: 1970-4-8 to 1970-4-10
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 36-45
• Monograph Title: Snow removal and ice control research
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 115
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Density; Depth; Measuring instruments; Radioactivity; Snow; Snow cover; Snow removal
• Uncontrolled Terms: Profiles
• Old TRIS Terms: Snowpack
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00218681
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 8 1971 12:00AM