Application of a snow cover energy and mass balance model in a balsam fir forest

Abstract

The objective of this study was to adjust the parameters of the point energy and mass balance model of a snow cover developed by E. Anderson in 1976 when applied to a balsam fir forest. This physically based model was used to simulate the snow cover energy and mass balance during spring at Lac Laflamme (47°N, 71°W). The calibration of the model was done with the physical properties of snow and hourly outflow observed at a snow lysimeter in 1985 and 1986; the validation was performed with the 1987 data. For the three seasons simulated, the model yielded accurate predictions, particularly of hourly and daily outflows. As expected, the forest canopy limits latent and sensible heat transfers to the snow cover because of its effect on wind speed. The prediction of outflow was almost insensitive to variations to the roughness parameter and to the critical Richardson number but was moderately sensitive to most parameters related to liquid water retention and transmission. Lack of fit between predicted and observed outflows, densities and temperatures at various levels in the snowpack occurred when ice layers or ice lenses were suspected to be present in the snow.