Comparative Study on Heat Balance during Snowmelt Season

Abstract

This study investigates the discrepancies of heat budgets on snow surface between in the high alpine area and in the lower-lands through field observations. The energy exchanges across the snow surface were measured at two observation sites; one located at 2950 m a. m. s. l. on the northern slope of Mt. Fuji, and the other at 300 m a. m. s. l. in Niigata prefecture. Snowmelt was calculated using snow density measured by snow sampler once every week and melting depth by camera in every six hours. Role of turbulent heat flux in the high alpine area was more important than in the lower-lands. The latent heat flux was usually negative and the large positive latent heat flux associated with the warm, humid and strong wind sometimes caused the very intense snowmelt in the high alpine area.