SnowMicroPen (SMP) force profiles collected during November, 2023 (event K892B) in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.

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 vertically. The SMP signal may be used to 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 repeat measurements, the SMP data may be used to 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. In November 2023 a SMP was used as part of an Antarctica New Zealand campaign, that supported our (AAS4406) partner Marsden grant. The goal was to investigate snow and sea-ice properties using specialised instruments flown beneath a twin otter aircraft. Airborne data were extended at increased horizontal and vertical resolution by a ground-based team who undertook on-ice measurements of sea ice and snow characteristics using instruments such as the SMP and Magnaprobe. Additional sites were also investigated to aid other research projects in the region.
This dataset consists of 451 SMP profiles. All test, calibration and invalid measurements have been removed from these data except those explicitly flagged with scott-base-test-site.
These data are binary PNT files that contain force profiles from the instrument, they can be processed using the open source python package, snowmicropyn. The files have also been converted to csv, but if possible, it is recommended to use the original pnt files.
Metadata csv: included in the download file.
Measurement site flags:
scott-base-test-site are the first measurements taken for the season to check the function of the instrument.
Sites S01 to S07 were overflown by the Twin Otter carrying the snow radar. They are aligned East West. Transects were 30 meters long with measurements taken every meter for 31 measurements per site. S01 captures snow conditions across the glacial ice shelf to sea ice transition and has approximately 3 measurements per meter with a total of 92 measurements.
Sites A1 and A2 are located further north in McMurdo sound.
The SIMS23 site is the location of the University of Otago sea-ice mass-balance station, it was removed shortly after the SMP measurements, these were taken as part of a broader effort to characterise the site.
IS2CS2EW and IS2CS2NS are two 30 meter transects taken east west and north south respectively near the intersection of ICESat-2 and CryoSat-2 flight paths. This site was chosen to have satellite coverage along with the airborne measurements on the Twin Otter.

Tags: AMD, AMD/AU, CEOS, CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > MCMURDO SOUND, EARTH SCIENCE > CRYOSPHERE > SEA ICE > FREEBOARD, EARTH SCIENCE > CRYOSPHERE > SNOW/ICE > SNOW DENSITY, EARTH SCIENCE > CRYOSPHERE > SNOW/ICE > SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT, FIELD SURVEYS > FIELD SURVEYS, GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR, SMP > Snow MicroPenetrometer
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network