MASCDB, a database of images, descriptors and microphysical properties of individual snowflakes in free fall

Dataset overview

This dataset provides data and images of snowflakes in free fall collected with a Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) The dataset includes, for each recorded snowflakes:

A triplet of gray-scale images corresponding to the three cameras of the MASC

A large quantity of geometrical, textural descriptors and the pre-compiled output of published retrieval algorithms as well as basic environmental information at the location and time of each measurement.

The pre-computed descriptors and retrievals are available either individually for each camera view or, some of them, available as descriptors of the triplet as a whole. A non exhaustive list of precomputed quantities includes for example:

Textural and geometrical descriptors as in Praz et al 2017

Hydrometeor classification, riming degree estimation, melting identification, as in Praz et al 2017

Blowing snow identification, as in  Schaer et al 2020

Mass, volume, gyration estimation, as in Leinonen et al 2021

Data format and structure

The dataset is divided into four .parquet file (for scalar descriptors) and a Zarr database (for the images). A detailed description of the data content and of the data records is available here.

Supporting code

A python-based API is available to manipulate, display and organize the data of our dataset. It can be found on GitHub. See also the code documentation on ReadTheDocs.

Download notes

All files available here for download should be stored in the same folder, if the python-based API is used

MASCdb.zarr.zip must be unzipped after download

Field campaigns

A list of campaigns included in the dataset, with a minimal description is given in the following table

Campaign_name
Information

Shielded / Not shielded

DFIR = Double Fence Intercomparison Reference

APRES3-2016 & APRES3-2017

Instrument installed in Antarctica in the context of the APRES3 project. See for example Genthon et al, 2018 or Grazioli et al 2017
Not shielded

Davos-2015
Instrument installed in the Swiss Alps within the context of SPICE (Solid Precipitation InterComparison Experiment)
Shielded (DFIR)

Davos-2019
Instrument installed in the Swiss Alps within the context of RACLETS (Role of Aerosols and CLouds Enhanced by Topography on Snow)
Not shielded

ICEGENESIS-2021
Instrument installed in the Swiss Jura in a MeteoSwiss ground measurement site, within the context of ICE-GENESIS. See for example Billault-Roux et al, 2023
Not shielded

ICEPOP-2018
Instrument installed in Korea, in the context of ICEPOP. See for example Gehring et al 2021.
Shielded (DFIR)

Jura-2019 & Jura-2023
Instrument installed in the Swiss Jura within a MeteoSwiss measurement site
Not shielded

Norway-2016
Instrument installed in Norway during the High-Latitude Measurement of Snowfall (HiLaMS). See for example Cooper et al, 2022.
Not shielded

PLATO-2019
Instrument installed in the "Davis" Antarctic base during the PLATO field campaign
Not shielded

POPE-2020
Instrument installed in the "Princess Elizabeth Antarctica" base during the POPE campaign. See for example Ferrone et al, 2023.
Not shielded

Remoray-2022
Instrument installed in the French Jura.
Not shielded

Valais-2016
Instrument installed in the Swiss Alps in a ski resort.
Not shielded

Version

1.0 - Two new campaigns ("Jura-2023", "Norway-2016") added. Added references and list of campaigns.

0.3 - a new campaign is added to the dataset ("Remoray-2022")

0.2 - rename of variables. Variable precision (digits) standardized

0.1 - first upload