SnowMicroPen (SMP) force profiles during the ALERT2018 campaign

The SnowMicroPen (SMP) is a portable device for high-resolution in-situ measurements of penetration resistance in snow and can be correlated to snow microstructure (density, specific surface area, snow type). The penetration force is measured using a piezo-electric sensor and is digitally recorded every 4 micrometers. The SMP signal can infer stratigraphy, snow type, and snow microstructure at a vertical resolution of 1-4 mm. Based on the force signal, density and specific surface area parameterizations are calculated. Through horizontally repeated measurements, the SMP can help relate detailed point-scale snow profiles to a larger sampling area and provide information about the spatial variability of snow stratigraphy and physical snow properties. The SMP measurements were obtained in connection to classical snow pits during the ALERT2018 campaign in May 2018 over the sea ice in the Lincoln Sea at representative locations of the floes. The SMP was used before snow pits were dug on short transect lines across them with spacings from 0.1 to 0.25 m between the measurements.