Microwave emission from dry snow: a comparison of experimental and model results

Field measurements of microwave emission from snow-covered soil were carried out in 1996, 1997, and 1999 on the Italian Alps using a three-frequency dual polarized microwave system. At the same time, nivological time measurements were carried out using standard methods and an electromagnetic contact probe. Collected data confirmed the possibility of separating wet from dry snow and of estimating the water equivalent of dry snow. Simulations performed by means of a model based on the dense medium radiative theory (DMRT) were able to reproduce experimental data very well.