NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) is advancing the Snow Water-equivalent Wide Swath Interferometer and Scatterometer (SNOWWI), a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar system aimed at improving global snowpack measurements. This initiative, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, addresses current gaps in snow data collection.
In January and March 2024, the research team conducted successful test flights over Grand Mesa, Colorado, marking a significant transition from laboratory hardware to a functional tool capable of producing meaningful data. Paul Siqueira, the principal investigator for SNOWWI, noted, "We've gone from pieces of hardware in a lab to something that makes meaningful data."
SNOWWI employs two Ku-band radar signals: a high-frequency signal that interacts with snow grains and a low-frequency signal that penetrates the snowpack. This dual-frequency approach enables better differentiation of snow microstructure and depth, enhancing overall data accuracy.
Operating from an altitude of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers), SNOWWI can map approximately 40 square miles (100 square kilometers) of snow-covered terrain in just half an hour. Future space missions will further extend its reach. Siqueira is collaborating with Capella Space to develop a satellite-ready version of SNOWWI.
Additional testing is planned in Idaho's mountainous terrain to assess SNOWWI's performance in more complex landscapes. Chris Derksen, a glaciologist and researcher, emphasized the economic significance of snowmelt, stating, "Snowmelt is money. It has intrinsic economic value." The ability to monitor snowmelt effectively is crucial for various ecological and economic factors.