Waiting on a mule deer crossing…
This study investigates several of the snowpack micromechanical and microstructural properties which are critical to assessing the engineering capabilities of snow, such as stability. Snow density, compression strength, and microstructural element deflection at rupture were derived using the 2017 NASA SnowEx SnowMicroPenetrometer datasets from the Grand Mesa, Colorado, USA. Our study employs a comprehensive methodology involving spatial statistical relationships and physically based calculations to assess these microparameters. The SMP force profiles were initially pre-processed to correct signal errors and eliminate non-snow portions. Results from the statistical analyses reveal notable spatial auto- and cross-correlations among compression strength, deflection at rupture, and snow density. Despite non-uniform spacing between the sampling locations, results indicate positive cross-correlations between snow density and compression strength, as well as between snow density and deflection at rupture. Conversely, an observable negative correlation exists between compression strength and the rupture deflection.
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