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Full catalog/SNEX23_MAR23_CTSM
SNEX23_MAR23_CTSM·v1·dataset

3D scans of snow's inner structure (SnowEx23, CT)

SnowEx23 MAR23 IOP Computed Tomography Snow Microstructure V001
cryosphere NASA NSIDC_CPRD Level 4 CSVText File
In plain English

What it measures. Detailed three-dimensional looks at the internal structure of snow, from 11 snow pits sampled during a 2023 field campaign. It includes 2D and 3D structure measurements, black-and-white scan images, and the raw scanner data.

How it's made. Made on the ground, not from space: snow samples were collected in containers, sliced into thin sections, and scanned with a micro-CT machine (like a tiny medical CT scanner) to reconstruct each piece.

How & where you'd use it. Helps scientists understand snow's inner grain structure, which affects how snow reflects light, melts, and holds water; valuable for improving snow and water-supply research.

What's measured

CRYOSPHERE › SNOW/ICE › SNOW MICROSTRUCTURE

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2023-03-07 → 2023-03-16
  • Measured byGROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS (Microtomography)
  • Processing levelLevel 4
  • Spatial extent-149.59716, 64.69925, -147.48583, 70.08434
  • FormatsCSV, Text File
  • StatusCOMPLETE

What you can do with it

  • Measure sea ice, snow cover and glaciers
  • Watch ice-sheet elevation change
  • Track freeze/thaw and permafrost
Official description

This data set characterizes snow microstructure for 11 snow pits from the SnowEx 2023 NASA field campaign Intensive Observation Period (March 2023) using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Included with this data set are two- and three-dimensional microstructural analysis of snow samples, black and white binary images of each sub-sample scan, and raw instrument data. Containers of snow were collected at 6 snow pits in approximately 17 cm intervals. There were approximately 5-8 discrete containers per pit and each container had an ~1-2 cm overlap with the sample below. A 6-cm section of snow was dissected from each container of snow, which were analyzed in ~2 cm sub-sections. Each sub-section was scanned in three intervals using a micro-CT instrument. The three interval scans comprise multiple slices and were combined into the reconstructed final scan used for calculating the snow microstructural data.

Get the data

snex23_mar23_ctsm_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="SNEX23_MAR23_CTSM",
    version="1",
    bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9),  # your area (W,S,E,N)
    temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"),       # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results)   # stream straight from NSIDC_CPRD
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.