Snow depth_EmpSa_PitTransect

Snow depths are measured in cross transects at each cores site of the snow survey using RTK GPS. The ground surface of the EmpSa transects was measured in 2012, and a two-dimensional digital elevation model of the terrain along each transect was extracted. During the snow survey, the snow surface along the transects is measured, and snow depth is calculated by projecting it onto the terrain model. In order to achieve a precise geographical reference, the section nodes for all the repeatable transects have been established with a Leica 1200 RTK GPS. The GPS rover receives corrections from a GPS base station placed on the reference point ‘Kobbefjordfix’, which consists of a bolt anchored in rock. Using the RTK GPS rover and base station allows the horizontal and vertical position to be determined within 3 and 5 cm, respectively.