Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-7-169-2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-7-169-2018
Research article
 | 
18 Jun 2018
Research article |  | 18 Jun 2018

Technical note: A low-cost albedometer for snow and ice measurements – theoretical results and application on a tropical mountain in Bolivia

Thomas Condom, Marie Dumont, Lise Mourre, Jean Emmanuel Sicart, Antoine Rabatel, Alessandra Viani, and Alvaro Soruco

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Manuscript not accepted for further review
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Cited articles

Boehner, J. and Antonic, O.: 'Land-surface parameters specific to topo-climatology', Software, Applications', in: Geomorphometry – Concepts, edited by: Hengl, T. and Reuter, H., Developments in Soil Science, Vol. 33, 195–226, Elsevier, 2009. 
Brock, B., Willis, I., Sharp, M.: Measurement and parametrization of albedo variations at Haut Glacier d'arolla, Swizerland, J. Glaciol., 46, 675–688, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781832675, 2000. 
Carmagnola, C. M., Domine, F., Dumont, M., Wright, P., Strellis, B., Bergin, M., Dibb, J., Picard, G., Libois, Q., Arnaud, L., and Morin, S.: Snow spectral albedo at Summit, Greenland: measurements and numerical simulations based on physical and chemical properties of the snowpack, The Cryosphere, 7, 1139–1160, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1139-2013, 2013. 
Corripio, J.: Snow surface albedo estimation using terrestrial photography, Int. J. Remote Sens., 24, 5705–5729, 2004. 
Dumont, M., Sirguey, P., Arnaud, Y., and Six, D.: Monitoring spatial and temporal variations of surface albedo on Saint Sorlin Glacier (French Alps) using terrestrial photography, The Cryosphere, 5, 759–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-759-2011, 2011. 
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Short summary
This study presents a new instrument called a low-cost albedometer (LCA) composed of two illuminance sensors. The ratio between reflected vs. incident illuminances is called the albedo index and can be compared with actual albedo values. We demonstrate that our system performs well and thus provides relevant opportunities to document spatiotemporal changes in the surface albedo from direct observations at the scale of an entire catchment at a low cost.