Syllabus for Snow Physics and Hydrology

Learning outcomes

After the completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Describe and quantifykey physical and chemical properties of the snow cover
• Calculate the surface energy budget of the snowpack to estimate meltwater yield
• Use tracers to estimate the seasonal smowmelt contributions to stream runoff
• Perform runoff predictions from snow measurements using a hydrological model
• Apply some remote sensing techniques to characterise snow cover properties
• Discuss the importance of snow as an environment for life

Content

This course offers an introduction to various aspects of the science of snow, including snow physics and chemistry, snow climatology and surface energy balance, snow hydrology, remote sensing of snow cover, snow cover pollution, and the ecology of snow-covered environments. The course involves the interpretation of real snow datasets and remote sensing data, along with the application of a hydrological model.

Instruction

Lectures, practical exercises and a project.

Assessment

Evaluation of the course is based on assignments (1 credit), participation in computer exercises (2 credits), written reports (3 credits) and a written exam (4 credits). .