Multilayer Settlement Measurement Tower: An Instrument to Measure the Settlement of Layers in Snowpack

Abstract

Snow is a visco-elastic material with its viscosity directly dependent on density of snow as well as temperature of snow. Viscosity of snow varies between 108 Pa-s to 1014 Pa-s (Martin Stoffel, 2006 et al,). An accurate model for snow densification and avalanche forecast must take temperature dependent viscosity into account. To measure the viscosity, there is a requirement to study the mechanical behaviour of the snow described in terms of stress in the snowpack. Stress can be calculated by measuring the settlement of the snowpack with respect to time. A new instrument, Multilayer Settlement Measurement Tower (MSMT) was designed and tested for measuring settlement of different layers separately using magnetic field sensor array, temperature profile using thermocouple array and the viscosity was calculated using empirical formula. Experiments were successfully carried out on the prototype of MSMT at the field research station to check the functionality of the instrument. The instrument is being fabricated and planned to install in field stations for snow layers settlement measurement.