Glaciodyn (Canada) IPY Project: Weather station data collected on the Belcher Glacier, Devon Island Ice Cap, 2008-2009

Field measurements were necessary to initialize, force, and validate the surface energy balance model for the Belcher Glacier. Hourly and daily averages of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, net radiation, and surface elevation were recorded over the 2008 summer (June-September) by two automatic weather stations (AWS) on the glacier centerline at elevations of 500 m and 900 m. All instruments were installed 2 m above the surface. In August 2009, the AWSs were re-programmed to record bi-hourly and daily averages of all meteorological variables to preserve battery power and memory. The AWSs are serviced annually. A total of 25 ablation stakes were drilled into the ice in May 2008 at 100 m elevation intervals between 500 m and 1100 m, and also at 250 m spacing on lateral transects at 500 m and 900 m elevation. These stakes were surveyed weekly in the 2008 summer, and once again in the spring of 2009. Snow pits were dug twice weekly at 900 m elevation to record the temperature and density of distinct horizons within the snowpack.