Areal snowpack water-equivalent determinations using airborne measurements of passive terrestrial gamma radiation

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:4159851

Jones, E B; Fritzsche, A E; Burson, Z G; Burge, D L; Santeford, H S; Smith, J L

Airborne measurement of the areal average of the water equivalent of snow by the terrestrial gamma attenuation method is accurate to 1.2 cm or 10 percent whichever is greater. Airborne survey data from study areas in the midwest show that airborne radon daughters, soil moisture, and gamma counting statistics are the predominant sources of error. The method has good potential for large, rapid areal measurements of water equivalent over flat or rolling terrain. (auth)

• Research Organization: EG and G, Inc., Las Vegas, NV; comps.; SEE CODE- 4415000 National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-33-007308
• OSTI ID: 4159851
• Report Number(s): CONF-731201--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*SNOW-- DEPTH
510101* --Environmental Sciences
Terrestrial--Basic Studies- -Radiometric Techniques
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EARTH CRUST
GAMMA SOURCES
GAMMA SPECTROMETERS
MEASURING METHODS
N44420* --Environmental & Earth Sciences--Radiometric Techniques--Soil
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
SOILS
WATER