Update on the performance and evaluation of the Total Precipitation Sensors on the North Slope of Alaska

 

Authors

Mark D. Ivey — Sandia National Laboratories
Jessica Cherry — International Arctic Research Center

Category

Instruments

Description

The authors provide an update on the performance of the Total Precipitation Sensor (TPS) installed at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility North Slope of Alaska (NSA) sites in Barrow and Atqasuk, as well as University of Alaska-managed sites. The TPS design is intended to avoid the undercatch biases of traditional gauges, but may not detect smaller-sized snow particles. Output from the TPS is compared to that from the collocated NOAA’s Climate Reference Network (CRN) sites, snow particle counters, and changes from snow depth sensors. The CRN site has a Geonor gauge with a modified double fence, as per the national network standard. Output from the Vaisala FD12P present weather sensor (PWS) at the ARM NSA site is also considered. Recent results from wind tunnel testing with the manufacturer, Yankee Environmental Systems, have led to changes to the sensor algorithm as described here. Precipitation measurements in Barrow will be important for scanning radar data analyses and calibrations.